12/8/98
Opelika * Auburn News* THE NEWSPAPER OF EAST ALABAMA*12/8/98
Article: ACS results released, Calendar change surveys show mixed feelings
By: Julie Shelley-BassOpelika-Auburn News
Auburn residents will see mixed results from two surveys conducted by Auburn City Schools relating to a proposed change in their current traditional calendar.
ACS released the results of two Alternative Calendar survey reports Monday, revealing community opinion on proposed changes to the traditional calendar.
Lynda Rainer, public relations director for ACS, said the first survey questioned Auburn residents by telephone on their opinions of alternative calendars for Auburn public schools.
The survey was conducted by the Capital Survey Research Center on Nov. 9, 10 and 12. A computer-assisted telephone interviewing system (CATI) was used to conduct the survey, according to a news release from ACS.
Results include 667 completed surveys of adult residents randomly selected from the city of Auburn. The survey's sample is 48 percent male, 52 percent female and 17 percent minority. The sample margin of error is +/- 3.9 percent and no 844 telephone prefixes (Auburn University phone numbers) were contacted, the release said.
According to the release, the telephone survey was designed to gather public opinion information in several areas: awareness and knowledge of calendar change; opinion of calendar change; evaluation of alternative calendars, opinion of importance of ACS and Auburn University calendar compatibility; opinion of importance of final examination schedule; and demographic data.
Survey results show the majority of the residents of Auburn are aware of possible changes in the public school calendar, the release said.
Of the 667 telephone surveys completed by Auburn residents, 79 per cent said they have heard about a possible change in the school calendar, while 21 percent said they had no knowledge of the proposed changes.
After all information had been given, respondents were asked to describe their position on switching to an alternative calendar for ACS, the release said.
According to the release, 10 percent of respondents said they didn't know or didn't have enough information, 40 percent reported they opposed a calendar change and 50 percent said
The release said compatibility of ACS and AU calendars is "important to a majority of Auburn residents," with 53 percent of respondents feeling cooperation between the two important to some degree. However, results of the survey show 44 percent of Auburn residents polled said it was not important to correlate the two calendars.
Scheduling final exams before the winter break is also important to the majority of Auburn residents, the release said.
Of those polled, 73 percent said the issue was important to some degree (very important, important), 24 per cent felt the issue was not important and three percent responded "don't know."
The phone survey consisted of seven demographic variables, including child in Auburn public school, Auburn public school employment, occupation, gender, race, Auburn University employment and income, which were used to analyze the survey data, according to the release.
The release said the responses to questions relating to alternative calendars, ACS/AU calendar compatibility and final examination scheduling were related only to children in school, ACS employment, AU employment, income and occupation.
Race and gender made no significant differences in respondents, the release said.
Respondents who have a child in Auburn public schools made up 29 percent of those polled, nine percent of respondents were employed in Auburn public schools and 30 percent were employed by Auburn University, the release said.
The second survey was completed by students and teachers in grades 6 ~, mailed to parents and printed in the Opelika-Auburn News and The Auburn Bulletin for community members to fill out and bring to the Board of Education office, the release said.
"The most surprising part of this survey was the low response, only 28 percent, by parents," the release said.
Ms. Rainer said Dr. Michael Martin was puzzled by the low turnout of parents.
"Dr. Martin was really interested in the parent vote," she said.
"Section A" of the printed survey asked residents the question "I would support Auburn City Schools' decision to change its school calendar?"
Results from the section show 1,564 Auburn residents, or 41.4 percent of those who completed the survey, "for" (including "strongly agree" and "agree" votes) a calendar change. Those "against" a calendar change (including "disagree" and "strongly disagree" votes) comprised 1,945 surveyed residents, or 51.5 percent.
Blank or noncompliant surveys accounted for 268 ballots cast, or approximately seven percent, the release said.
"Section A" results reflect "for" or "against" opinions on the issue and do not include calendar preferences, Ms. Rainer said.
Survey results for "Section B," where respondents were asked to select and rate their two preferences for a school calendar, show Alternative Calendar B as the most popular choice for first preference, with 612 votes.
Ms. Rainer said Alternative Calendar B has a start date of August 5, a one-week fall break or intercession, a three-week winter (holiday) break and a two-week spring break. The school year would end May 25, leaving a 10-week summer break until the start of the next school year.
She said the one-week intercession would fall in October, which may have been one reason for the calendar's popularity.
Alternative Calendar A received the most support for second preference, with 370 respondents choosing that option.
School would begin Aug. 10 under Calendar A, with no intercession or break during fall. A three-week winter or holiday break and two-week spring break would fall before the school year's end on May 25. A summer break of 11 weeks makes Calendar A the closest alternative to the tradition al calendar, Ms. Rainer said.
The traditional calendar option overwhelmingly received the most votes for first preference in "Section B," with 1,697 votes cast in favor of the traditional school year now used by ACS.
Totals for all calendars in "Section B," both alternative and traditional, apply to all surveys accounted for, Ms. Rainer said.
"We knew the community would be pretty much against it (alternative calendar)," Ms. Rainer said.
She said this was because of opposition from an organized group who have advertised with yard signs and radio commercials, among others.
"Dr. Martin wanted to get a feel of the community," she said.
All factors involved in the survey and its results will be taken into consideration by Dr. Martin before making his recommendation to the school board, Ms. Rainer said.
"He has not said what his recommendation will be," she said.
Dr. Martin's recommendation will be based on what he feels is best for the children, Ms. Rainer said.
Dr. Martin will make his recommendation to the school board Dec. 15, and the decision to change or not change calendars will be up to that body after that, she added.
"The board will make the final decision," Ms. Rainer said.
The Alternative School Year Committee's recommendation was also released Monday, with 23 members supporting a change in the school calendar. Eleven members voted either "disagree" or "strongly disagree" with a change in the school calendar.
Alternative Calendar C received the most votes from the committee, with 16 members supporting that option.
Alternative Calendar B received 13 votes from committee members, while traditional calendar received 12 votes.
David Elton, heavily involved in the Stop Year-Round School Citizens Group, said survey results should not be taken into consideration by the community.
"They're absolutely misleading," he said.
In a report entitled Report on the Irregularities of the ACS Balloting on YRS, submitted to the Auburn City Council and Auburn Board of Education by the group, Janet Kervin, a professional pollster from Troy State University's School of Business, reviewed survey ballots received by Auburn residents and Alternative School Year Committee members.
"This survey does not take into consideration those who oppose a change in the calendar year. Instructions should be given so that only individuals who agree with the change should complete Section B," Ms. Kervin stated in her review.
Mr. Elton said Ms. Kervin was paid for her services, does not live in Lee County and does not know anyone from Lee County.
Ms. Kervin went on to state that the survey was a "biased sample," because there was no control over who filled it out, therefore rendering it invalid, Mr. Elton said.
"The instrument wasn't valid," he said. "They conducted the poll in about six different areas. They don't know who filled that out."
"It's not a random sample," he said.
Mr. Elton added results from the Alternative School Year Committee should also be considered invalid.
"The same biased instrument" was the one used with the alternative committee as well, he said.
The committee's results should be further invalidated because only two thirds of the members responded, Mr. Elton said, with ~4 of 51 members voting on the issue.
He said the Opelika-Auburn News should not print the survey results, which he felt would be misleading to the community.
"You guys are publishing the answers without publishing the questions," Mr. Elton said.
He said anyone wanting more information on year-round school can call the citizens' group at 821-2266.
SURVEY RESULTS
These results were taken from a telephone survey that was taken Nov. 9, 10 and 12. The sample margin of error is +/- 3.9%
Awareness of review process: 79% have heard about a possible change in public school calendar. 21% have not heard about a possible change.
Positions overall on the proposed changes: 50% support a calendar change. 40% oppose a calendar change. 10% don't have enough information or don't know.
ACS and AU calendar compatibility: 44% not important 28% very important 25% important 2% don't know
Scheduling final exams before the winter break: 38% very important 35% important 24% not important 3% don't know
These next results were taken from a second (newspaper, etc.) survey of selected groups. Participants included community, daycare, employees, parents and students. In rounded-off figures, the results may not add up to 100%.
Section A: "I would support Auburn City Schools' decision to change its school calendar."
Strongly agree 19% Agree 23% Disagree 10% Strongly disagree 42% Blank /noncompliant 7%
"For" combines strongly agree and agree; "against" combines disagree and strongly disagree.For:1,564 or 41%Against:1,945 or 52%Blank/noncompliant: 268 or 7%
Section B: "Select and rate your two preferences for a school calendar."
First preference: Alternative Calendar A: 284 Alternative Calendar B: 612Alternative Calendar C: 494Alternative Calendar D: 232Traditional Calendar: 1,697Blank or noncompliant: 458
Second Preference:Alternative Calendar A: 370Alternative Calendar B: 357Alternative Calendar C: 348Alternative Calendar D: 118Traditional Calendar: 122
Blank or noncompliant: 2,463
Totals including invalid considerations, first preference: Alternative Calendar A: 284Alternative Calendar B: 618Alternative Calendar C: 496Alternative Calendar D: 235Traditional Calendar: 1,726Blank or noncompliant: 458
Totals including invalid considerations, second preference: Alternative Calendar A: 372Alternative Calendar B: 357Alternative Calendar C: 353Alternative Calendar D: 120Traditional Calendar: 122Blank or noncompliant: 2,493
These next results were taken from recommendations by the Alternative School YearCommittee.
Section A - Support change in school calendar Strongly Agree (14) + Agree (9) = 23 Strongly Disagree (9) + Disagree (2) = 11
Section B* - Calendar options Calendar A (start Aug. 10, no fall break, 3 week winter break, end May 25, 11 week summer break) - 5 votes Calendar B (start Aug. 5, one week fall break, three week winter break, two week spring break, end May 25, 10 week summer break) - 13 votesCalendar C (start Aug. 2, two week fall break, three week winter break, two week spring break, end May 25, 9 week summer break) - 16 votes Calendar D (start July 26, three week fall break, three week winter break, three week summer break, end June 1, 7 week summer break) - 5 votesTraditional 12 votes
* Some members selected more than one alternative calendar.
Letter: Education should 'free the mind'
I am writing this final letter about YRS, responding to several readers who wrote or called me or just contemplated or published in O-A News and/or Auburn Bulletin about my letters. I thank you all for your rich and critical comments from different frames of mind.
Several years back, when a friend asked me to conduct a Hindu Worship Service at his home in Chicago, I advised him to invite friends, enemies and strangers to the service. In reply to his surprise, "Why enemies and strangers?" I said, "Because your enemies are 'your once-ardent friends, and the strangers can be your future friends."
It looks like I am now in the company of many enemies, friends and strangers than ever. I saw YRS not as a debate, but an opportunity in Creative Problem Solving in which opposing views can be transformed complementary. Here are my answers.
My letters were based mostly on the analysis of locally published data and letters. That "only one third of the AU faculty support STOP YRS" was the observation of an "AU white faculty member" and not another non-English mother tongued Brown like me and I mean no sarcasm, but a curious fact, in this statement.
India with about 20 official languages including English spilled all over one nation, is the proof that multi-lingualism is not an impediment for success in academics. However, that is not the issue at hand. I did not note in my letters that the 1992 committee had recommended YRS. The idea of restructuring buildings etc., in summer came from a 1992 YRS committee member who wrote the lengthiest YRS commentary.
However, the author of YRS Won't Solve School Problems made some valid observations in comparing American school students with those in the foreign countries. At a historically black university, myself and my colleagues heard in disbelief a few years ago, when the Dean of Engineering announced that "Our school achieved 100 percent success in the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam results." The fact was that only the top two seniors took the exam and both passed. Among the two, one was a foreign student!
The United States is a land committed to the noble idea 'equal opportunity' for all, at all times. Judging on the academic mindedness of a kid very early in school is not fair considering late bloomers like me. This raises the question about the philosophy of human education.
In my opinion, an educational system, even from its early stages should strive to free the mind of the students from its entrapments of the family environment. This is possible if the system encourages "required learning" to be completed entirely in the classroom itself. I will discuss later, simple strategies that promote this aspect, with my 'ground' in education and industry at several universities and companies in different lands.
Coming back to YRS, we can all stand on a common ground if we design a different calendar that has built-in flexibility also. In this, as one suggested, some high school seniors can graduate in December to go to college in January, saving a semester. Gifted children attending Alabama Shakespeare Festival and the like in the first week of August can be permitted to join school a week later with pre-make-up arrangements. With such creative solutions Auburn can be a truly a uni(fied di)versity town. I invite my friends, enemies and strangers to an open common ground for the Auburn Education Service. Thank you again. Let us wish each other and all a Merry Christmas and Faithmas.
N.S. MalladiAuburn