SBUnified
By Santa Barbara Unified School District
Hundreds of Santa Barbara Unified elementary school students wrapped up summer school on July 14th.
The month-long program spent mornings providing supplemental education in English, Math, and STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math). Two dual-language immersion classrooms were held for students as well.
About 500 students from all SB Unified elementary schools took part in the program that was hosted at Franklin, McKinley, and Monroe.
Students also had the option of attending an after-school camp that included field trips to UCSB, the movie theater, Art From Scrap, MOXI, the Watershed, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.
“Our students had the chance to spend extra time this summer learning while having a fun time with engaging teachers and programs. I want to thank the parents, faculty, staff, and community partners who took time out of their busy schedules to help our students learn,” said Dr. Hilda Maldonado, Superintendent.
Summer School was held at each high school back in June as well. Many students who attended the classes were working hard to ensure they received a grade of “C” or better in A – G classes for college eligibility.
Additionally, a number of eligible students who qualify for an Extended School Year through Special Education completed their four-week program on July 14th. The Extended School Year program serves select students from pre-K through adult transition years and focuses on maintaining student skills to prevent excessive regression during the summer break.
A STEAM Academy for junior high students will begin on August 7. Students taking part in the program have already been invited by their schools. The STEAM Academy will build their skills in math integrated with fun activities that include Engineering, Science, and the arts.
These district “feel good” stories obfuscates a sad and avoidable truth that thousands of our students have missed an important milestone of third grade reading proficiency and college readiness. Why aren’t all the students who need interventions able to get them ? Our district has the resources.
Outcomes for 3-6 graders in reading and math proficiency has the same groups stuck. Only 11% of emergent multi lingual learners and 18 % with learning differences were proficient. Students not proficient by end of 3rd are 4x more likely to drop out. In 21/22 only 18% of students with learning differences and 19% of our emergent multilingual students were eligible to apply to a UC, or 4 year University. This is thousands of students who are not college ready and have limited options.
Summer intensives interventions are effective. Most parents can’t afford 150.00 hour that private interventions cost and count on the district to get it right in public school setting. Are struggling students just curriculum casualties leadership is comfortable forgetting about? Are they an embarrassment to the system that clung to a deeply flawed approach to reading called “balanced literacy” for far too long? Courage, transparency and leadership is what our students and families need more than a story to make us feel good temporarily while real struggles remain unaddressed and ignored.