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CAST, Bravo outline summer programs; board hears $599,375 budget and discusses equity, tuition models
Summary
CAST and Bravo leaders presented summer programming proposals: CAST proposed a six‑week tuition‑free summer CAST program with a stated budget of $599,375, while Bravo plans to run its summer program through its advisory board 501(c)(3) as a tuition‑based offering; board members debated equity, sliding scales and operational oversight.
Leaders of CAST (Casa) at Julian and the Bravo program at Brooks presented summer programming proposals and a budget outline at the District 97 board meeting, prompting board discussion about tuition models, equity and operational oversight.
Bill McGlynn, director of Casa at Julian, described year‑to‑date productions and enrollment patterns and said CAST’s summer offering functions as a capstone and gateway for incoming middle‑schoolers. McGlynn said the program is a deep immersion and “many students’ first experience with Julian.”
Chief Learning Innovation Officer Ebony Lofton and CAST/Bravo staff presented a summer budget profile. The administration cited a total proposed CAS Summer budget of $599,375 allocated for teachers, guest artists, mentors, production crew, supervisors and counselors. Presenters said the district would need to determine whether CAST summer should be tuition‑free for District 97 students (similar to other district summer programming) or continue as a tuition model with need‑based aid. CAST leadership and central office staff said they favored piloting a tuition‑free district program for CAST in order to maximize access.
Bravo’s leadership described a different model. Bravo artistic director Tina (Reynolds/Rounds, transcript spellings vary) said the Bravo advisory board, a 501(c)(3), would manage summer registration and tuition collection for the Bravo summer program. Randy Orlin (administrative assistant) and Tina described the advisory board handling payroll and reconciliation for interim staff and scholarships while Bravo staff run day‑to‑day programming.
Board discussion focused on equity implications. Several board members and administrators raised the potential for disparities if one summer program is district‑funded and tuition‑free while the other operates through a 501(c)(3) and can retain or raise charitable funds. Members asked whether sliding‑scale tuition or need‑based scholarships could be used and whether the district needs clearer, uniform rules for summer offerings. Administrators said they would pilot the proposed approach for summer, monitor registration and finances, and report back in the fall for review and longer‑term decisions.
Why it matters: CAST and Bravo are prominent extracurricular arts providers for District 97 students. How summer offerings are funded and administered affects access, fundraising transparency and the district’s operational compliance with insurance and payroll rules.
What’s next: Administration proposed a pilot summer approach this year, with a fall review of registration, finances, capacity and equity implications. Board members requested more detail on safeguards and on how the district will track donations and tuition revenue across programs run under different legal structures.
