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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 8, 1995                   TAG: 9502080057
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

WHAT VEA BACKS

Pre-Labor Day School Openings: This bill would give localities the option to open schools before Labor Day, without state permission. The VEA supported this bill, but it died early in the session in the Senate Education and Health Committee.

Family Life Education: A House committee killed the proposal to allow a local option on teaching sex education. The bill, which the VEA opposed, also was killed on the Senate floor.

Grievance Equity Constitutional Amendment: This amendment, supported by the VEA, would give teachers binding arbitration like other state employees. Under the amendment, a grievance panel that hears a teacher's case would make the final decision on that teacher's fate. Currently, school boards have the final say in this process. According to the Virginia Legislative Information Department, the bill died in the House Rules Committee.

Salary Goals as the National Average: The VEA supports this goal to have, in writing, a statement saying Virginia schools will work toward bringing teachers' salaries to the national average of $36,973. Currently, Virginia is $3,000 below this average. The resolution passed the House and is now in the Senate Rules Committee.

Charter Schools: This bill, which the VEA opposed in its current form, died in both the Senate and House committees. The committees called for a year-long on the concept of self-governed schools paid for with public funds.