Press Release

MANDATORY SUMMER SCHOOL WILL EXPAND IN 2000

Students behind in reading and mathematics should soon receive notices that attending the district's four-week summer program is required in order to be promoted to the next grade level.

Students will have the ability to demonstrate they don't require additional help by improving their scores on the spring Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.

The district, however, is preparing to serve 8,000 or more students from grades one through twelve. The program will run from June 26 through July 21.

For the first time this year, first-grade students enrolled in the district's English Language Acquisition (ELA) program may volunteer to attend; ELA students in other grades may also volunteer as they have in the past.

About 5,100 students are expected on a mandatory basis in grades one through eight. Another 3,000 or so ELA students are expected from those grades. In high school, about 500 students are expected.

In addition, the summer program for the first time will expand to offer services to high school students who need a boost with Algebra II.

Previously, open slots were made available to any student who sought the extra help. No such "volunteer" applications will be accepted for the upcoming summer program.

Madelyn Garner, program manager, said that at this time the program projects using all high schools, 14 of the 18 middle schools, and about 24 of the 82 elementary schools to host the summertime learning.

At elementary schools, the program will run from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; at middle schools, from 9:10 a.m. to 11:20 a.m.; at high schools from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

"Using feedback and assessment results from last year's summer program staff, we are planning to offer the best literacy curriculum possible," said Garner. Extra staff is also being arranged to maximize the impact of the program on student achievement, she said.

Meals will be served at those sites where the summer meal program is offered. Transportation will be provided in most cases based on the same parameters as during the regular school year - for students living more than one mile from an elementary school and for students living more than 2.5 miles from a middle school. High school students are the only exception; they will be provided tokens for using RTD.

Parents will be notified by mail in March that their child may be eligible for the mandatory program; final notices will be mailed out in May.

Students who wish to attend an alternative program must fill out the appropriate forms and return it to the Summer School office for approval no later than May 15. Forms may also be returned to the student's current school. Forms can be picked up from the child's school or the Summer School office (770 Grant Street).

Until the Colorado Student Assessment Program delivers more timely results, Garner said, the district will rely on the ITBS as the indicator of those students who need the boost. Currently, CSAP results from the March test aren't available until fall.

The anticipated $2 million summer school budget is funded through the 1998 mill levy election, approved overwhelmingly by Denver voters. That election raises an additional $17 million annually for the district.

Last year, 4,958 students attended the summer program. Of those, 633 were retained in their previous grade level for non-attendance or for not completing the program's requirements.

Staff interested in applying for jobs as field supervisors, site leaders, teachers, secretaries, and paraprofessionals should ask at their schools for applications, which are due February 29.