Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-07-04
boardQuestions
Points in Budget
OF D. {. Schools
Explanation S Sought
On Teacher, Building
Proposals by Corning
By JAMES G. DEANE


facing some close questioning
by the Board of Education or
their 1873 budget plans.
Board members today said
they will ask for explanations OF
several major budget points al
a special meeting Friday. in
cluding:
/. Why only 10 new elemen-
tary teachers are being asked
when officials earlier said they
would want at least 1863.
2. Why board rules calling fol-
more secondary teachers have
been ignored.
3. Why no more special teach
ers are being sought for slow
learners.
T. Why there hasn't been a
revision of school-constructior
plans to meet an apparent class
room shortage.
5. What officials are planning
in the way of part time classes
Quick Reaction
Board members already have
made plain their dissatisfaction
with School Supt. Hobart M
Corning's budget proposals a:
presented at a meeting on Mon
day. They raised some of the
questions then, blocking wha'
officials obviously had expected
to be routine approval of theil
entire $347 million package.
Members didn't get the bulge
proposals until last Friday. SOM
said at Mondays meeting the!
hadn't had enough time to stud,
them.
The change in stating plan
for grade schools drew majo
attention. Last year, on Dr.
Corning's recommendation tn,
board approved a plan to hir,
1853 teachers annually to chang
the elementary claSS-Size aver
age from SO to 30 pupils, il
three years.
The new budget proposal sal,
there wouldn't be space enough
/, for more than ITO IN the 1857
, school wear. however
Lag Issue Raised
Walter N. Tobriner, boar
personnel chairman, said tn
change would mean falling be
J hind on the class-size plan ant
said it made official compute
) lions suspect.
. Secondary schools weren
mentioned in the proposed bud
get at all. This, apparently, ig
nores a policy change voted b
the board more than Is month
ago which would entitle tn
S secondary schools to bigge
; staffs.
The new policy provided tina
! shops and other special claSse
should be excluded from tn
: claSS-size averages.
, Lawson j. Cantrell, assiStan
superintendent in charge o
junior highs. has estimated tn
board rules would entitle JUNO
highs to so more teachers.
, would also entitle senior high
/ to more DR.. Corning, however
/. hasn't ever put it in effect.
Would Change Rules
The superintendent told a re
! porter on Monday the new rule
! won't work" and he plans t
recommend changing tn e m
: Board members said they hadn'
: heard Of any such plan, how
ever.
, Mr.. Tobriner on Monday asket
: about the lack of any requeS
for special teachers. He said tn
. school heads didn't ask TO
: enough of them last year ant
asked whether more won't b.
needed. DR.. Corning said no. bu
board members said they aren'
satisfied on this point.
Several months ago The Sta
disclosed that the schools hat
1000 slow elementary children
in regular classes who, accord
ing to teachers, ought to b.
under special teachers. Only
part of these will be taken car
of by 35 new special teacher
due to be hired next fall.
High schools have also asked
for special teachers for remedia
work with tagging English ant
math students. This has alst
been ignored.
The school administration i
proposing some $40 million il
new construction, but a class
room shortage is still expected