Poll: LAUSD Seeks Input on Controversial Changes to the School Year

Los Angeles school district officials are considering redoing a telephone survey after technical glitches complicated a weekend attempt to determine parents’ and employees’ opinions about the academic calendar, it was reported today.

The survey sought feedback on when the school year should start, how long winter break should last and how important it is to have the same days off for elementary and secondary schools. The district also wanted to know how people feel about having the first semester finish before winter break and about the timing of enrichment and intervention programs.

The effort arose out of discontent with the L.A. Unified School District’s decision to move up the start of the traditional school year into August, rather than beginning after Labor Day, in September, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Calls went out to 550,000 households, including both parents and employees. The automated phone system made the first attempt Friday night, and then tried again on Saturday if it had collected no information.

But the system’s software is designed to pause if there is noise on the receiving end. And background noise, apparently, was enough to derail the effort. In all, the phone system collected 58,000 surveys, but the district also received about 50 complaints, according to The Times.

City News Service