SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE $3 MILLION BUT RAISES TO TAKE MORE

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, February 6, 1992                   TAG: 9202060375
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: By NEAL THOMPSON EDUCATION WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
SCHOOLS TO RECEIVE $3 MILLION BUT RAISES TO TAKE MORE
The good news: Roanoke schools may get $3.3 million in new local, state and federal money for next year's budget.
The bad news: It would cost $3.7 million if the School Board decides to give 6 percent employee raises, restore overdue teacher "tier" raises and keep full-day kindergarten programs in all city schools next year.
Worse yet: It would cost nearly $9 million to fund all the priority programs and increased program costs that school administrators anticipate next year.
"Obviously there are a lot of demands and a lot of needs for this $3.3 million," Richard Kelley, the executive for business affairs, told PTA members Wednesday.
And because it's still early in the School Board budget process, there's no guarantee Roanoke won't receive less than the $3.3 million if any funding is cut, Kelley said.
Kelley's announcement on the $3.3 million is the first time that estimates have been released on the upcoming school budget, which will be released next week. A public hearing on the budget is scheduled Feb. 25.
If the School Board receives the full $3.3 million, it would be a 5.2 percent increase over last year's school budget.
But City Manager Bob Herbert cautioned: "That's very preliminary."
Last year, Roanoke's school budget dropped by $500,000 - the first time a budget was lower than in the previous year. All employee salaries were frozen to compensate for that, but the Roanoke Education Association has since requested sufficient raises to cover last year and this year and to bring the city's average teacher salary above the state average.
School Board members have said employee raises are their top priority. But Kelley said Wednesday that there may not be enough money to pay for everything the board wants.
For example, it will cost $100,000 next year to keep the city's full-day kindergarten program. That, too, is a board priority, but Kelley told the PTA he can't guarantee it during uncertain budget times.
"No one's life or property is safe while the General Assembly is in session," he added half-jokingly.
Superintendent Frank Tota told the PTA that Roanoke won't know until March whether the General Assembly supports Gov. Douglas Wilder's budget recommendations and won't know until May whether council can afford the $1.1 million Herbert has estimated.
Herbert said he is recommending 3 percent raises for city employees and hopes the schools give similar increases to their workers.
\ WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM\ ROANOKE'S $3.3 MILLION
\ $1.4 million from the state to restore $1.4 million cut last year.
\ $700,000 from the state to help meet state-set classroom standards.
\ $100,000 in federal money for increased participation in the free-lunch program.
$1.1 million from the city, based on preliminary revenue estimates.

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB