SALEM TO TOUGHEN ADMISSIONS CRITERIA

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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 10, 1993                   TAG: 9303100333
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium
SALEM TO TOUGHEN ADMISSIONS CRITERIA
Faced with overcrowded classrooms, particularly in primary grades, the Salem school system is toughening its admissions criteria for students who live outside city boundaries.
The School Board on Tuesday concurred with a recommendation from Superintendent Wayne Tripp that effective March 15, students applying for tuition status in grades K-2 must have siblings attending Salem schools or be children of school or city employees.
Criteria for students in grades 3-12 will be determined annually on a space-available basis.
In 1988, Salem cut its tuition fee from $1,200 to $100 a year, in part, to boost a sagging enrollment. That year, Salem had 66 tuition students.
This school year, Salem has a record 352.
The school system is spending a large chunk of its capital project fund to add classroom space at elementary schools that are beyond capacity. Tripp said earlier that each of the city's four elementary schools is coping with overcrowding.
While much of the enrollment growth in recent years has been in resident pupils, some of it can be attributed to the enrollment boost from the tuition reduction five years ago, he said.
Tuesday, Tripp said the new tuition criteria will bring a "gradual reduction, over time. There will be no major shock on the system or the people involved."
In another matter, Tripp made several personnel cost recommendations for the 1993-94 budget, including an across-the-board raise for all employees.
Tripp made no recommendation on the amount of the raise. The 3 percent raise for state teachers approved in the last General Assembly session - which will take effect Dec. 1 - would amount to 1.75 percent when computed for the full school year, he noted.
Total state aid to Salem schools is expected to be $173,000 more than the school system received this year. A 1 percent salary increase would cost the school system $150,000, he said.
For each of the past two years, Salem City Council has used local money to provide 4 percent raises for school employees.
The board will conclude its 1993-94 budget review on March 23.

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB