Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, February 26, 1993 TAG: 9302260469
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
DISPARITY FUNDS CALLED NOT ENOUGH
House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell's bill to ease disparity between rich and poor school systems would do little to close the gap, the chairman of a coalition of rural and inner-city school systems said Thursday."I certainly welcome anything we could get, but $20 million won't go very far," said Kenneth Walker, superintendent of the Halifax County school system, chairman of the Coalition for Equity in Educational Funding.
"I think it's an important step, but we would like to see a much more substantial effort to address disparity."
Cranwell's bill, which would help reduce school funding disparity by distributing $20 million in state money to poor school systems, is in the hands of a House-Senate conference committee.
The bill would provide funds to all but 25 school districts.
"I don't see how it can go too far," said William Asbury, superintendent of Pulaski County schools. "We really don't know now, but my guess is that it doesn't equate to a great deal of funds. On the other hand, any funds going toward education, we appreciate it."
Eligible localities would be those that ranked low on the state's index of local wealth or those with 30 percent of their students qualifying for free lunches.
Richard Kelley, executive for business affairs for Roanoke schools, said recently that any additional money coming to the city would be used to help disadvantaged students by reducing primary-grade class size, hiring remedial teachers and school nurses and buying instructional materials.
Roanoke is the 50th largest of the state's 136 school systems but seventh highest in percentage of disadvantaged children, Kelley said. Nearly half of the system's 12,750 students are eligible for free lunches, he said.
Dallas Helems, superintendent of Craig County schools, said Cranwell's bill "sounds like a step in the right direction. This is another effort to work toward that process to help address the disparity issue."
The General Assembly attempted to ease the disparity problem with its approval last year of Gov. Douglas Wilder's proposal to give $80 million to the poorer school districts. But the coalition said that was about one-10th of what was needed.
The coalition is banking on its appeal of a Richmond judge's decision to dismiss its lawsuit challenging the state's method of funding schools.
"We have given notice of appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court and [are] preparing arguments to present in our petition of appeal," Walker said. \
DISPARITY ALLOCATIONS\ THE CRANWELL PROPOSAL
Alleghany $71,104
Bath $0
Bedford $23,964
Bedford County $207,490
Bland $30,766
Botetourt $110,416
Buena Vista $32,396
Carroll $120,416
Clifton Forge $19,893
Covington $26,771
Craig $19,255
Floyd $51,723
Franklin $171,905
Giles $71,606
Grayson $64,315
Henry $257,497
Highland $0
Lexington $15,887
Martinsville $70,278
Montgomery $224,056
Patrick $78,061
Pulaski $150,047
Radford $38,440
Roanoke $294,383
Roanoke County $336,848
Rockbridge $79,252
Salem $114,536
Wythe $124,252
Memo: ***CORRECTION***