Grand Island Public Schools reports summer-program expansion and attendance dips tied to immigration concerns

District officials presented an overview of summer 2025 programming at the Aug. 14 Grand Island Public Schools board meeting, listing enrollment counts, program types and funding sources and noting that attendance dipped during portions of the summer amid community concern over immigration enforcement.

Dr. Summer Stevens, who presented the report, said the district ran multiple programs: Summer Strong (Title I) served 161 students across eight Title I buildings; afternoon “Power Camp” (funded from Title IV) served initial signups around 225 before weekly counts fell to roughly 150–180; the EL summer program at Stully Park served about 120 students and introduced a “leaders and learners” model pairing older EL students with younger learners; extended school year services for students with IEPs included 29 elementary students and 12 students…