Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, November 30, 1994 TAG: 9411300078
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Governor's Commission on Champion Schools says in its interim report that disparity in state school funding can be reduced if school systems expand their use of technology and develop more advanced learning systems.
One way to help ease the spending gap would be to pair technology-rich localities, such as Fairfax County, with poorer school systems in Southwest Virginia, the report says.
The commission has recommended state grants to school systems to upgrade instructional technology. The report doesn't say how much money should be provided for the grants.
The school systems could allocate the funds, as long as they complied with a detailed plan required by the state.
"The use of technology has the potential to help," said Ken Walker, chairman of the Coalition for Equity in Educational Funding. "I think the report is a positive move in the right direction."
The commission made no recommendations for changes in the state's school funding formula. The Virginia Supreme Court has ruled that the formula is constitutional, but the coalition of mostly rural counties has vowed to continue its fight for more state funds.
The commission also recommended that the state continue to provide disparity funds for kindergarten through third-grade classes in schools with high concentrations of at-risk children.
The General Assembly approved $103 million in disparity funds this year, but it required school divisions receiving the money to use it to limit class sizes. The commission recommends eliminating that requirement and letting school divisions spend the money as they choose, provided they submit a plan that's approved by the state.
Rob Jones, president of the Virginia Education Association, said he's pleased that the commission has recognized the need to reduce the gap in educational funding. But he said it will take more than just computers.
The VEA agrees with some of the commission's proposals, he said, but it has concerns about others, such as charter schools and changes in family-life education programs.
by CNB