ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, February 8, 1997 TAG: 9702100061
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
BOARD OF EDUCATION member Brandon Bell says the panel will consider Roanoke County School Board members' concerns about the state testing schedule.
The testing schedule for Virginia's new academic standards may be revised because of complaints from some school divisions, a member of the state Board of Education says.
"I understand the concerns, and we'll take a look at it," said former state Sen. Brandon Bell. "I think there might be some allowances made that could address some concerns."
Bell, a Roanoke Valley Republican who was appointed last fall to fill the unexpired term of James Jones on the Education Board, has been named by Gov. George Allen to a full four-year term.
Jones was appointed a federal judge for the Western District of Virginia.
Bell said Friday that the state board will consider the testing issue soon.
"I don't have all of the details, but I think we'll be able to make some adjustments," he said.
The Roanoke County School Board and several other school divisions have complained about the schedule, which in some cases calls for students to be tested on materials they studied three years earlier.
The county board wants the state to allow students to be tested on each course or subject when it is finished, instead of two or three years later.
Students will be tested in grades three, five, eight and 11 in English, mathematics, science and social studies. The 11th-grade tests, for instance, will cover material that the students studied in the ninth, 10th and 11th grades.
Jerry Canada, a member of the Roanoke County board, said he doesn't think it's fair to test students on material they covered three years earlier.
"This is not a level playing field for our children," Canada said. Three other county board members agreed with him and voted to ask the state board to change the testing schedule.
But board member Thomas Leggette has disagreed with his colleagues, calling it inappropriate for the county board to take a position at this point.
Leggette said the county is opposing school reform even before it sees the tests that will be given for the first time this spring.
He said board members may be underestimating students' ability to retain information. The tests may cover broad knowledge and not details from courses, he said.
On another education issue, Bell said he thinks it is unfortunate that a General Assembly committee has killed a charter school bill again.
Bell, an early supporter of charter schools, said it's ironic that Democratic state legislators, who attacked Allen for refusing Goals 2000 funds, are causing Virginia to lose millions in federal funds for charter schools.
Allen recently agreed to accept the Goals 2000 money and use it for computers and other technology.
"We will be left in the dust on charter schools," said Bell, noting that several Southern states and more than 20 states nationally have approved charter schools.
President Clinton included an additional $100million for charter schools in the fiscal 1998 budget he submitted to Congress this week. Clinton wants 3,000 charter schools by the year 2000.
Charter schools are developed by teachers, parents or other groups; financed with public funds; but permitted to operate outside many of the rules and regulations governing regular public schools.
Beverly Sgro, state secretary of education, said Virginia has already lost $2million in federal charter-school funding and could miss out on as much as $4million this year.
"Virginia now stands to lose as much as $30million in federal funds between 1995 and 2000,'' Sgro said.
The Allen administration has been an advocate of charter schools.
"It's unfortunate that some people continue to play politics with charter schools," Bell said. "Hopefully next year, after the state elections are over, they will be approved."
Bell said he also thinks politics are behind the proposal to give the General Assembly - instead of the Board of Education - final authority over school accreditation standards. A House of Delegates committee has approved a bill to give control to the legislature.
The accreditation standards include such items as graduation requirements and the number of guidance counselors schools must have.
The bill reflects discontent among some legislators with the ideological bent of the state board.
"I don't think it would be a good move, giving the legislature control over accreditation policy," Bell said. "It's a campaign year, and I think the accreditation issue has gotten linked to the debate over the standards of learning."
LENGTH: Medium: 90 lines KEYWORDS: GENERAL ASSEMBLY 1997by CNB