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

DATE: SUNDAY, April 9, 1995                   TAG: 9504100012
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: DAN NEEL
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

YES: MORE SCHOOL FUNDING NEEDED TO MEET TECHNOLOGY NEEDS

School funding increased 3 percent in 1993-94 and 6 percent in 1994-95 when the new elementary school opened in Blacksburg.

During this time, the Focus 2006 and the Six-Year Technology Plan were prepared by parents, business leaders, teachers and staff to plan for the future of our school children.

To maintain the commitment to education demonstrated in the past, we must begin to implement these plans.

The Montgomery County Business Advisory Council involves members of the business community in providing guidance to business education programs in the schools. High school business labs contain computer equipment that is out of date, often three or four generations from current technology. Students are unable to learn on the type of equipment or software they will be expected to use in the workplace.

As we move into the next century, most jobs will require using computers. The school system has committed little of its resources to technology during the past several years. The Six-Year Technology Plan recommended updating the business labs at all high schools during the next two years. The School Board recommended funding for the first year of the technology plan in its 1995-96 budget. Computer labs and other technology cannot be upgraded if we continue to fund the school budget at the rate of inflation.

The advertised tax rate will require the schools to cut almost $1 million from their proposed budget. Without an increase in property taxes, the school budget will have to be reduced even further, resulting in another year of keeping up with inflation and lagging behind in technology.

Based on the average price of home sales in the New River Valley, the average tax increase would be less than $37 annually per homeowner. Parents have demonstrated support in the school system's plans for the future and now must show their support for increases in school funding to make those plans a reality. The Board of Supervisors should approve the increase in property taxes as a commitment to education.

My daughter will graduate this year, and as with many citizens of Montgomery County, I will not have a child in school next year. However, I want to see all schoolchildren have the opportunity to graduate with the same quality of education my daughter received. I fear the quality of our school system cannot help but decline without improvement in technology and community support for increases in school funding.

Dan Neel is director of finance at the Roanoke Regional Airport and is chairman of the Montgomery County Business Advisory Council.