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MMSD outlines summer-semester plans, opens registration April 7; trustees question ESY access
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Summary
District staff presented a 2026 summer programming lineup—full-day K-4 sites, grades 5-8 camps, first-time credit courses and an expanded Freedom Schools site—and reminded families that registration opens April 7. Board members pressed staff on MSCR coordination and supports for ESY/IEP students.
The Madison Metropolitan School District on April 6 reviewed its 2026 summer-semester offerings and told the board that family enrollment opens April 7.
Why it matters: The district expanded full-day elementary summer programming (4K through 4th grade) after feedback that all-day options better meet family needs, and staff said much of the program design was supported with ESSER funds and district commitments. Trustees asked detailed questions about how ESY (extended school year for students with IEPs) and other accessibility supports will be managed during expanded summer offerings.
Cindy Green walked trustees through the summer portfolio: full-day 4K'4 programming focused on literacy, math and arts (six weeks); grades 5— programming hosted at high schools with arts and MSCR recreation; instrumental lessons and an arts-seats program that gives priority seats to low-income and Black/Brown students with district-covered costs; Freedom Schools expanding to 100 students at Laurie Mancari Elementary; and career-and-educational-discovery camps (automotive, coding, construction, culinary, drones, robotics, barbering and more).
The board was also shown first-time credit course offerings for high-school students, including an "AI Unlocked" course, ACT prep, Algebra I and II, digital photography and ecology field study; the district will also offer credit recovery and standards-based remediation courses at East High School.
Staff clarified that ESY is distinct from the opt-in summer programs: ESY placements are determined through IEP processes and are handled directly by school teams; the opt-in offerings do not automatically implement IEP services. When asked whether the district will provide additional support staff so ESY-eligible students can participate meaningfully in non-ESY programs, staff said that is not part of current plans and would require additional budget decisions.
Board members pressed for clearer communication to families and stronger coordination with MSCR (Madison School & Community Recreation). Board member Mosner Faltham queried why MSCR was not prominent in the memo; staff replied that MSCR is deeply involved operationally—MSCR helps run full-day programming, middle-school camps and high-school work-experience slots—and apologised if the memo did not sufficiently reflect that partnership. Several trustees asked staff to avoid duplicative offerings and to use the partnership database and KPIs to better align CTE and MSCR camps.
Key logistical note: district staff said registration for summer programs opens April 7, 2026; transportation for some offerings (for example, instrumental lessons) is a family responsibility unless otherwise stated.
What happens next: Families can register beginning April 7; staff said they will continue coordination with MSCR and principals to align partner capacity and address identified access gaps. No board vote was required on summer programming at this meeting.
Key quote: "We couldn't do those full-day programming without the partnership with MSCR," Cindy Green said, noting MSCR's operational role in summer offerings.
