Evening star., 1955-10-17
TuruIIo Offers
1O-Point Plan
For I euchers
By CHARLES {. HOFFMAN


Complete separation Of the
Montgomery County Council
from the county,s public school
system has been recommended
by the retiring president Of the
Montgomery County Education
Association.
In a ten-point program, re-
firing president Joseph j. Tarallo
recommends that the group Join
with other county organizations
to consider the steps necessary
to make 1t possible for our Board
|of Education to levy Its own tax
rates"
The association is the organi-
zation Of teachers in the county
which has as its full-tfme execu-
tive secretary Eric Rhodes, and
maintains q three-room suite Of
offices IN Rockville.
Mr.. Tarallo, president Of the
organization for the last two
years and principal Of Richard
Montgomery High School, also
recommended that surplus funds
raised through the $15-a-year
membership dues be set aside for
purchase Of an association
building.
The recommendation Of Mr..
Tarallo were published In the
October issue Of the Montgomery
Educator. monthly publication Of
the association.
Method Now Used
At present the County Council
levies the tax rate for all county
wide services including the public
school system. The school board
recommends a budget to the
council through the County
Manager.
Mr.. TafaIlo said he based his
recommendations on procedures
in other States where elected
school boards have the authority
to set the school tax rate. Mont
gomery County has the only
elected board In Maryland.
The retiring president also
urged that the teachers associa-
ltion join with the County Cou1-
Icil, Parent Teacher associations
and other groups to make d
study Of the steps necessary to
change the time for establishing
lthe budget and tax rate for the
school system.
At present the budget and tax
rate must be set before July /.
MIR. Tarallo also urged that
the associations socio-economic
committee consider working to-
ward a salary schedule starting
lat 81. 900 for holders Of bachelors
degrees. He proposed a maximum
Iof 5000 to be reached In ten
years.
I5-Year Pay Schedule
The school teachers this year
went on q $3.400 to $5, ,450 sched-
ule for bachelor degree holders,
"a year in advance of the original
proposal of the school board. The
schedule, however. calls for Is
years in reaching the maximum.
Mr.. Tarallo said he was con-
fident that I'VE can sell q $4,000
minimum starting salary to the
people in this country" He
added that any new salary In
creases should be across the
board"
"It is time that we stop pena-
lizing the more experienced
teachers who have been in the
country many years." he said.
In the past increases have been
greater in the lower steps in an
effort to intice new teachers to
the country.
Would Broaden Program
He also urged q broadening
Of the associations leadership
training program and the ap-
pointment Of q special commits
tee to work with the school board
staff on q better orientation pro-
gram for new teachers next year.
Noting the ".close working re-
lationship with the county PTA
council and other county groups
particularly at budget time.
Mr.. Tarallo recommended, that
the associations Offices be made
available to them for meetings.
He also recommended that the
organizations headquarters be-
come q better source of informa-
ton to these other groups.
The association, prior to Oc-
tober Z. had obtained member
ship from 1851 Of the county's
2,100 teachers. The association
this month has a drive on for
100 per cent membership enroll
ment.