Summer School Programs - what now?

Last week, the L.A. Times reported L.A. Unified School Districts were canceling the bulk of their summer school programs which will impact over 200,000 students this year.  The impact will primarily hit elementary and middle schools and those high school students on the fringes.  Only credit-recovery courses in core requirements will be offered allowing close to 75,000 high school students to take those classes.  United Teachers Los Angeles President A.J. Duffy responded that “It is indeed a sad day. This will be devastating to hundreds of thousands of students that need extended year and summer school services.  This is a basic question that society needs to answer ‘Why are children always the first to be cut?’ “.  Superintendent Ramon Cortines defended the decision by stating it will save the district $34 million which is still looking to cut more than $100 million elsewhere.  For obvious reasons, the district’s decision is part of the wave hitting the state which is faced with increased pressure to cut budgets.  The canceling of summer schools will impact course work, child care and have a ripple effect into many different industries.

On Twitter last week, I tweeted (so it is called @DougCovey) this news and was immediately asked by followers where do those needing extended day school and child care turn?  I responded as did John Rogers, director of the UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education and Access in the article that parents who can afford the cost will most likely turn to private pay options leaving those unable only further behind.  The non-profit I work for, Blueprint Education (yes we twitter @BlueprintEd) fits into the category of private pay options that supports the needs of families with children grades 7–12th.  Truth be told, online distance learning providers like us will only be a part of the solution and goes far beyond our reaches.  We don’t pretend to have the single solution and must depend on the community to create ideas and possible solutions to support such needs.

So I ask, what resources are out there for students, parents, and school administrators in need of extended day school and child care?  Where should they turn?  What would you like to see as possible solutions to students in need of education outside the traditional school year?  How can an organization like Blueprint Education help shape the future of education?