Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-18
O. STATE EDITION
Virginia Urged
To Foot Entire
Teachers Pay
Immediate Action
Not Recommended
By Advisory Unit

RICHMOND, Va. Dec. II P1.
The Virginia Advisory Legisla-
tive Council recommended today
that the State eventually foot
the entire bill for public school
teacher salaries.
The proposal would mean an
increase in the States share of
the salary burden by at least $27
million.
But the council did not recon-
mend the new formula be
adopted Immediately. primarily
because it could propose no
means whereby the State could
come up with the additional
money.
1--WE had hoped" said the
councils lengthy report. ito
recommend that this program be
made effective at once. The
problems now facing the schools
are so large and their solution
so dependent upon the amend
ment of section 141 Of the con-
stitution that we are not able
to make a final recommendation
at this time"
Segregation Issue Included
This was a reference to the
January 9 referendum on the
proposal to amend the State
constitution to permit the State
to provide tuition grants for
private education.
The VALC is the investigative
arm of the legislature.
In it's school aid report, the
council made it clear that de-
spite the school segregation
problem the State need not wait
for a settlement before putting
the new aid program into effect.
In fact, the report suggested
the new program would actually
ltend to simplify the distribution
Of funds If the constitution is
amended to permit the tuition
grants.
Would Guarantee Minimum
The State. in taking over the
payment of teachers salaries,
would guarantee only the min
imum to which the teacher
would be entitled under the ex-
listing or future salary scale. Lo-
calitieS would be free to supple
ment State salary payments.
/ At present. localities receive
STATS from the State for each
assigned teaching position. The
difference between STATS and
the minimum is paid by the To-
cality. as is anything beyond the
minimum scale. The State-es-
Itablished minimum is now $1,000.
! A program of total State aid
would eliminate the distribution
of some $40 million annually
under two current methods
salary equalization and mini
mum education. Both methods
set up local effort requirements
one of the controversial points
in any formula attempt.
i The State would pay salaries
of classroom teachers. visiting
teachers, principals and super
visor. The localities would have
i to pay for vocational or special
education teachers out Of local
| funds or get aid through other
programs.
i Rising Costs Cited
The problem of paying for
buildings and equipment would
remain in the localities lap.
\ Many students of our tax
system believe that the counties
and cities cannot greatly in
crease their levies upon present
tax sources" said the report.
! School costs are rising and
they must be met and the same
lis true of other governmental
expenditures. The State has not
yet been forced to develop addi-
tional revenue sources, but the
day is not far distant when this
will be necessary. The State can
find them-the localities cannot.
! Council members who made
the study were John c. Webb of
Fairfax, Harry Davis of Princess
Anne, Felix Edmunds of Waynes-
Iboro, George Hill of Warwick,
H. H. Purcell Of Louisa and Roy
Smith Of Petersburg.