Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 10, 1992 TAG: 9201100348
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Medium
PLAN TARGETS VA. SCHOOL DISPARITY
Gov. Douglas Wilder on Thursday publicly released his plan to create a "world-class education program" and reduce the funding disparity between the state's wealthier and poorer localities.The plan would increase school funding by $360 million over six years. In addition, Wilder asked for an additional $104 million for some short-term measures to aid the poorer districts.
"This plan paves the way for us to ensure that the children of the commonwealth are afforded greater opportunities to succeed in life," Wilder said.
Wilder recommended revising the formula the state uses to fund education in individual localities.
A group of mostly rural school districts had filed suit against the state because of the disparity in the overall amount of money spent on education between the richer and poorer districts.
The state distributes money on the basis of a formula that takes into account the number of students, the basic level of education required and a locality's ability to fund education. Wealthier localities, however, are able to raise more local funds.
So despite localities getting approximately the same amount of money per pupil from the state, when local funds are added the amount spent on educating a pupil can range from $7,200 in the wealthier localities to $3,100 in the poorer ones.
The coalition of school districts dropped the suit after receiving strong commitments that the funding disparity would be handled in the General Assembly.
Wilder said the present system uses minimum criteria of education that are too low. The funding formula also does not take into account the needs of some localities for special education and at-risk students.
Under the governor's plan, "as a world-class program of education is developed and put in place, the state will improve upon the current system by sharing the cost of this higher and more appropriate level of education."
The governor also recommended revising the formula to better reflect the localities' ability to fund education.
The changes in the formula could be phased in over three biennial budgets, Wilder proposed.
In addition to changing the funding formula, Wilder offered short-term measures to help districts, including:
Provide instructional supplies and materials for the poorest districts.
Increase support for at-risk students.
Increase support for students for whom English is a second language.
Develop ways of bringing educational resources to rural districts by television, satellite, and computer.
Provide computers to elementary schools in the poorest districts.
Provide incentives for recruiting teachers to the more rural districts.
Wilder said the plan would not take any money away from the wealthier school districts.