ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 24, 1997 TAG: 9704240074
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER THE ROANOKE TIMES
The Roanoke County School Board approved a gradual increase for students from other jurisdictions.
Students from neighboring localities who attend Roanoke County schools will have to pay higher tuition beginning next year. The cost will differ depending on the year that the nonresidents first enroll.
The county School Board voted Wednesday night to adopt a three-tier plan that calls for a $600 maximum on tuition for nonresident students who were enrolled in county schools before this year.
Nonresidents who enrolled before this year are paying $100 a year. They will have to pay $200 next school year and $300 in 1998-99, with gradual increases each year until the $600 limit is reached in 2004.
Nonresidents who enrolled in county schools this year are paying $500. They will have to pay $550 next year and $600 in 1998-99, with steady increases until a $1,000 maximum is reached in 2006.
Nonresidents who first enroll in county schools next year will have to pay $600, with gradual increases until a $2,000 limit is reached in 2002.
Board member William Irvin said the plan provides for a "smooth progression" in tuition increases for nonresidents now attending county schools while recognizing the need for them to pay more of the costs.
Nearly 650 students from other jurisdictions attend county schools.
The residents' committee that recently completed a study of school building needs in the county recommended that the tuition for nonresidents be increased to cover the county's full local cost of education.
The county's per-pupil cost for schools is about $5,800 a year, with $2,600 coming from the state and $3,200 from the county.
The committee said the county should not subsidize the cost of educating students from other jurisdictions. It said the nonresidents also contributed to the overcrowding in some schools.
Some school officials think that many nonresident students would withdraw if the tuition were raised to cover all local costs.
If all nonresident students withdrew, the county could lose $1.7 million a year in state funds.
The county's policy has been to admit nonresidents only in schools and classes with space without having to create more classes or hire more teachers. School administrators said this approach has been financially beneficial to the county, which has received $2,600 in state funds for each student and no additional personnel or expenses have been required.
But the residents' panel viewed the issue differently. It said nonresident students contribute to overcrowding in middle and high schools, although there might be space for them in elementary schools when they first enroll in the county.
On another matter, the board was asked to appoint a task force to study discipline and student conduct. It was also urged to adopt a more stringent promotion policy that would require students to pass more than two subjects to be moved up to the next grade.
When unruly students can interrupt a teacher 30 times in less than two hours, Richard Kelly said stricter discipline measures are needed in schools.
When students can be promoted to the next grade when they pass only math and physical education, the county's promotion policy is "much too liberal," he said.
Kelly, a science teacher at William Byrd High School, said teachers are troubled by students' apathy toward academic performance and their disruptive behavior.
"While our problems may not be as serious as some school systems, there are problems none the less," said Kelly, president of the Roanoke County Education Association.
Teachers are frequently blamed for students' poor performance, but there are often other factors, he said.
"The public doesn't see the student who falls asleep in class because he or she closed a fast-food restaurant [the night before], or fails to do homework, doesn't pay attention, or doesn't come to school at all," Kelly said.
He said most students are well-behaved, but a handful of chronically disruptive students can "literally dominate a class" and interfere with the teaching of the other students.
"Under our present system, it can take a whole semester to remove a problem student from class," he said.
Chairman Michael Stovall said he supported Kelly's request for a task force on discipline and the board will appoint such a group.
"I think it's a great idea - discipline and safety have been one of my priorities as a board member," Stovall said.
Board member Jerry Canada agreed that the county needs to review its promotional policy, especially because of the state's new academic and graduation requirements.
LENGTH: Medium: 87 linesby CNB