Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, March 4, 1994 TAG: 9403040100
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Is it $2.4 million, or about $4.4 million? It depends on your perspective.
News reports about the plan to reduce the funding disparity between rich and poor school systems have said Roanoke would receive $2.4 million in the next two years, the most for any Western Virginia locality.
This allocation is to reduce class sizes in the primary grades and to acquire educational technology. It is part of the $103 million plan to help close the spending gap between rich and poor school systems.
In addition to the disparity funds, Del. Richard Cranwell said the city will receive about $2 million through the restoration of an $80 million initiative package for at-risk children that was begun in 1992.
The 1992 initiatives were the first step toward addressing the disparity problem, he said.
Cranwell, D-Roanoke County, said the budget submitted by former Gov. Douglas Wilder earlier this year eliminated part of the 1992 package - enrollment loss and school maintenance payments. Those payments were restored in the budget adopted last week by the House of Delegates.
As a result, Roanoke will receive about $2 million in at-risk funds in the next two years, he said.
Richard Kelley, Roanoke's assistant superintendent for operation, said the net increase in at-risk funds will be less than $2 million, because the city has received about $615,000 this year in this category.
But Kelley and other school officials do not want to be seen as debating Cranwell on the precise amount the city will receive. They commend him for leading the successful effort to provide more state funds for rural and inner-city school systems.
"He has been good to us. He has done an exceptional job in getting through the legislation and money," Kelley said. "He has been excellent in getting more, and we appreciate it."
Cranwell does not represent Roanoke, but he has spearheaded the disparity plan that will provide Roanoke:
$1,059,700 in 1994-95 and $1,086,718 in 1995-96 for the state share of hiring more teachers to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio to 20-to-1 in moderately at-risk elementary schools and 18-to-1 in severely at-risk schools.
$90,508 in 1995-96 for preschool programs to serve 30 percent of the city's at-risk 4-year-olds who are not served in federal programs such as Head Start.
$47,469 in technology grants in 1994-95 to provide high school libraries with computer access to other libraries, including the Library of Congress. $122,354 in 1995-96 so middle school libraries can have a similar computer link.
From the at-risk funds Roanoke would receive:
$874,564 in 1994-95 and $883,326 in 1995-96 to provide support for children at risk of failing, dropping out of school or needing remediation.
$19,907 in 1994-95 and $19,212 in 1995-96 for the additional education costs of students for whom English is a second language.
$115,614 in 1994-95 and $116,722 in 1995-96 as the state share of a $15 per pupil grant for school divisions to help meet ongoing maintenance needs.
Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1994
by CNB