ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, January 30, 1997 TAG: 9701300025
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-11 EDITION: METRO
COLUMN: RAY L. GARLAND
SOURCE: RAY L. GARLAND
BECAUSE things change so fast as legislators rush to meet self-imposed deadlines, accurate coverage of assembly action is now especially difficult. Like Lazarus, dead bills arise and those in seemingly robust health suddenly drop dead.
In truth, the modern General Assembly hasn't enough time to give mature consideration to the more than 2,500 proposals routinely placed before it. The good news is most are of scant importance or too poorly prepared by their sponsors to be taken seriously. Still, there are a few issues of real importance being considered. But sharp differences between Democrats and Republicans seem more likely to produce a standoff. Among the battles brewing:
*For the fourth year in a row, the House Education Committee defeated a bill offered by Del. Philip Hamilton, R-Newport News, to allow Virginia school boards to authorize a modest experiment in charter schools. It failed on an 11-11 tie vote, with almost all Democrats voting no. Despite wide coverage given the issue since 1992 and its adoption by a number of states, it's doubtful many Virginians either know or much care about charters as competitors to regular public schools.
The idea is simple, though in my opinion flawed. But it isn't so flawed nor so radical that it ought not to be given a trial here. Maybe it will lead to vouchers that parents can redeem at truly private schools. But charters aren't private schools. Under the terms of Hamilton's bill, they would be public schools chartered by a local school board and answerable to it for the expenditure of public funds. Supposedly, they will have greater freedom from central-office supervision to devise innovative programs and rise or fall on their ability to attract patrons.
Gov. George Allen wanted legislation that would allow the state to grant charters where local school boards refused to do so. If you believe in charters, that makes sense. After all, how many local boards will be pleased to admit that some outside group can do a better job running a school than the board's own professional staff?
But Hamilton's bill left the decision to grant a charter entirely to the discretion of each local board, which could authorize no more than two. It also barred religious groups from receiving a charter, and specified that only teachers certified by the state could be employed in the classroom. None of these concessions satisfied opponents and won't until voters take more interest in breaking the near-monopoly of students and resources now enjoyed by public schools. It will come, but not for a while.
*The State Council of Higher Education was created years ago in the hope it would serve as an honest broker between the state's largely independent public colleges and the legislature. That is, the colleges would always ask for the moon and the council would say what was reasonable. The council's long-serving director, Dr. Gordon Davies, is something of a prickly pear but has managed to stay in the good graces of senior legislators. That is mildly surprising in view of the rapid increase in tuition charges and operating costs at the colleges.
But Davies doesn't work for the governor or the legislature. He is hired by members of the council, which is appointed by the governor. Because those terms are staggered, Allen appointees only last year achieved a majority. Depending on your point of view, the new majority either started taking its oversight role seriously or was just a bunch of soreheads spoiling for a fight.
The House Education Committee on a party-line vote reported a bill sponsored by Del. Alan Diamonstein, D-Newport News, that would disband the present council, replacing it with a new one in which five of the 11 members would be elected by the legislature. Democrats said the bill was needed because divisions on the council have caused the assembly to distrust its advice. A more likely reason is to save Davies' job, or at least to reassert his customary role as major-domo.
While Democrats certainly have the votes to get Diamonstein's bill through the House and perhaps the Senate as well, they don't have enough to override Allen's veto. A better solution might be to abolish the council and let the governor's budget staff and those employed by the legislature reach their own conclusions on requests from state colleges. They're doing it anyway.
*The last authentic Holton Republican in the House is that shining exemplar of good breeding, Del. Jim Dillard of Fairfax. A retired public-school teacher, he hasn't been pleased seeing the GOP always at odds with educators. He is likewise displeased with new accreditation standards Allen's Board of Education is set to impose. Dillard's bill, which was reported from the Education Committee on an 18-3 vote, gives the General Assembly "ultimate authority" over accreditation. A separate measure would delay all changes in academic and personnel mandates that school divisions must meet in order to be accredited until after July 1, 1998. That will be when some appointees of the next governor to the state Board of Education will have taken their seats.
In opposing these bills, the state superintendent of public instruction said, "It's no secret there's a vocal minority that attempted to eliminate the establishment of higher academic standards and accountability."
Considering the lopsided vote in committee, it's possible these bills of dubious constitutionality limiting the power of the Board of Education to supervise the schools will pass. But the governor's veto is even more likely to stick. So much for all the kinder, gentler talk that began this session.
Ray L. Garland is a Roanoke Times columnist.
LENGTH: Medium: 98 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB