JEFFERSON TWP — Knoch School District board directors are evaluating the cost and value to student learning of two summer programs that might be eliminated or modified because of low student participation.

The summer school and Summer Bridge books programs have run concurrently in the district since 2022 and are funded with federal grant money, but low participation raises the question of whether the programs could be modified or if the money could be used in a more efficient manner, directors discussed at a workshop meeting Wednesday, April 3.

The summer school program, which was established to address learning loss that occurred during COVID, serves students in kindergarten through fifth grade for 12 days, from 8 a.m. to noon, and costs about $70,000.

According to an administrator, 45 primary students and 36 intermediate students were enrolled in the program last summer, which averaged about one absence a day, superintendent David Foley said. With vacations, some students missed several consecutive days of the program.

“Obviously, having students here one day is better than none,” Foley said. “But in 12 days on Mondays through Thursdays, we’re saying maybe we can try something different for the students.”

In response to board member Patti Larrimer, Foley said the 12-day period is too short to be able to measure whether it is beneficial to student learning.

“I know it provides students with the opportunity to read some more, and I think it provides parents the opportunity to send their kids over for half a day and transportation is connected to that,” he said.

“As we discussed internally,” he said later in the meeting, “any additional reading and math is a good thing. We’re not saying anything about that.”

Separately from summer school, the Summer Bridge program provides books to all students in kindergarten through eighth grade to be read on their own.

Last year, 1,300 students were given books at a cost of $23,000, with an additional cost incurred for the purchase of Scholastic paperback books. While the program saw the most participation from elementary school students, participation from middle school students was minimal, Foley said.

Both programs have already been budgeted in the coming summer using federal money, he said.

“Anything that gets (students) to read is good,” Foley said.

Board member Rebecca Boyd suggested the summer book program be focused on just primary school students, while Justin Kovach asked whether the grant money funding the programs could be put toward building repairs.

“If we’re not getting good participation, then spending that money doesn’t make a lot of sense, if we can spend that money on the buildings, which every kid can use,” Kovach said.

The Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund money used for the program must be used by September, said business manager Jamie Van Lenten.

Foley said he will present a financial overview of the bridge books program at the next school board meeting.