Summer of Learning Begins as Los Angeles Unified Offers Academic and Enrichment Courses For Students of all Ages – From Preschool to Adult School (6-23-21)

CONTACT:                                                                           FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Shannon Haber, 213-393-1289                                       June 23, 2021
Shannon.haber@lausd.net

Summer of Learning Begins as Los Angeles Unified Offers Academic and Enrichment Courses
For Students of all Ages – From Preschool to Adult School 

LOS ANGELES (June 23, 2021) – Superintendent Austin Beutner today announced almost 100,000 students have started summer school, which includes both in-person and online instruction, as well as the return of popular online enrichment courses.

Approximately 1,400 preschool students, 38,000 elementary school students, 15,000 middle school students and 43,000 high school students are currently enrolled. 

To mitigate learning loss due to the pandemic and to keep students engaged with their school community throughout the summer, Los Angeles Unified has made summer school available to all students, from preschool through adult school, for the first time. 

“We are excited to offer Summer School for all students, which includes reading, math, science and English for K-8 students and credit-earning opportunities for high school students,” Superintendent Beutner said. “We’re offering nearly 200 different enrichment classes for all ages and all grades that literally go from A to Z – from African-American History to Zoology.”

Los Angeles Unified is also offering a full-day Summer Enrichment Program through July 30 on 337 elementary and middle school campuses, with in-person activities focusing on academic, physical, creative and social-emotional development. In addition, the Adult Education summer program which begins July 6^th includes career-training and English-language classes. 

Some of the most popular enrichment classes from last summer have returned, including Science of Sports with the Los Angeles Chargers, and a Voyage on the Titanic. Fender Guitar is providing an additional 2,500 middle school students a free acoustic or electric guitar, an electric bass or a ukulele as they join the 5,000 students already participating in teacher-led music classes. 

Educators from Los Angeles Unified also worked with the creative talents at Illumination, the creators of the Minions, to put together a Cartooning and Animation class where high-schoolers are earning credits for both high school graduation and college admission requirements. 

There are a slate of new courses this year, as well. Middle school students can learn storytelling skills and create their own comic book with the help of DC Super Heroes in the WarnerMedia Story Lab or explore history and culture in a Black/Pan African American History course. High school students in Artificial Intelligence for Good will learn the basics of artificial intelligence and apply them to address a social issue in their community. 

“Whether a student is participating in person or taking advantage of the online connection every family now has, we know all students will benefit from participating in school with their classmates,” Superintendent Beutner said. “This is another important step in the path to recovery. We’ve demonstrated how our nation-leading safety protocols are keeping schools safe, and we’re happy to welcome more students back onto school campuses this summer.” 

More than 50,000 students are participating at schools during the summer, the most since schools were on a year-round calendar due to overcrowding more than a decade ago. 

###