Summer School Doesn’t Fit School’s Budget

In these tough times, school districts have to make tough decisions.

“We need to make choices on what we can keep going and what we can’t,” says Jim Majchrzak, Morongo Unified School District Superintendent.

Teachers, programs, and activities fit into that “can’t afford” category. Last week, Morongo Unified School District handed out 45 lay off notices. Now, as the budget crisis continues, so do the cuts.

“You never have enough money,” says Majchrzak. “That’s what makes it difficult to choose what programs to keep.”

The district will reduce summer school classes, only offering courses for special education and high school students who need to re-take classes to graduate. Elementary students won’t have the option of summer school. Instead, struggling students can take part in the after school intervention program.

“We have the intervention program to make up for not having summer school,” says Majchrzak.

Teachers will tutor students in math and reading. The goal is to improve learning skills before they affect the student’s grade, and before they need summer school.

“We want to make sure we can provide for the students and we have great teachers to make it happen,” says Majchrzak.

Educators say despite the tough decisions they’re making, they’ll do whatever they can to make learning easier for students.