12/4/98

Opelika * Auburn News
* THE NEWSPAPER OF EAST ALABAMA*
12/4/98

Letter: ACS pushing YRS on community

The behavior of the Auburn City School (ACS) administration with respect to year-round school (YRS) in Auburn suggests that their implementation plan is still on the fast track in Auburn. One only needs to carefully examine the many irregularities in the ''ballot" and the "balloting" procedures recently conducted by Auburn City Schools (ACS) to see how YRS is being pushed by ACS. These survey results could be used to justify YRS this December and in the future.

First of all, the survey instrument is biased. It was prepared without peer review, was not pre-tested prior to its release, the instructions to voters on how to fill it out were biased and the conduct of the survey was without proper controls. A pre-test would have cleared up the problem with only one calendar choice for people who oppose YRS.

Second, on the ballots, the traditional calendar summer vacation dates were underestimated ( 11 weeks instead of 12) which makes the cur rent summer vacation duration closer to the year-round school vacation times. This error was mentioned in the PTA meetings on YRS and was addressed in the Auburn High School Town Meeting on YRS Oct. 12.

This error was again brought to the ACS administration by letter on Oct. 30. ACS personnel at the ACS Board of Education meeting Nov. 10 acknowledged this error. Yet, no action was taken by ACS to correct the survey! Why?

The significance of this ACS error is Û the shorter summer breaks under YRS do not seem as short when the current calendar summer break is reported shorter.

Third (and this was crucial), ballot instructions included directions to mark two choices for calendars in Box B. Even if a voter chose "Strongly Disagree" with a calendar change, marking two choices indicates that he favors a change half the time. A voter who strongly disagree with a change should not be instructed to mark any calendar much less two of them.

The way this ballot was written, anyone who followed the instructions on it voted for YRS, whether they wanted to or not. Hence, for those of you who were against changing the calendar, yet marked two choices, 50 percent of your vote was for YRS.

Some ACS principals "informally" surveyed their teachers before the official polling period of Nov. 12-19, using a different survey. These results were reported in a citizen (not ACS) letter in the O-A News Nov. 15, page A-4. The results from that informal principals' survey can not be compared with the current survey results, because the current traditional calendar was not a choice given to the teachers. Yet, ACS reported these teacher results in their O-A News Perspectives supplement a few weeks ago without mentioning this fact.

Fourth, the survey form had five calendars. Three of them were calendars that the ACS Alternative Calendar Committee did not even investigate (Calendars A, B and C). Only calendar D was investigated and that data is cited in the Fact Sheet 2 sent out to the parents. Calendar F was the Traditional Calendar. Therefore, ACS was asking the citizens to select from calendars whose academic, economic, social and community interests and problems were not investigated.

Fifth, another problem was with the conduct of the survey. At least 24 parents did not receive a ballot from ACS. While, some parents, when made aware of this were able to get another parent survey ballot at ACS office, other parents did not.

How many other parents in Auburn did not receive their green ballot? Who knows? Also, ACS staff was allowed to vote without registering, as parents witnessed several people placing more than one survey in the box without having to show any picture ID.

Sixth, some ACS students were allowed to vote as students, then again as community members. Yet some other students were not allowed to vote as community members. When a parent asked ACS Administration if children could vote at the ACS, they were told, "From now on they've got to be 18." This implies that yes, children were at first allowed to vote at school and at the ACS Office. Then for some reason, ACS administration changed their minds and children were not allowed to vote.

What is even more troublesome and loathsome, is that the middle school students were read a two-page handout just before balloting. The handout virtually promises sporting and creative activities that were never discussed by the ACS Alternative Calendar Committee, and whose funding was never discussed within the Alternative Calendar Committee the High School Forum and the PTA meetings. The extensive list of activities gave students the impression that there will be many ACS sponsored fun enrichment activities during intercessions. There has been no public discussion of funding these enrichment programs. In fact, there has been a lot of discussion on how to obtain funding for YRS remediation of at-risk students.

Seventh, in addition to the biased survey instrument and highly irregular and changing voting requirements, virtually no security was given at the ballot boxes. Instead of the "locked boxes" as promised verbally twice by ACS at the year-round school committee meetings, taped, cardboard boxes with large slots in them were used. Even with the per son at the front desk of ACS office, the placement of the box did not allow a complete view of the box while people were depositing their ballots.

Oh, in case you're wondering about the results of the survey? Don't hold your breath. It's being kept under wraps until Dec. 16 when the YRS presentation to the Board of Education is made. So don't plan on getting any data that might help you reach a conclusion until then. Apparently, it's too secret. Likewise, the ACS phone survey data on YRS is ready, but it's not being released.

If you have any feelings on this subject, you had better let the mayor and Board of Education know about it before Dec. 15 when the Board will hear the formal recommendation of the superintendent, and just might act on it. Information on YRS is available at:

http://www.aubum.edu/-enebasa or other websites.
If you want a Stop YRS yard sign, call 821-2266.

Scott Enebak
Auburn