Following the learning loss during the Covid-19 pandemic, CCSD schools offered summer enrichment programs in 2021-23. These programs will no longer be available this summer because the federal money provided for them is no longer available.
“So it wasn’t just for makeup credit,” Principal Jaime Ditto explained about this funding. “It was for kids to come onto campus to do different activities. You could do those types of things that were more enrichment programs than they were credit programs. With the expiration of ESSER dollars, those programs are no longer funded by the district.”
ESSER (Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief) dollars refers to three years worth of money that was provided to school districts. It was intended to pay for different programs to make up for the learning loss from the pandemic such as gap programs, tutoring programs, enrichment programs and credit retrieval programs.
“That money doesn’t exist anymore because it’s expired,” Ditto said. “So the availability for those programs no longer exists for the district.”
Silverado students still may participate in other summer programs for credit retrieval: APEX, NVLA and in-person summer school.
“Not everything is offered on APEX, but all your core classes are,” Ditto said. “If [students] need just half a credit, or even maybe one credit, you could do it through our APEX and that’s free.”
APEX is a credit recovery program that will be offered at Silverado for three weeks after the school year ends, starting on May 22. It will be free of charge this summer only. According to Ditto, beginning in the fall of 2024, students will be charged $50 per APEX course.
NVLA is also available to students. It is an online program students can participate in for credit. Unlike APEX, NVLA offers honors classes, though not AP.
“NVLA has the opportunity for you to make up the most credits because it goes all summer,” Ditto said. “[APEX] is only a three-week program.”
CCSD also offers in-person summer school at eight different locations around the district. The closest site to Silverado this summer will be at Coronado High School.
“If you wanted to physically attend, and not do it in an online program, you could make up one full credit at Coronado,” Ditto said. “You could do half a credit every three weeks.”
Summer enrichment programs have ended, although students may still participate in different summer programs for credit.
