Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 21, 1993 TAG: 9308110005
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Laura Williamson Staff Writer
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
At his annual conference on education in Richmond, Wilder said the state would give $1.2 million to four regional alternative education programs to develop models for the rest of the state.
The one-year pilot projects will accept students returning from juvenile corrections facilities or those expelled for weapons, drugs or physical violence.
`We can't just put these children out to pasture and hope that something happens to their benefit,' Seceretary of Education Karen Petersen said in a phone interview later. `It doesn't do any good to expel them. What are they going to do besides get into more trouble?'
Students expelled for the most egregious offenses now lose their right to attend public school, said Edward Carr, deputy superintendent for administration with the state Department of Education.
`They didn't have a state-provided-option,' he said.
Now, in at least four localities, they will.
In addition to Roanoke and Salem, the state will give $300,000 each to programs serving central Virginia and two Tidewater localities. The grant money - set aside during the last General Assembly session - covers the 1993-94 academic year only.
After that, said Carr, the state may continue to pay for the program or ask localities to pick up the cost.
`These are really start-up funds to try to get these programs established,' he said.
In Roanoke and Salem, the grant will allow 40 youngersters ages 13 to 18 to attend two work centers where they can build self-esteem. Where those centers will be located has yet to be be determined, said Roanoke Superintendent E. Wayne Harris.
`We haven't really gone that far yet,' he said. `Who knows, it could be in a mall somewhere.'
Harris saud the program, called Plus Self, would focus on improving each student's self concept. IT will offer an academic curriculum, teachers training and job skills for students who have been expelled or dropped out of school.
The goal, he said, is to eventually return at least half the students to regular classrooms or the city's Alternative Education Center, which does not accept students with violent records. Those who don't return to high school should enter post-secondary education, a vocational program or start a job within 90 days of leaving Plus Self.
Salem will funnel part of its share of the money into an existing tutoring program for potential dropouts at its middle and high schools, said Lewis Ramano, director of student services.
He hopes to send any violent offenders to Roanoke, where they can be taught separately from other students.
The two-city proposal was selected from 14 applications covering 56 school divisions, Carr said. The state used three alternative education specialist from Alabama, Kansas, and Texas to make the selections.
Harris said part of what makes this region's program appealing is its emphasis on parental involvement. The city will set up a parent hotline using part of its share of the grant. Exactly how the money will be split
between the two localities has not been determined, he said. Some money may be allocated based on each school division's needs and other programs may be run jointly.
Exactly when the program will begin has also not been determined, he said.
by CNB