District 128 administrators presented the district’s summer-school annual report at the Sept. 29 board meeting, saying enrollment rose in 2025 and describing program changes that administrators say improved access and student supports.

“Every year, we give the board a quick summer-school report just to share with you all of the events that occurred during the summer,” said Tom Gulentes, opening the presentation. Ben Rodriguez, the district’s director for postsecondary exploration and curriculum, and Amy Wiggins, a team leader at Libertyville High School who served as an assistant principal for summer school, summarized enrollment, staffing and finance details.

Administrators reported 416 students enrolled in summer 2025 courses, with 404 in-person enrollments. They said in-person students earned A or B grades at a 90% rate, up slightly from 89% the prior year. Rodriguez and Wiggins also described specialized programs for students with individualized education programs: 47 students participated in special-services summer offerings, roughly half the number invited, which presenters attributed in part to increased access during the regular school year.

The presentation included financial detail. Summer-school fees were raised in 2025 — initial-credit courses moved from $200 (2024) to $300 (2025) — and administrators proposed a further increase for 2026 to $400 for initial credit and $200 for repeat/replace courses. Rodriguez said the higher fees helped reduce the program deficit and that transportation fees have not covered actual costs over multiple years.

Wiggins highlighted three program changes in 2025: taking attendance in half-day increments to support student safety and success; new English-language-learning “Adventures in English” classes and community experiences; and the first summer-school snack bar, which she said was in high demand. Administrators said they are exploring expanding the snack bar into a full meal option and adding new course types such as field ecology, theater and standardized-test preparation.

Board members asked about course-selection timing and the possibility of offerings for incoming freshmen; Rodriguez said departments propose summer courses in the spring and that registration typically begins in January during course-selection season. He also said the district is exploring shorter enrichment-format experiences that would not carry full credit but could give students exposure to electives.

The board did not take action on new fees during the Sept. 29 meeting; presenters said any fee changes and detailed plans would be part of later planning and budgeting conversations.

Administrators thanked the summer-school staff and said they will continue to evaluate program design, transportation funding and possible expansion of meal services.