THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502170242
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 28 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ELIZABETH THIEL, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 65 lines
SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT C. Fred Bateman this week released his proposed budget for next year.
The spending plan calls for $174.3 million in 1995-96, up nearly 5 percent from this year's $166.6 million budget. Most of the $7.7 million in additional money - $5.3 million - would come from City Council's coffers. The rest is expected to come from the state.
The School Board made little comment about the budget after it was presented Monday night. Board members are expected to discuss the plan during a work session scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 23 in the board room of the school administration building on Cedar Road. A public hearing also will be held that night.
Before becoming final, the budget must be approved by the School Board and the City Council, which has grown increasingly uneasy lately with school system spending.
Bateman reminded the School Board that the city is well behind the state average in spending per student. In 1992-93, the last year for which figures are available, the state average was $5,201. Chesapeake spent $4,695 per student.
Bateman urged the board to view the budget as a plan for the future of Chesapeake schools.
The spending plan emphasizes handling the city's growing student population, ensuring school safety and increasing use of technology in classrooms - priorities set by Bateman and the board.
``I would recommend that you think of the budget not just in terms of dollars and cents, but in terms of a philosophy,'' Bateman said. ``Does this represent your philosophy?''
The budget includes money to hire teachers and buy supplies for the 900 more students expected next year.
Improvements in technology would include more computers for elementary schools, new computers in work training classrooms and science labs in high schools, and a new electronic transfer system for student records.
The budget also would pay for more security monitors for schools and for continuing a three-year program to buy mobile radios for school buses.
At least one part of the budget already is causing complaints.
The plan provides for a 2.25 percent increase for all school employees, beginning July 1. State legislators are considering the same amount of pay raise for some school workers statewide, although their proposal would begin the pay hike in December.
Bateman called his proposed raise ``rather meager'' and ``embarrassingly low.''
``It worries me when we can only do 2.25 percent,'' he said. ``If the others do 4 and 5 percent, we slip in the rankings. But we do the best we can.''
Representatives of the Chesapeake Education Association, the city's teachers group, said the recommended raise was not satisfactory.
``We asked for 5 percent,'' said Randall C. Trivett, association president. ``Things are tight everywhere, and we understand that, but we also know that Virginia is below the national average'' for teacher salaries. MEMO: HICKORY HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING COSTS APPROVED/ PAGE 30
KEYWORDS: EDUCATION CHESAPEAKE SCHOOLS by CNB