Taking issue with the federal education funds allocated for the Virgin Islands for Fiscal Year 2001, Sen. Lorraine Berry wrote Delegate to Congress Donna Christian-Christensen Tuesday, urging a reassessment of the money. The funds should not be based on a population ratio, she said.
The new federal education budget, totaling $42 billion, has earmarked $1.3 billion to Puerto Rico, an increase of 16.25 percent over its Fiscal Year 2000 budget, while the V.I. will receive $32 million, a 4.90 percent increase over its FY 2000 budget.
Berry pointed out that an area's special needs and unique circumstances, rather than population-based appropriations, should help determine where the money should go.
Compared to other areas, Berry said, statistics reveal the V.I. has the lowest scores in academic achievements, almost the highest school dropout rate, an inordinately high teacher turnover, and teacher salaries that are among the lowest in the nation. Add to those conditions the need to share educational resources among three islands, and you have a unique set of circumstances requiring special attention, she said.
"These negatives call for a more scientific approach in allocating funds, rather than basing it upon an across-the-board population ratio," the senator said.
She further told Christian-Christensen that a case for more V.I. funding could be backed up by the fact that the V.I. school system has never fully recovered from the impact of several major hurricanes.