THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408270093
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Short : 36 lines
Tidewater Community College wants to become more involved with Portsmouth and during an informal discussion Tuesday with city and school officials, all parties seemed positive.
The most innovative idea for the public schools would be the addition of a two-year college curriculum at the proposed new I.C. Norcom High School, building on Norcom's ``tech prep'' program aimed at an associates degree.
Among other joint ventures discussed was the idea of TCC taking over non-credit courses and recreational classes offered now by the public schools and the city parks and recreation department as well as by TCC.
Another possibility would be the consolidation of all programs to prepare and test residents for GED certificates.
TCC President Larry Whitworth told city officials that good college courses tied into the public schools probably could keep at home about 800 of 4,000 students who now go to other cities. That, he added, would keep about $8 million in the local economy over the next five years.
What would all this cost up front? Whitworth said the city could offer a K-14 system for 1 percent more than the cost of the current k-12 offering. He asked for $250,000, an amount equal to 1 percent of the public school budget.
As for the adult leisure courses and the GED classes, Whitworth speculated that TCC may be able to do them for less money than the city now spends.
The TCC proposal has merit in a time when duplication is costly and inefficient. Combining forces makes sense for both the college and the city - and for taxpayers who foot the bill for all of it anyway. by CNB