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

DATE: THURSDAY, April 20, 1995                   TAG: 9504250009
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-1   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                 LENGTH: Medium

RADFORD REVISES SCHOOL PAY SCALE, SETS 3 PERCENT RAISES

Teachers and school staffers were the winners and new classrooms and classroom computers were among the bigger losers Tuesday as the School Board met in special session to lop $2.1 million from its proposed 1995-96 budget. The cuts followed City Council's initial approval last week of a city budget that provides the city's schools with little more than new money for raises and two new teachers.

The board left largely intact a list of suggested reductions from Superintendent Michael Wright and, as expected, applied most of the additional $268,000 it will get from the city next year to boost faculty and staff salaries 3 percent. The board originally proposed raises averaging 3.9 percent.

But the handful of teachers attending the session seemed even happier that the board also agreed to revise the salary scale to space its 18 steps more equally. In the past, the Radford Education Association complained that salary increments in midscale had become compressed over the years.

"We've wanted to fix the scale for a long time," Radford Education Association President Betty Whitley said after the meeting.

Gifted and talented programs coordinator Frances Hunter was even more enthusiastic. "This is wonderful!" she told Wright.

But Board Member Chris Strange was among those unhappy about having to cut nearly $600,000 for new computers and other classroom technology. "I hate we're losing the technology [money]," he said. "We keep getting more behind."

School officials eventually hope to pay for the new technology and upward of $1 million in various school improvement and expansion projects through a bond issue or other long-term financing under consideration by the city.

After some discussion, board members decided to halve Wright's $6,000 recommendation for marching band coaches, instead putting $3,000 to cover 20 additional days per year of clerical help at both elementary schools and Dalton Intermediate School.

After questioning a $27,750 line item for new copiers, the board also asked Wright to look into leasing copiers instead of buying them.

Despite Tuesday's actions, the schools still may need additional financial aid from the city this year. Last week, low bids to build two new elementary school art and music classrooms came in at nearly twice the original cost estimates, and the projects will have to be rebid.

School officials hope to have the new additions in place by fall.

by CNB