Evening star., 1955-03-12
School Board Asks
So Teacher Raise in
50 Million Budget

~ MIlII0n budgef
A SO million school budget for
the next fiscal year. including
proposals for a kindergarten pro-
gram and a 5 per cent pay in
crease for all employees. was ap-
proved by the Arlington School
Board today.
The $235, 900 proposed kinder
garten program will be presented
to the County Board on Tues
day. A similar plan was turned
down last year by a board in
the same members who
will receive the new recommen-
dation. A limited program for
p1eschool-age children is now
in effect.
The 100000 requested for the
pay increase is sure to have
more favorable reception. The
County Board denied funds for
a pay increase last year because
a joint county-school personnel
study was still underway. This
year, with the study completed,
a 5 per cent raise for both county
and school employees will have
support on the board.
$855,596 Required
Altogether, changes in salary
funds will require $855,596-
most of the increase of about S1.2
million the School Board is ask
ing over current expenditures.
In addition to the 5 per cent
increase, $226,000 is set up for
normal increments, and 1855 900
for new positions.
About So new positions would
be created, aside from the kim
dergarten program, bringing the
total teaching force to about
$50.
The new teachers would be
needed to meet an expected in
crease of about 1900 in elemen-
tary and high school pupils, now
totallng about 20,160. Elemen-
tary enrolment is expected to
rise by about 500, and an in
crease of more than 800 is pre-
dicted in junior and senior high
schools. The kindergartens
would add another 1,700, school
officials estimate.
Would End Rental Fees
Textbook rental fees-$4 for
9th and 9th graders and IS for
10th through 12th-would be
ended by approval of a $4,000
item in the proposed budget. A
similar recommendation last
year failed to win approval of
the County Board.
The budget also includes
$4,000 to buy elementary text
books.
Most of a suggested program
outlined by Supt T. Edward
Rutter was adopted, including
$4,000 to start a program of
school bus replacement, and
S62,00 tt" prepare plans for re-
modelling older buildings.
An item of $4,000 is included
for landscaping school grounds
with the expectation that this
money will be matched by
PTA's."
A contingency fund of $50, 900
also is provided.
The kindergarten program
would enroll children who will
be 5 years old when school
opens in the fall or would reach
that age by october /. Five
year-olds who will be 6 by Oc-
tober l are eligible to enroll in
first grade.
Changes Age Limits
The present pre-primary pro-
gram enrolls children whose 9Th
birthday falls between October ]
and January /.
The superintendent, at a press
conference on Friday, said the
pay increase would change the
teachers pay scale, for those
with a bachelors degree, from
So ,300-$5,000 to $3,500-$5, 300.
For a masters degree, the pres
ent scale of $3,600-$5,500 would
rise to $3,800-$5, 800.
Mr.. Rutter also said that If
State authorities order an end to
racial segregation, such action
would probably result in a minor
reduction in school costs.
The County Board, by law, can
cut the amount proposed in the
School Board budget but is pro-
hibited from specifying how the
approved school budget can be
spent. In effect, however, the
County Board can virtually die
tate in some cases what reduc-
tions are to be made, as was
done last year. The kindergarten
proposal was dropped after the
County Board reduced the pro-
posed school budget by about
100000. 4,
4 {,