Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 11, 1992 TAG: 9203110296
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARK MORRISON STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Included were 3 percent employee raises - their first in two years - five additional teacher positions to reduce class sizes for grades K-2, money to continue all-day kindergarten in all schools, two police "resource officers" at both city high schools and increased funding for alternative education.
Salaries were frozen a year ago to compensate for a $500,000 drop in the school budget over 1990-91. School Board members had said raises were their top priority this year.
However, teachers had wanted a 7 percent raise, which would have brought them back to a level near the state average. But a 7 percent raise would have taken up most of this year's $3.5 million budget increase, leaving nothing for other School Board priorities.
Dorothy Cooper, president of the Roanoke Education Association, had been scheduled to address the board Tuesday during its meeting held at Jackson Middle School in Southeast Roanoke but withdrew her name as a speaker. No other teachers commented on the salary issue.
Elsewhere in the Roanoke area, Botetourt County has proposed 5 percent employee raises for next year, Salem has proposed 4 percent increases and Bedford County has proposed an average 1 percent increase.
Franklin County is seeking a 6 percent raise for its employees, but Superintendent Leonard Gereau said he was not sure whether the Board of Supervisors would approve that increase.
Roanoke County has not released its school budget, but school administration spokesman Marty Robinson said he expected employee raises to fall about in line with Roanoke's. The county will release details of its budget Thursday.
The 3 percent raise in Roanoke allows the School Board in its 1992-93 budget to hire five additional teachers at a cost of $158,000 to reduce class sizes.
It allows the board to allocate $102,000 to continue all-day kindergarten at all of the city's elementary schools. It allows for $125,000 to fund four police resource officers, two each at William Fleming High School and Patrick Henry High School.
The PTA had long lobbied for the officers and renewed its efforts this year in response to increased reports of students bringing guns to school. Roanoke's middle schools already have resource officers. Elementary schools have DARE officers.
The School Board also slated $95,000 for Alternative Education, which has struggled to find funding from year-to-year. Nearly 50 percent of its money often comes from grants.
by CNB