Parents and board debate PAYS student survey content, notice and opt‑out process

Multiple public commenters raised concerns about the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS), which the district schedules every two years. Teresa Pesch, a resident, read several PAYS questions aloud and said the content focuses on student behavior rather than academics. She asked why the survey was not discussed publicly prior to administration and whether the district was complying with the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act.

Commenters expressed alarm about individual questions asking how a student obtained prescription drugs, whether siblings drink or use marijuana, and other items they considered potentially invasive. Several parents said they were unaware of opt‑out procedures.

District staff responded that the district has administered the PAYS for more than a decade, that the next administration was scheduled for November, and that the district communicates opt‑out instructions by phone blast and email. The superintendent and curriculum staff described the survey as an instrument used to identify trends (for example, vaping increases) that inform safety and wellness programming; staff warned that switching from an opt‑out to an opt‑in process can reduce participation and therefore reduce the size of some state or county grant allocations tied to survey data.

Legal and procedural protections were discussed: a public commenter cited the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act (Title 65, Section 708) in asking why the survey was not discussed at a board meeting; counsel and administration noted that boards generally do not decide survey administration and that federal PPRA and state guidance include notice and parental‑consent protections. Several board members encouraged clearer parental communication and reiterated the opt‑out opportunity.

The board did not change the districtsurvey policy at the meeting; staff said they would continue to provide opt‑out information and to use the survey to guide wellness and safety programs.