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

DATE: SATURDAY, February 25, 1995                   TAG: 9502270029
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-3   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: JIM SHULER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HELPING RURAL SCHOOLS

Legislation is poised for passage that will use profits from the Virginia Lottery to address the serious problems facing our children in rural and inner-city school districts.

The passage of the Omnibus Education Act of 1995 will permanently lock in funding and programs for children who are extremely at-risk, reduce educational disparities, and improve the quality of education in our long-neglected rural counties of Southwest Virginia.

This bill has a provision that directs 100 percent of net revenues from the Virginia Lottery (currently $300 million annually) to public education.

The bill is the culmination of many years of work by many legislators, particularly those legislators in more rural areas of the commonwealth.

The Omnibus Education Act, if signed by the governor, would allow a locality to participate in the program voluntarily, thus eliminating any "mandate." Most poor school districts have been asking for this type of initiative for years and it is expected that most localities would participate in the program.

This measure will provide for the reduction of class size in kindergarten through third-grade classrooms that have high concentrations of at-risk children. If a school has a moderate amount of at-risk students, the teacher-pupil ratio would be set at 20:1, and the ratio would be set at 18:1 at schools where there are more severe problems. Educational research shows that the reduction of class size is the single most important step in increasing learning in the early years of at-risk school children. In addition, this legislation establishes the long-term goal of a teacher-pupil ratio of 22:1 at all grade levels. This bill will also increase services for at-risk 4-year-olds who are not enrolled in programs such as Head Start.

The Omnibus Education Act of 1995 will have an impact on our children long after they complete the third grade. Our educators have recognized for a long time that a child must master basic skills in early grades if they are going to enjoy future academic success. Children who fall behind early on in school have increased risks of becoming high school dropouts. Currently 80 percent of Virginia's prison population is made up of high school dropouts.

The Omnibus Education Act of 1995 will provide increased technology for all school systems.

The General Assembly session will adjourn sine die today until it is reconvened for a "veto" session on April 5.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995

by CNB