Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 20, 1994 TAG: 9401200290
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It must prevent the emergence of an economic underclass, which would hamper the effort to compete in the global economy.
And it needs to forge a coalition of educators, business leaders and parents to focus on producing a work force capable of filling jobs in the 21st century.
Those are recurring themes in a proposed education strategy developed by the valley's school systems and the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce.
The initial findings and recommendations of the two-year project, titled "Roanoke Valley 2000: An Education Strategy," are designed to help the localities cope better in a changing economic environment.
Edwin "Ted" Feinour, chairman of the project, said Wednesday the proposals might sound like apple pie and motherhood, but they are critical to the valley's economic success.
The valley has excellent school systems, he said, but it must bring educators and business leaders together to ensure that the strategy is appropriate.
The goals for Roanoke Valley 2000 have been developed by four task forces. The strategy was outlined at a chamber luncheon for business leaders and educators.
"The work has just begun. We need to begin implementing [the goals] and make sure something is done," said Feinour, former chairman of the Roanoke School Board.
Roanoke County Superintendent Bayes Wilson endorsed the chamber's effort to develop such a strategy.
"This is the best thing that we can do to bring new businesses and industries here - to have an educated work force that can fill the jobs," said Wilson.
Lee Eddy, chairman of the Roanoke County Board of Supervisors, said a public relations campaign will be needed to help valley residents understand the relationship between schools and economic development.
Roanoke Valley 2000 is more than a set of goals and objectives, said John Stroud, president of the chamber.
"It is a mindset, a way of thinking and doing, a way for business, educators and parents to pull together and achieve a consensus for the future," Stroud said.
"It's about increasing the potential value of our citizens through education."
In one form or another, most of the recommendations focus on closing the gap between children from low-income families and those from middle- and upper-income environments.
The recommendations call for more preschool programs to get children ready for school, identify high-risk students, reduce dropouts, ensure literacy for all adults and eliminate drugs and violence in schools.
George Snead, Roanoke public safety director, said the community has to "face up" to the problem of drugs and violence.
Students, parents and community leaders must get involved with the issue if schools are to become safe and conducive to learning, said Snead, chairman of one task force.
Lorraine Lange, a Roanoke County educator who headed another task force, said more money is needed to expand Head Start programs and other services for children from low-income families.
The valley has reduced its illiteracy rate in the past decade, but it is still 11 percent, said Dan Oyler, a businessman who chaired the task force which set a goal of 100 percent adult literacy in the valley.
\ ROANOKE VALLEY 2000\ GOALS\ A good start: All children in the Roanoke Valley will begin school ready to learn.\ \ A better finish: The high school graduation rate will increase to at least 90 percent.\ \ Equal access: Every Roanoke Valley adult will be literate and possess the knowledge and skills necessary to compete in a global economy and assume the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.\ \ Safety issues: Every school in the Roanoke Valley will be free of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
by CNB