Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 12, 1991 TAG: 9103120204
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: JUSTINE ELIAS CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: PULASKI LENGTH: Medium
Early retirement by teachers and support staff may help the county cover its costs. Asbury said 44 school employees are eligible for retirement.
Over the past month, the School Board has been meeting with teachers and administrators to get an idea of what programs and positions can be cut if state funding does not come through as expected.
Pulaski County will need at least $22 million to maintain services in its schools.
But sharp cuts into education funding - coupled with decreased enrollment and sales tax revenues - will leave Pulaski $800,000 short of what it needs.
The cuts, Asbury said, "could have been worse."
"If we were just facing the state reductions, we wouldn't have such a problem. But there are all these other negatives."
Enrollment - particularly at the secondary schools - decreased by 2 percent last year, and the 1990 U.S. census showed a similar decline in the overall population. Sales tax revenue is down, Asbury said.
Last year the county spent $686,913 for 5.6 percent teacher salary increases. Teaching incentive funds from the state covered the raises last year, but this time the county must pick up the tab.
The 1990 salary increase "is one of the big hits in the budget," Asbury said.
School officials are waiting to hear from those eligible for early retirement. But Asbury cautioned that some positions must be filled.
"If a principal retires, we've got to replace the principal," he said.
"The only place you really save is by not replacing teachers, if you can absorb the position," he said. "But you don't want to drive the teacher-pupil ratio too far down. That's going to be the challenge - sorting through which positions need to be replaced."
Asbury said he will present a preliminary budget at the board's next meeting Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
by CNB