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District weighs tuition for 9'12 summer credit recovery as staff adopt new, lengthier program
Summary
Staff presented a new, more rigorous summer-credit-recovery program for grades 9'12 and recommended delaying any decision to charge tuition while the new curriculum is trialed; a staff survey found mixed views, with several administrators favoring a modest fee (commonly $50 per semester course) but others warning of access barriers.
Chris Cole, director of federal programs and secondary education, told the retreat that K'8 summer learning camps are state funded, but 9'12 credit recovery has never been a state obligation and the district has historically subsidized it with ESSER and Title funds.
Cole explained the district will pilot a new, more rigorous online curriculum for 9'12 summer school that could extend course completion from two weeks to as long as a month for some students. She surveyed secondary leaders and found a split: more than half supported a tuition fee option and many suggested $50 per semester course as reasonable; others were concerned a fee would reduce attendance and completion for at'risk students.
Cole recommended postponing a tuition policy while the new program runs this summer so the district can measure the program's effect on enrollment and completion separately from any fee. Board members asked about typical enrollments, completion rates and the district's historical subsidy; Cole said completion was generally high for students who stayed beyond the initial days but attendance and persistence varied.
Next steps: staff will run the new program, track participation and outcomes, and return with a cost model and recommended policy on tuition and fee waivers for economically disadvantaged or IEP students if the board decides to charge.
