Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, February 2, 1995 TAG: 9502020046
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Johnson sometimes can be blunt to make a point. It's his political style - cutting through the rhetoric and getting to the heart of the matter.
Consider his recent remark that county teachers' salaries are ``embarrassing'' because they are lower than Salem's - and lower than Roanoke's in some categories.
Johnson's comment caused some school administrators to cringe because, they say privately, they viewed it as a slap in the face for the job they have been trying to do.
But Johnson said he was not talking about any individual or blaming the School Board. The Board of Supervisors has not provided all the funds that have been requested by the School Board.
So, was Johnson right?
It depends on your perspective.
Salem has higher salaries than Roanoke County in every teaching category, from beginners to most experienced.
Roanoke's salaries are also higher than the county's for teachers with more than 30 years' experience.
Among the 133 school divisions in the state, Roanoke County ranks 26th in beginning salary; 35th for teachers with 10 years' experience; 17th for teachers with 20 years; and 65th for those with more than 30 years.
The average salary for county teachers is $33,205 - nearly $1,000 above the state average, but $1,850 below the national average.
Because of tight finances, the county School Board will be hard-pressed to come up with enough money this year to provide a large increase in salaries for teachers.
Based on preliminary budget estimates, the School Board expects to receive about $2.8 million in additional revenue next year: $2.1 million from the county; and $750,000 from the state.
School Board Chairman Frank Thomas said each 1 percent pay increase for all school employees costs $540,000. A 3 percent increase would cost $1.6 million.
If the schools used $1.2 million of the new money for maintenance, increases in the cost of utilities and other nonpersonnel expenses, the School Board may find it difficult to provide raises of more than 3 to 4 percent, Thomas said.
Some teachers are urging the board to give top priority to salaries and provide pay raises ahead of other needs.
Richard Kelly, president of the Roanoke County Education Association, said teachers believe pay raises should be the overriding issue this year.
``Let's put salaries ahead of bricks and mortar this year,'' he said. ``The teachers deserve a bigger raise.''
A decade ago, Roanoke County ranked in the top quarter of school systems in the state in teacher salaries and other financial measures.
But the county's ranking has declined because the School Board has been forced to operate with smaller increases in funds in recent years.
``We know that you face unfunded mandates and other procedures that will be expensive,'' Kelly said. ``We don't want you to forget us.''
Gov. George Allen has included money in his budget for 2.25 percent raises for teachers over two years, beginning in December. On an annual basis, the pay increases would be about 1.1 percent. To give teachers 4 percent raises, the Roanoke County School Board would have to come up with the money for about 3 percent.
Jerry Canada, a School Board member, said he worries that the county will fall further behind Roanoke and Salem.
Roanoke County provided average increases of 3 percent for teachers this year. It made an adjustment in the pay scale that provided another 1 percent.
Salem provided pay raises of 3.5 percent, and boosted fringe benefits to provide the equivalent of 4 percent raises.
Roanoke gave average raises of 4.6 percent to teachers this year. Superintendent Wayne Harris has recommended average raises of 4.2 percent for next year.
Roanoke is in the middle of a three-year plan to raise its teacher salaries so they will be competitive with nearby localities and suburban counties across the state.
by CNB