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

DATE: SUNDAY, March 5, 1995                   TAG: 9503040054
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: G-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FIGHTING SCHOOL DISPARITY

ONE YEAR ago, Gov. George Allen unwisely vetoed an omnibus education bill that would have moved Virginia several sizable steps toward closing the school-funding disparity gap. Though the measure, sponsored by House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell of Vinton, had passed with bipartisan and overwhelming margins in both houses, enough Republicans jumped ship to prevent the bill's supporters from getting the two-thirds majority to override the veto.

This year, the assembly has passed essentially the same bill, sponsored by Democratic Del. Marian van Landingham of Alexandria, and with even less excuse for Allen to kill it. The new bill makes it voluntary for school districts to participate in a program providing extra state money to reduce classroom size for at-risk children in the early grades.

As it happens, all or nearly all school divisions are expected to sign up anyway. But the modification should overcome Allen's stated objection last year that the measure amounted to an unfunded mandate on the localities. If he again chooses to exercise his veto power, he at least needs a new rationale.

Among the disparity-related items that as of Thursday awaited Allen's signature:

Targeted help, beginning in the 1996-98 biennium, for local divisions to reduce student-teacher ratios in kindergarten through third grade at schools with moderate to high concentrations of impoverished students.

Assistance, beginning in the upcoming 1995-96 fiscal year, to local divisions to automate their school libraries, establish telecommunication links to information networks, and purchase other educational technologies.

Expansion, via matching grants to participating divisions, of pre-school programs for at-risk 4-year-olds.

The earmarking of all lottery proceeds to public education (they currently go, undifferentiated, into the general fund), with half to go to the new anti-disparity programs and the other half to the state's share of school funding under the existing "composite index" formula.

Money for educational technology fights disparity by helping thinly populated districts use telecommunications to enrich curriculum and increase access to information in ways that otherwise would be impossible. Money to reduce early grades' class size at some schools not only zeroes in on an improvement that educators believe is particularly effective. It also responds to the complaint that existing funding mechanisms fail to take sufficiently into account the higher costs of educating some kinds of students.

Less immediately obvious, but no less important, would be the impact of incorporating these provisions into permanent statutory law, rather than relying on their inclusion in two-year budget bills. This addresses a central criticism of the anti-disparity forces - that state budgets never seem to have enough money to fully fund the state's own wealth-based formulas for distributing school dollars.

This would provide a higher level of assurance that school funding will have top priority when state budgets are formulated, but it's no guarantee. You don't have to be a budgeting genius to know how to reduce a discretionary school appropriation here to offset a statutory earmark there. And this year's legislation could be amended or repealed next year, when the 1996-98 budget will be considered by a newly elected legislature.

In the final analysis, ensuring that all Virginia children have access to a quality education requires, as ever, a governor and lawmakers committed to the task.

Keywords:
GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1995

by CNB