BY ABBY LUBY

Members of the Bedford Central Board of Education listened to a second in a series of three reports evaluating the ACES program at Wednesday night's board meeting. Dr. Linda Lippitt of the educational consulting firm of Silver, Strong and Associates, spoke about ACES' successes and challenges for the future. She detailed her findings after a brief presentation about alternative education trends in the United States.

"This is an incredibly valuable program and an asset to the community," said Dr. Lippitt. "The ACES program, which is the oldest alternative program in this country, reflects the district and their commitment." ACES, which stands for Academic Community for Educational Success, has been part of the Bedford Central School District for 27 years.

Last year, the district considered sharp budget cuts to ACES because of low student enrollment. An outpouring from former students and parents saved the program, but the district agreed to have the program evaluated by an outside firm.

The alternative education program has also come under fire in the past for trips overseas lasting two to three weeks. Dr. Lippitt said the trips are part of the experiential component of ACES. "These experiences emphasize personal learning in a meaningful context, which includes problem solving, leadership, and communication," she said. "It teaches students to deal with the real world."

The program, which is housed separately from Fox Lane High School on Railroad Avenue in Bedford Hills, currently has 25 students. Dr. Lippitt stressed the importance of a small learning community.

"There is greater freedom and greater responsibilities in this type of learning environment," she said. "It's a personalized learning community which meets personalized needs."

Dr. Lippitt said the current number of students enrolled in ACES is an optimal working number that shouldn't exceed 25. "ACES originally started with 55 students, which is really too many," she said. "The current number allows students to work together as a group with peer support and the ability to feel they can take charge, which is a key component of this educational community."

The program is oriented to teach individual students, an extremely important experience that ACES students could not get from a traditional school, said Dr. Lippitt. Some students told Dr. Lippitt they didn't fit into a large school.

ACES students' ability to form their own government and administer their own environment is both positive and a challenge, said Dr. Lippitt, who added, "Leadership and how to be citizens within a working situation is what they are learning here. The students govern with commitment, and they take it seriously"

ACES students are able to articulate what their needs are, said Dr.Lippitt, who said they told her, "I'm doing this to show that I'm part of the community and I am responsible for learning and for the people here. I could slide by in another situation, but I can't slide by here."

Dr. Lippitt told board members that she found that students took on adult responsibilities about academics. "They have high standards, with built-in discipline measures for themselves," she said.

"There needs to be a big change in personnel with the appropriate credentials," said Dr. Lippitt. "Staff development is not sufficient and will require major revamping."

Because students in the ACES program are no longer exempt from tak

ing Regents exams, "new teachers 'i and assistants with professional development are needed to support what they are already doing," Dr. Lippitt said. "Specialized teachers, not generalist teachers, is a challenge that needs to happen."

Budget concerns are driving closer examination of program needs, such as new technology for science courses and the need for more space. Justifying ACES' yearly trips to other countries - the experiential aspect of the program - also needs to be addressed, she said. "The concern about how to best present the

achievement, successes, and purpose of this unique part of the program given budgetary concerns will also be a challenge."

This year, only one out-of-district student is paying tuition at the ACES program. According to Dr. Lippitt, ACES has written grants for more than $1 million in the past, but "future funding sources have changed, and the emphasis is on how to best provide for social and psychological support."

Dr. Lippitt said that the ACES program is strong. "In a unique family like environment, the ACES program has students respect not only their relation to academic work, but their relation toward each other and their teachers," she said.

Dr. Lippitt will conclude her report in March with budget information on the ACES program, timed to coincide with the weekly budget meetings on Wednesday nights that month.