Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 10, 1990 TAG: 9004100506
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
After accepting the schools' 90th out-of-city student, the board voted unanimously to cut tuition to $100 a year. Families also would get a $25 discount for each additional student.
Superintendent Michael Wright said the schools can accommodate another 30 students. It was the second major tuition decrease in a year as Radford attempts to augment flagging enrollments by attracting outside students, mostly from Pulaski County.
The board also unanimously approved a new dual schedule of lunch fees that provides discounts for those buying a five-meal ticket. Currently, only those qualifying for free lunches get tickets.
Under the plan, elementary school ticket holders will continue to pay 90 cents for lunch, while the cash price will go to $1. High school lunches, now at 95 cents, will cost $1 with a ticket or $1.10 cash. Lunch prices for adults will go from $1.30 to $1.50 cash or $6.50 for a five-meal ticket.
At the same meeting, the board raised textbook rental fees and postponed a decison on where to make more cuts in the school budget.
A long debate preceded a 3-2 vote to raise the textbook rental fee from $17 to $22, $2 higher than Wright recommended.
"I don't want to come back and make another increase next year," said board Vice Chairman Guy Gentry, who suggested the higher figure.
"That's a big increase," Wright countered.
"It's still a bargain," Gentry said. "As a parent, I'd rather have an increase one time."
"As a parent, I'd rather not have to pay it this year," said board member Rick Swann, who voted against the increase.
"I would not want to be perceived as trying to line our pockets," said board member George Ducker, who cast the other negative vote.
The board also heard a recommendation to expand the school day at Radford High School to seven periods. The proposal resulted from a survey of students, parents and faculty of Radford High and Dalton Intermediate schools that showed strong support for the additional daily class period.
The board also agreed to look into ways to make computers and educational software more available to learning disabled and special education students.
The board also agreed to consider at its next meeting what Wright called "an interesting proposal" to extend Radford High School's year by two or three days to accommodate final examinations.
In other business, the board postponed adjusting the budget to make up a shortfall in City Council's school appropriation. Council had appropriated $3.4 million as its share of the school budget, $162,503 less than the School Board requested.
Council has recommended that the board delete $40,300 for architectural and engineering services on projects to expand physical education, art and music facilities at Radford High School.
"It's sorely needed," said board Chairman John McPhail. "We're probably not going far enough in our requests."
The board expects to make final adjustments to Wright's budget at its next meeting April 19.
The board also agreed to consider joining the Coalition for Equity in Educational Funding, a largely regional group of school administrators trying to pursuade state officials to narrow the gap in education spending among the richest and poorest school systems.
"It would be money well spent," said board member Carter Effler.
"You might even get more money out of us for that," council member Guy Wohlford said from the audience. "That would help us as much as it will you."
by CNB