ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 11, 1996 TAG: 9603110123
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A1 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: RICHMOND
SOURCE: WARREN FISKE STAFF WRITER
note: lede
Virginia educators and students won big Sunday night when House and Senate negotiators broke the deadlock on the $35 billion state budget that had forced the General Assembly to extend its session.
The agreement provides for a two-year freeze on soaring college tuitions. It calls for about $600 million in new spending on public education over the next two years, including money for teacher raises and the development of new student achievement tests.
Democratic and Republican leaders predicted the measure would sail through House and Senate votes scheduled this afternoon, allowing the legislature to adjourn two days late.
"It looks like an agreement that will send everyone home," said House Minority Leader Vance Wilkins, R-Amherst County.
Gov. George Allen hailed the compromise as an "important step forward in assuring there is accountability in education."
Allen insisted that any increase in spending for public schools be linked with the creation of new achievement tests. The standardized exams, he said, would serve as a gauge to ensure that additional spending was resulting in improved student performances. He also said the tests would serve as a standard for comparing individual public schools and school systems across the Commonwealth.
Allen sought $10 million a year to develop a program that would test students five times during their public school career. The budget negotiators appropriated $6 million a year, which will be enough to begin paying for either three or four tests during a student's career.
The governor won a key victory, however, when negotiators agreed not to link funding for the tests to Allen's acceptance of federal Goals 2000 money.
The federal program is designed to help states improve their academic standards. Allen has steadfastly refused to accept about $6 million earmarked for Virginia, concerned that Washington shoestrings would be attached to the cash. Virginia is one of only two states that has rejected the money.
The agreement specifies, however, that the state must enroll in Goals 2000 if 85 of the 139 school boards in Virginia submit petitions supporting an application.
Other key parts of the agreement include:
* A total 3.75 percent raise for teachers over the next two years.
* A total 6.35 percent raise for state employees and college professors over the next two years.
* Creation of a $30 million deal-closing fund for Allen to help the governor recruit new companies to Virginia.
* Borrowing $163 million to pay for a long list of college building projects.
The budget talks got off to a delayed start when legislative leaders took eight days to resolve a dispute over which four senators should serve as negotiators.
The talks were further delayed by the absence of Hunter B. Andrews, a longtime senator from Hampton and budget czar who was defeated in last fall's election. Andrews' absence created a power vacuum that House and Senate negotiators contentiously tried to fill.
The General Assembly, scheduled to adjourn Saturday, had to postpone leaving for two days while the negotiators struggled to work out their differences.
The logjam began to break late Saturday after three legislative leaders - Lt. Gov. Don Beyer, House Speaker Thomas Moss, D-Norfolk; and House Majority Leader Richard Cranwell, D-Vinton - warned the negotiators that the public would not tolerate an impasse much longer. BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
* Overall funding is 6 percent greater than the previous two-year budget.
* Primary and secondary education spending is increased about $600 million.
* Higher education spending is increased about $400 million.
* Teachers, state employees and college faculty get raises.
* Tuition rates are frozen for two years.
* Economic development deal-closing fund gets $30 million, with up to $5 million earmarked for a program that rewards regional economic development efforts.
* The governor is not forced to take federal Goals 2000 funds.
* Juvenile justice reform is funded at $120 million.
LENGTH: Medium: 92 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1996by CNB