Summer school runs low on funds

Naomi Ellifrit, Reporter
April 8, 2010
Filed under News

Talk about rather or not summer school will be available this summer has constantly varied. Asst. Superintendent of Elementary Education Sara Jones and the Belton schools website was able to clear things up and discuss the plans made for summer school as of right now.

Summer school will be available, but the dates vary  between grades. For students in Kindergarten through 6th grade, there will be one session. For grades 7-8 and 10-12 there will be two sessions available and for freshmen, a two-week retreat. More details on this information is available at the Belton schools website, beltonschools.org.

Jones was able to provide an explanation as to why summer school is being reduced.

“Summer school is supported only by state funding and fundings are being reduced.” Jones said. “State pays for every hour students are attending. If summer school can’t pay for its self, it will cut into regular school budgets.”

Jones said that the main goal was to make sure they had the money for regular school and in order to do that, they find it beneficial to reduce in areas that had the less amount of impact such as summer school.

Also, because of the cost, things like drivers ed will not be offered this summer.

Math classes including Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II and Algebra II fundamentals will be provided for credits. Summer school will be focusing mostly on credit recovery for high schoolers. Classes will not be held to get students ahead on credits, however.

Jones also said there is already talk that funding for summer school may be completely called off to focus more on regular school funds.

“There may not be any summer school next year for 2011,” Jones said.

Without summer school, programs such as extended school for Special Ed would still be required as well as the Missouri Preschool project, year round.

As for care for kids grades Kindergarten through gr6th grade, it’s possible that the provided care would go back to the way it was around twelve years ago. If that was the case, parents could pay for the care and activities would be provided with that for the kids.