ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, March 6, 1996 TAG: 9603060091
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Most Roanoke teachers are expected to receive, on average, pay raises of 6 percent next year regardless of how much money the General Assembly provides for raises before it adjourns this weekend.
The city School Board approved an $82.6 million budget Tuesday night that gives teachers raises even if the city doesn't receive any additional state money for them.
Superintendent Wayne Harris said the schools can fund the raises with expected increases in state and city revenues for education next year.
The budget calls for the pay scale for teachers to be increased by 6 percent next year as part of a three-year plan to reach the national average. But one out of five teachers would be eligible for additional step raises, which would push the overall average raise to 7 percent.
The teacher raises will cost $2.7 million. Each 1 percent increase costs nearly $400,000.
The average teacher salary in Roanoke this school year is $36,956, compared to the national average of $39,336.
Principals will receive average raises of 6.1 percent next year; nonprofessional employees, such as cafeteria workers, custodians and secretaries, will get 5 percent raises; and central office administrators, 3.8 percent.
Barring unexpected developments in the General Assembly, Harris said, the schools will have the money to finance the salary increases for all employees that were approved by the board.
The budget now goes to City Manager Bob Herbert and City Council. Herbert has told Harris that an increase in city revenues will be available for teacher pay raises next year.
The School Board will ask the city manager and council for an additional $406,000, however, to hire teacher assistants to let elementary teachers have a duty-free, 30-minute planning period.
Harris recommended the period to give teachers time to concentrate on improving standardized test scores. However, based on the projected increases in state and city revenues, funds are not available to hire the assistants, he said.
Harris said the planning period will be listed as a ``critical unfunded priority.''
The School Board also will ask for an additional $200,000 from the city if no funds for teacher raises are provided by the General Assembly. Harris said the schools would need the money to help pay the local cost for reducing the class size from 18 to 15 pupils in five elementary schools where more than 70 percent of the children receive free or reduced-priced lunches.
If the legislature provides money for teacher raises, other funds will be freed up to hire additional teachers to reduce class sizes, Harris said.
The state House of Delegates has approved a 3.75 percent two-year raise for teachers. The Senate has endorsed a plan by Gov. George Allen that provides no raises next year and a 3 percent increase starting July 1,1997.
Richard Kelley, assistant superintendent for operations, said Roanoke would receive a little more than $200,000 for teacher raises next year if the House plan prevails.
The budget includes funds for several new proposals Harris recommended to improve attendance and physical fitness, in addition to more use of technology.
It contains $135,000 for a team of psychologists and visiting teachers to reduce absences; $117,500 for technology to improve instruction and more training of teachers; and $75,000 for two additional physical education teachers.
School Board Chairman Nelson Harris said the budget ``gets us off to a good start on our three-year plan'' to raise teacher salaries to the national average. It reflects the board's goals on salaries and other programs, including greater use of technology, he said.
Gary Stultz, president of the Roanoke Education Association, said the teachers organization will urge City Council to fund the budget. He said he also expects the teachers to support the schools' request for additional funds to hire teacher assistants for elementary schools.
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