ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 29, 1997 TAG: 9701290060
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG
SOURCE: LISA APPLEGATE STAFF WRITER
Of the dozen people who spoke to the Montgomery County School Board Tuesday night, most tried to salvage one piece of a budget pie cut to the bare minimum.
"We have at-risk children in our schools who are having difficulty learning to read and who are receiving little or no additional support, save what the classroom teacher can squeeze in," reading specialist Sylvia Wright told the board.
The majority of elementary schools in the county have at least one reading teacher to help with pupils who need extra attention. Four schools - Riner, Kipps, Gilbert Linkous and Harding Avenue - have only a half-time teacher.
Federal guidelines that base funding on the number of free and reduced-price lunches used by children keep those schools from receiving additional help.
A half-time reading teacher added to each of the 13 elementary schools would require $261,000 or a tax increase of a little over 1 cent.
Any kind of tax increase was something some School Board members wanted to avoid as it made its final decision on the budget. Monday night, a slight majority supported Superintendent Herman Bartlett's proposal, which asked for a 6.5 percent budget increase over last year.
As of 10 p.m. Tuesday, the board had not made a final decision and was still split between Bartlett's proposal and filling additional needs, such as reading teachers, salary increases and supplies.
By Monday, the board must turn in the final budget to the Board of Supervisors, its funding source.
Bartlett developed his budget based on the county's estimate of how much it spends on schools each year. He included the projected revenue increase for next year. His sparse budget - which requested $1.9million in additional funds - left the School Board with the burden of cutting such items as teacher positions.
Bartlett contended his budget is more realistic when dealing with the fiscally conservative Board of Supervisors.
"I can't remember a time when we've presented this kind of budget," said member Barry Worth. He tried to add more money for art and science supplies but in the end supported Bartlett's plan.
"Maybe this is a way to reach the Board of Supervisors and say 'We've tried everything, and here's something you could support.'''
Member Wat Hopkins said Bartlett's budget makes sense, but only if the Board of Supervisors could guarantee the requested amount. For now, he argued, the job of the School Board is to ask for what is needed.
"As far as I'm concerned, what is politically feasible should not be in the argument. This budget does not meet our minimal needs," he said.
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