Budget cuts erase summer school classes
Programs primarily offered where needed to graduate
Summer school programs have been slashed at Coachella Valley school districts — yet another victim of California's public school budget crisis.
The valley's local school districts are mostly limiting summer school to high school students who need extra classes to graduate.
Gone are nearly all programs for elementary and middle school students.
“They're just not the luxuries we can afford,” said Cathy Doyle, administrator for assessment & accountability at Desert Sands Unified.
Local school districts expect to cut $5 million to $16 million to be solvent for 2010-11 as a result of less money from the state and other funding sources.
All three districts are offering summer school for high school students who have fallen behind.
“We want to afford our high school students every opportunity to graduate,” said Christine Anderson, superintendent of educational services at Palm Springs Unified.
That's what summer school is supposed to be, Cathedral City High School senior Amanda Eversz said.
But senior Dylan Rodarte said a summer class he took before sophomore year helped him get ahead —
Summer school programs have been slashed at Coachella Valley school districts — yet another victim of California's public school budget crisis. (The Associated Press file photo)