Top Takeaways
- Millions more in annual funding increased the number of students Fresno Unified served.
- The district now offers full-day summer school and a variety of camps during school breaks.
- State leaders consider it the gold standard of expanded learning programs.
Fishing. Scuba diving. Engine repair. Modeling. Archery. Aviation. These are just a few of the more than 100 summer camps that the Fresno Unified School District offers its students each week under the umbrellas of adventure, college and career, creative arts, sports and STEM.
The engaging programs involve activities that families look forward to and future careers that students may pursue. They serve as examples of how to effectively utilize tens of millions of dollars.
In case you missed it
California has spent almost $14 billion on learning opportunities beyond the regular school day with Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) funding over the first four years.
Before the pandemic, Fresno Unified lacked the funding to offer these expanded learning opportunities. In the 2021-22 school year, the district, armed with $80 million in unprecedented state funding, reshaped expanded learning across the district — not just in the summer but throughout the entire year. Summer and winter camps were created. Summer school enrollment increased by 10,000. Nearly 30,000 out of 70,000 students gained access to after-school programs…