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District reports summer programs served hundreds despite funding cuts; administrators plan fall assessment review
Summary
Officials said summer programming served hundreds of students across academic and enrichment tracks even after the loss of ESSER funds; the district plans to analyze fall MAP and FastBridge data to assess program impact.
District administrators reported that summer programming continued despite funding changes and that leaders plan to use fall assessment data to evaluate outcomes.
Dr. Mejia and Miss Wallace told the board the district completed year eight of summer programs and hired more than 150 certified and classified staff. They reported the programs served several hundred students: Dr. Mejia referenced "788 scholars" in one remark but also summarized overall participation across programs as 1,372 students. High-school credit-recovery and acceleration work produced additional graduates: district officials said Topeka High and Topeka Virtual each produced additional completers through summer work (Topeka High reported six additional seniors; Topeka Virtual reported six additional scholars in remarks).
Officials explained participation was smaller than in prior years, attributing the decline to the end of ESSER-funded higher pay and to the fact some enrichment activities charged tuition this year; the district said scholarships were available for students in academic programs. Dr. Mejia described how eligibility for Extended School Year (ESY) services is determined by a student's Individualized Education Program (IEP) team and that ESY progress is recorded in the permanent IEP record.
To measure the summer programs' academic impact, Dr. Mejia said the district will compare fall MAP and FastBridge results for participants and nonparticipants; FastBridge testing was reported to begin the week after the meeting and the MAP window to open soon thereafter. Administrators cautioned the district cannot establish conclusive causal relationships but said fall assessment comparisons will inform future program design.
