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The recommendations adopted by the Governor’s Cbmmission show that it is not going to suggest that these new indices be applied to existing Standards of Quality (SOQ).
To reduce disparities between school systems in the state the commission will also recommend that the SOQs be expanded to cover the costi of such “prevailing practices” as offering art, music arjd physical education in elementary school and to more nearly reflect the true costs of providing for students with “special needs such as those with limited English proficiency, those who may be educationally disadvantaged due to family circumstances related to poverty, and those identified as handicapped, gifted or in need of remedial assistance.”
The commission will send its full report to the Governor in March with the recommendation that the changes be phased in over the next four years.
Unless the recession ends and the state has more money available to fund its share of the expanded SOQ, it will not be possible to implement all the recommendations of the commission, and Rappahannock may not be able to benefit from the proposed method for calculating the county’s ability to fund education.
So, how wealthy is the county^ According to figures provided by the research service of the Virginia Education Association, in 1988 Rappahannock had $577,827 in real estate and public service corporation value per student in average daily membership, far above the state’s average of $288,801.
According to this measure of wealth, Rappahannock ranked ninth in the state, but that still was far below the $2,198,494 per child in ADM for Bath County, the $1,252,683 per child in Arlington County or the $1,107,115 per child in Alexandria.
And, according to Ms Hettinger, Rappahannock is below the state average per capita income of $19,355. A letter the School Board sent to members of the General Assembly protesting the decision to include Rappahannock among the localities slated for 12 percent cuts in funding for education notes that 42 percent of the tax returns filed in Rappahannock in 1987 were for incomes of
93.2%