ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, April 12, 1997 TAG: 9704140044
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
The Roanoke County School Board and county PTA want the academic and fiscal impact evaluated first.
Virginia's proposed school graduation requirements and accreditation standards would undermine local control of education, according to the president of the Roanoke County Parent-Teacher Association's Central Council.
"We pay homage to local control in Virginia, but these [standards] could limit vocational education offerings and local schools may be unable to be responsive to local business needs," Barbara Creasy said.
Creasy said the proposed standards could increase schools' costs, too, because they would have to hire more teachers and increase instructional time to add more courses in core academic subjects.
High school students would be required to take one additional course in math, science and history to graduate.
The PTA council, which includes representatives from the PTAs at all county schools, has decided to urge the state Board of Education to delay the effective date of the standards until their academic and fiscal impact can be better determined.
The county School Board also has voted to ask the state to give more study to the standards that would replace the current method, which is based on compliance with state regulations but does not evaluate students' academic performance.
"We're with you on this," Chairman Michael Stovall told Creasy on Thursday night as the board voted to seek a delay.
"These changes might be fine, but they're being made with lightning speed," Creasy said. "Let's don't rush them."
The state board is holding hearings on the standards and may vote on them in May. They could become effective by July.
Creasy said state education officials should spend more time evaluating the tests that will be the key component in the accreditation process.
Schools will be accredited on the basis of student performance on tests in the third, fifth, eighth and 11th grades in the core academic subjects.
The tests are just now being developed and will be "field tested" with students only one year before they will be used to measure student achievement, Creasy said.
County school officials are worried that the new standards will reduce student opportunities to take elective art and music courses, as well as vocational education.
Garland Kidd, director of vocational education for county schools, said schools need the freedom to make changes to offer a comprehensive curriculum in vocational education and the fine arts as well as the core academic subjects.
Brandon Bell, a member of the state board, said earlier that the board will try to balance the needs of vocational education and the fine arts with higher academic expectations when it makes a decision on the standards.
But Bell, a former Republican state senator from Roanoke County, indicated that the board wants to move ahead with the standards because a more rigorous curriculum is needed to prepare students for a high-tech economy.
Democrats in the General Assembly wanted to delay the standards for one year, but Gov. George Allen vetoed that bill and the legislature did not override him.
"The time for academic improvement is now," Allen said when he vetoed the bill.
"Our children cannot wait for the satiated education establishment to admit that our schools need to improve."
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