ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, December 27, 1995 TAG: 9512270042
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Every public school in Virginia would receive $26,300 - and each school division would get an additional $53,000 - to buy computers and other technology in the next year under Gov. George Allen's budget proposals.
Allen's budget also calls for doubling participation in a program that prepares disadvantaged 4-year-olds for kindergarten.
Under his spending plan for the next two years, class sizes would remain low in kinder- garten through grade three in schools with a high percentage of poverty, continuing a disparity reduction program that began two years ago.
Roanoke would get a $2.9 million increase in state aid in the next year under Allen's budget, the largest for any school division in Western Virginia. The city received a $1.5 million increase this year.
"There is a substantial increase for education. The additional money for technology and the preschool program for 4-year-olds will help," said Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations for Roanoke schools.
Kelley said Roanoke can expand its preschool program and its computer network system. In the next year, the city would receive $815,700 for computers and technology.
Allen has also recommended $23 million in the next two years to develop a new assessment program for the state's new academic standards in math, science, English and history. The new academic standards have been one of Allen's education priorities.
Allen has proposed smaller increases in a broad range of school programs, including alternative education, remedial summer school, and instruction for students who speak English as a second language.
The education budget includes funds for liability insurance for all school teachers while they are performing their jobs.
Beginning in 1997, Allen wants to return $15 million in state lottery profits to localities to use for reducing class sizes, school construction, teachers' salaries, school safety or other education programs.
The lottery profits would be distributed on the basis of $24.20 per pupil during the first year. Roanoke County would receive $195,000 - the most in Western Virginia, because it has the largest enrollment.
Roanoke would get $191,563, followed by Bedford County with $147,856 and Montgomery County with $141,139.
The lottery proposal could trigger another fight in the General Assembly because Democrats question the wisdom of giving up the funds to localities. Democrats opposed Allen's proposal at the last session to return the profits to localities to be used for schools, law enforcement or tax relief.
School officials said they are encouraged by Allen's support for schools in his new budget and his apparent recognition that education is a high priority for voters.
But some are disappointed that he provided no money to pay the state's share of salary increases for teachers during the first year of the biennium. Allen's budget includes $34 million in the second year for the state share of a 3 percent raise for teachers effective Dec. 1, 1997.
Rob Jones, president of the Virginia Education Association, said the teachers' lobby will try to persuade the General Assembly to provide money for the state's share of raises in the first year of the biennium.
The state's poorer school divisions are also disappointed that Allen has proposed no initiatives to help reduce educational disparities.
"There is really nothing new to help bring up the poor localities. I am discouraged he didn't do more for them," said Ken Walker, chairman of the Coalition for Equity in Educational Funding.
Allen's budget would continue two disparity-reduction programs: smaller classes in kindergarten through third grade in schools with high poverty, and funds for technology.
But the poorer school systems need more financial aid to reduce disparities, Walker said.
Teacher salaries are a major problem because many rural school systems can't afford to pay higher wages to attract and retain the best teachers, he said.
"I'm hoping the General Assembly will do more. We'll be trying to get it to add to what the governor has proposed," Walker said.
During last fall's campaign, Democrats made education their main issue and promised to provide more money for schools. They promised a plan to reduce class sizes in kindergarten through third grade in all schools, not just those in high-poverty areas.
Still, many school officials are pleased with Allen's budget because they will get substantially more state aid than they had expected. Some had been worried because Allen tried to cut $90 million from schools and colleges during the last General Assembly session.
Allen's budget increases funding for kindergarten through 12th grade by $570 million in the next two years. This includes $427 million to fund the state's standards of quality and cover enrollment increases and inflation.
The additional state aid would also help fund a pay raise for Roanoke teachers, although there is no money for the state's share. Unless the General Assembly or City Council provides additional money, the raises might be smaller than the average of 7 percent recommended by Superintendent Wayne Harris.
Although the school division would receive about $1.2 million more in state aid than it expected, Harris' proposed budget for the next school year still has an $840,000 shortfall.
Roanoke County would receive a $2.3 million increase in state aid in the next year, up from $800,000 this year.
"If we can get this much, I am pretty pleased," said Jerry Hardy, director of budget and data management for county schools. "Depending on what the General Assembly does, we will come out better than what we have been getting."
Roanoke County would receive $736,800 for computers and technology. Hardy said the money would help the schools do more computer networking.
Bedford and Montgomery counties would each receive a $2.3 million increase in state aid under Allen's budget. Each would also get $552,700 for technology.
Allen's technology money continues a program started by the General Assembly to provide computerized libraries in all schools and link classrooms by computers.
The Democrats have committed to a plan to put a computer in all of Virginia's 50,500 classrooms and to complete the installation of schoolwide computer network systems by 2000.
In addition to proposing $55 million for computer technology for schools in the next biennium, Allen has recommended spending $20 million to purchase graphing calculators and scientific probing kits for math and science classes.
The education budget also includes $5.2 million to fund 14 additional regional alternative education programs for youths with behavioral problems. State officials said this will make a regional alternative program available to every school division.
Allen Education Budget
Locality Increase in Funds Computers/Technology Lottery Proceeds
1996-97 1996-97 1997-98
Bedford $2.3 million $552,700 $147,856
Botetourt $1.1 million $289,700 $70,573
Craig $230,356 $105,600 $12,151
Floyd $42,540 $184,500 $30,242
Franklin $1 million $421,200 $106,601
Giles $48,364 $184,500 $43,466
Montgomery $2.3 million $552,700 $141,139
Pulaski $463,346 $342,300 $84,859
Roanoke County $2.3 million $736,800 $195,000
Radford $326,999 $158,200 $23,961
Roanoke City $2.9 million $815,700 $191,563
Salem $679,022 $210,800 $54,023
Source: Virginia Department of Education
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