Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 13, 1994 TAG: 9401140363
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By MARA LEE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
In the first work session, the board asked how much to add some options. On Tuesday night, they found out the new sticker price.
If the School Board assumes the worst about every extra they asked for, the cost could tally more than $14 million, a third of the total budget.
The most expensive initiative by far is reducing the systemwide student/teacher ratio by one. While that does not necessarily translate into each class having one fewer student, the general idea is scheduling smaller classes. In the widest-ranging solution, 51 new teachers and the new schools needed would cost approximately $12.9 million.
The board discussed several ways to attack overcrowding. Another proposal, to put a cap of 25 students on each elementary classroom, would require four new teachers and four new trailer-classrooms, at a cost of $179,000.
Board member Don Lacy said the trailers were substandard, and asked how much trailers with running water, closet space and air conditioning would cost. Those mobile units would add $50,000 to the price tag.
``Our approach has been: if we can get four walls and a roof over our students and folks can't see them, then we're OK,'' he said, calling this solution unacceptable.
Board members asked how much it would cost to put a cap of 28 students on any math, English, social studies or science class in middle and high schools. The administration budget had already added 5.8 teachers to Blacksburg Middle School, but to bring each of these classes to that standard could require as many as 11.6 more teachers, five trailers, and $571,600.
Despite these prices, members seemed to be convinced that reducing class sizes was the course to pursue. Board member and former teacher Virginia Kennedy said that state-mandated ratios, calculated across the division instead of in individual classrooms, were not strict enough. ``I don't think the board as a whole has ever been satisfied with the state mandates.''
Parents and board members agreed that using numbers throughout the system was murky at best, she said. ``That's very deceptive.''
The Focus 2006 report, a long-range plan for higher quality in Montgomery County schools, said classes should have no more than 20 students.
Board member Annette Perkins, also a former teacher, said she felt strongly about the needs at both the elementary and secondary schools.
Vice Chairman Bob Goncz agreed, and said he placed hiring more teachers on a higher priority than giving a raise to those already there. ``I hope I don't have to make that kind of choice,'' he added.
Some other initiatives would cost:
$173,100 for day care for students' infants in all four high schools. The current budget has $22,500 for a pilot program just at Christiansburg.
$116,000 for three more teachers, to offer tastes of French and Spanish in sixth grade, offer full classes for eighth graders, and in two years offer full classes for seventh graders. Currently only Shawsville middle school has Spanish and French.
$115,000 to provide one guidance counselor for every elementary school. Now several elementary schools share counselors. The administration budget already included one position for the new elementary school, one-third of this total.
Lease/purchase five new school buses instead of one: $85,000.
Memo: ***CORRECTION***