ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, August 9, 1996 TAG: 9608090066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
Despite the recent defeat of a bond issue and the imposition of $500 tuition, Roanoke County schools retain their appeal for students from nearby localities.
The parents of 87 students from Roanoke, Bedford County and several other surrounding areas have agreed to pay the higher tuition to enroll their children in Roanoke County schools this fall.
The $500 tuition, which was approved two months ago, applies to all new students entering county schools for the first time, but not to nonresidents who were in the schools this past year and are returning.
Approximately 750 returning nonresidents can remain in the county schools by continuing to pay the $100 annual registration fee that was in effect for many years.
Nearly 150 nonresidents sought admission to county schools for the first time this year, but only 87 could be admitted, mainly because of a lack of space, said James Gallion, assistant superintendent.
Although the number of applicants was down from 275 a year ago, Gallion said Thursday night that the school system will benefit financially from the $500 tuition.
Gallion told the school board that the quality of students seeking admission to county schools seemed to be higher this year.
"We accept them only when we have space and when they measure up in academics and behavior," he said.
When the School Board approved the $500 tuition, some members, such as Marion Roark, worried that the higher charge could cause the county to lose a substantial amount of state aid if there was a significant decrease in nonresidents.
The county receives $2,500 in state money for each student, regardless of whether the student lives within the county. School officials said they come out ahead because they receive more in state aid than it costs to accommodate the additional students.
Board member Marion Roark, who opposed the $500 charge, said earlier she feared that it could cause the county to lose a lot of state money.
But Chairman Thomas Leggette said that hasn't happened.
"This shows there is a market value to Roanoke County schools," Leggette said. "We didn't lose any students, and we didn't lose a penny."
He said the board might want to look at another increase in the tuition, but it decided to delay action on that possibility.
Leggette said the additional revenue can be used to meet some of the county's school building and educational needs.
Vice Chairman Michael Stovall, who had pushed for the $500 tuition, said parents from some nearby localities are still getting a bargain in education - even after paying Roanoke County $500 per child -their counterpartsthose in Roanoke County.
Stovall had pressed for the higher tuition because some of his constituents in the Vinton district were upset that so many students from Bedford County attend Roanoke County schools but have lower tax bills.
Stovall said his constituents complained that it was unfair for nonresidents to attend the schools without paying real estate taxes in the county.
The real estate tax on a $100,000 house in Bedford County is $440 - less than half of Roanoke County's tax of $1,130 on a similar house.
At some schools in the Vinton District, nearly 10 percent of the students come from outside Roanoke County.
For the upcoming year, Gallion said 20 new nonresidents were admitted to high schools, 33 were approved for junior high and middle schools, and 34 were admitted to elementary schools.
Under the county's policy, nonresidents are admitted only to existing classes with vacancies, he said. No additional teachers are hired or additional classes created to accommodate the nonresidents.
Superintendent Deanna Gordon said the nonresidents don't contribute to the overcrowding in schools. She said the number of students from outside the county will decrease from 25 to 20 at Cave Spring High School this year. One new student was admitted, but six graduated in June, she said.
Gallion said 38 nonresidents were denied admission because of a lack of space, 11 were rejected because of academics, and four were denied because of poor attendance and other reasons.
Neither Roanoke nor Salem charges tuition for nonresidents. Roanoke charges a $25 registration fee for nonresidents for its magnet schools. Salem has a $100 registration fee for students outside its boundaries.
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