Parent speaks out against $50,000 AVID training in San Diego

A concerned Yuma Elementary School District 1 parent expressed dismay for a planned teacher training conference he maintains should be allocated to the classroom instead, at the district's board meeting Tuesday.

Joseph Michaud, a retired Marine who formerly drove a bus for the Yuma Education Consortium, protested the expenditure of $50,000 for AVID training for teachers and principals during the district's call to public session. Michaud's son attends Castle Dome Middle School.

Advanced Via Individula Determination (AVID) is the heart of the Advanced Placement Incentive Program (APIP), a $2.4 million grant of the U.S. Department of Education provided to four district co-applicants: Yuma Union High School District, Crane, Somerton, and District 1.

AVID is aimed to help students handle advance placement courses more easily. The goal is to focus on students in low-income families and first-generation college bound so they can gain entrance to college and complete a four-year degree. To ensure success the districts need to train teachers to prepare students.

An AVID training session was planned for 41 District 1 teachers and principals at the Crown Royal Resort Hotel in San Diego, July 26-30, Michaud said. He also said he was alarmed when given news of the conference from other concerned parents and teachers and when he could not obtain further details from District 1 administrators when he inquired about the conference on Monday.

"The AVID program is for the children and not for school administrators," Michaud said. "The AVID money should be for school supplies in the classroom only. The district's motto is ‘students first,’ but this action puts them last and places expenditures farthest from the classroom."

He went on that he also objects that administrators are included in the conference who do not do any teaching. He added, the conference is an example of a lack of planning by District 1 administrators who should more carefully allocate funds to improve the  students'  future.

"I think it's a gathering of people, a lot who already had training," Michaud said. "I don't know why I can't find out. If some teachers need training I wouldn't stop that. But let the administration identify the teachers who will use the training in the classroom, because 41 people sounds like way too much at $50,000 to tax payers."

District 1 board member Maureen Irr disagreed with Michaud, saying the conference was a wonderful opportunity to work on higher-order skills to help students succeed and that she had no problem with the grant.

Joseph Melchionne, another board member, noted the conference is intended to train the trainer who is in the classroom and the grant was an appropriate use of funds. He moved to bring the issue to a vote for approval and it passed by 3 to 1, with member Gary Wright opposing. Board President Greg Wilkinson was absent.

"I agree with everything said about having more money go into the classroom, Melchionne said. "We'd all (board) like to see more money in the classroom. But this grant was for training of people who will run the program (AVID)."

Melchionne also said that to use AVID funds for unintended uses, such as classroom supplies, could not only jeopardize losing the money already disbursed but prevent any future grant applications being accepted. He further stressed that including principals was a legitimate use of the funds.

"This is exactly what the grant was written for," Melchionne said. " The principals' job is to mentor teachers and make them better teachers."

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William Roller can be reached at wroller@yumasun.com or 539-6858.