Decision on summer school expected at tonight's Lodi Unified School District meeting

Summer school classes could be drastically reduced or even eliminated next year in an effort by the Lodi Unified School District to save more than $600,000.

If approved by school board trustees, the change could affect graduating seniors, those elementary-age parents who rely on afterschool programs and others.

The recommendation will be heard at tonight's regular board meeting. It is among the cost-cutting ideas to close a $20 million budget shortfall heading into the 2010-11 school year.

Currently, the district spends about $623,000 annually on summer school, according to a staff report.

The largest portion goes toward the high schools. Many of these are students who do not have enough units to graduate from high school and rely on the district's summer school program. Others enroll to pass the senior project graduation requirement. Per the district's student handbook, seniors are currently eligible for summer school if they have partially completed the project during the school year.

Tokay High School English teacher Kevin Pina, who helps oversee the school's senior projects, said not having summer school won't affect too many Tokay students since typically few are sent there for not completing their projects.

"In fact, last year I believe that we did not send any students," he said. "Since multiple safety nets are in place during the school year, most of the students exposed to the senior project complete it successfully prior to graduation."

However, the change will affect seniors who fail government/economics, English or any other class they may have stumbled in during their final semester, Pina pointed out.

"Previously, those students were able to make up the credits in summer school and receive a diploma. Now, those students will need to become fifth-year 'super seniors' to earn one," he said.

While there are other requirements, basically that means a senior returns in the fall as a fifth-year high school student.

Lodi High School sophomore Hannah Burg was planning to take physical education next summer because the abbreviated course fits better into her class schedule, which includes enrollment in the Apple Academy.

"I'm pretty disappointed ... because then I'll have to take P.E. all of my junior year," she said, adding that the only other option is attending adult school following high school, and that's not something she plans to do.

If the school board adopts any of the staff recommendations, most of the afterschool tutoring programs for elementary and middle school students would remain in conjunction with the Bridge Program.

Summer school programs across California were cut last summer due to budget deficits. Lodi Unified, however, continued to offer the same programs in 2009.

Officials have already begun looking at places to cut for the 2010-11 school year by holding its first public input session last week. Further meetings will likely be scheduled before the board ultimately decides what cuts to make to balance next year's budget.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.

In other action

The Lodi Unified School District board of trustees will meet at 7 p.m. tonight at John Muir Elementary School, 2303 Whistler Way, Stockton. Among the other items on the agenda:

— Hear an update on the proposed conversion of Heritage and Needham schools to K-6 campuses.

— Set the annual board organizational meeting for Dec. 5.

— Hold public hearings for two separate charter school proposals.

— Recognize Erika Jane B. Albinto, of Middle College High School, for her first-place entry in the Reaching for the Stars Foundation contest.

News-Sentinel staff

Reader Feedback

AreYouSure wrote on Nov 18, 2009 8:44 AM:

" Oh that's right....The Teachers would run the project.... "

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AreYouSure wrote on Nov 18, 2009 8:43 AM:

" I find it pretty funny that everyone says what about F & P, cut F & P, we don't have money to build right now.
Then in the same sentence, they say, combine and close schools.

Who do you think would run that project. F & P!!! Not every school has empty classrooms waiting to be occupied, so F & P would need to make sure there are enough classrooms at the site, possibly spend money that LUSD doesn't have to bring in portables to house all of the students And in the end adjust the attendance boundaries.

Who would run this project if we didn't have an F & P department. "

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FormerLodiResident wrote on Nov 17, 2009 1:19 PM:

" Both good comments. That's what most people think. Also if they cut summer school and use the money for pay raises or anything else for that matter that school year, is it really saving money?
I don't think so. "

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LodiJoe wrote on Nov 17, 2009 7:47 AM:

" Incredulous...
Good post. Public entities are always "top heavy" with people making entirely too much money. But since they are the decision makers, they make sure their positions are safe. Cuts always come at the expense of students, teachers and non-classified personnel. Like a building, cut away at the foundation and eventually the whole thing collapses. "

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incredulous wrote on Nov 17, 2009 6:06 AM:

" well let's see who this will affect. To my knowledge the only students allowed to come back for 5th year are those with special needs. Regular education students are not afforded this option.

How about those AVID students? too bad for you...taking those AVID classes your freshman and sophomore year means you have very limited options to make up those credits.

Adult school is typically only available to those students over 18, unless the laws have changed or LUSD is using a loophole. Besides, how many credits can a student make up in a year?

And more to the point, is there a substitute for having kids with teachers? Since when did credit mills like adult school or online "learning centers" become an acceptable substitute for teachers working with students?

How 'bout cutting a superintendent or two? Do we really need a Facilities department when we can't afford to build anything? What exactly does an Associate Superintendent do? hmmm... "

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