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

DATE: THURSDAY, August 25, 1994                   TAG: 9410010023
SECTION: NEIGHBORS                    PAGE: S19   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

ELECTED SCHOOL BOARD 'A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME'

The upcoming school year in Roanoke County will bring changes that could have a far-reaching impact on the schools, but the students, teachers and parents will likely not notice much change immediately.

For the first time in the county's history, voters will have the opportunity in November to select three School Board members.

They will choose members for the Hollins, Vinton and Windsor Hills magisterial districts. In November 1995, voters will elect members from the Catawba and Cave Spring districts.

Roanoke County is one of approximately 80 localities in Virginia where voters have opted for elected school boards.

Bedford and Botetourt counties have also switched to elected boards, but they will not elect their first members under the new system until next year.

Elected school boards are no big deal in most of the country. Nationwide, 97 percent of the 15,300 school districts elect their board members, according to the National School Boards Association.

Virginia is one of the last states in the country, however, with appointed school boards. Several years ago, the General Assembly agreed to allow cities and counties to switch to elected boards on a local-option basis.

Previously, the boards were selected by either the governing body or a selection commission that was appointed by circuit court judges.

To get the issue on the ballot, supporters must collect the signatures of 10 percent of a locality's registered voters.

Salem voters will have a referendum in November to decide whether to switch to an elected board. Petitions signed by more than 10 percent of Salem's registered voters have already been collected.

Franklin County will also have a similar vote.

A citizens' group tried to collect enough signatures to get the issue on the ballot in Roanoke, but it not meet the deadline for submitting petitions.

Some current members of the Roanoke School Board said the election of board members would not make them more accountable and independent, because the board would have no taxing powers.

"The board would still have have to depend on City Council for the money for schools," said Vice Chairman Marilyn Curtis. "I don't see that there would be any difference, because there would be no changes in the finances.

But Barbara "Bootie" Chewning, a member of the Roanoke County School Board member who decided not to run in the November, sees it differently.

Said Chewning: "Having an elected board is going to be a whole new ball game."

by CNB