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June 27, 2005
Summer School is a GOOD thing
Kids all over Ventura County are headed to summer school today to get remedial help in math and reading. This is a great thing that will help bring these kids up to speed and get them ready for the next school year.
When I was young, summer school meant cool programs, different programs that weren't available during the year. It's too bad it can't be both.
The GREAT thing though, is it's really helping the kids that need it. And, it seems that increased Standards from the state are, in part, driving the need and success.
From the Star...
"Simi Valley district is not getting more students needing summer school this year in the elementary grades. The students who are enrolled seem to be from the lower grades rather than the higher, Wetzel said.
It's a trend she attributes to the state's increasingly stringent standards, allowing teachers to see problems earlier in a student's academic career.
"We have lots of children that are first-graders that we want to get in and get their reading skills up to par," she said.
About 500 of Simi Valley's fifth- through eighth-grade will attend summer school this year."
If the state standards are helping schools intervene earlier and help kids along at an earlier age, I, for one, think this is a good thing.
What say you?
Tim
My thought when I read this is "Why are we taxpayers paying twice for the same class -- we pay once for the kid to take the class during the regular session, then we pay again for the kid to take the summer session. Should the parents pay for remedial summer classes? I don't think we taxpayers should. Any ideas?
Posted by: Jerre Reimers at June 27, 2005 05:45 PM