Fewer students enroll in San Diego Unified summer enrichment, but more hours of programs offered

Fewer students enrolled this year in San Diego Unified’s summer enrichment program, something district officials said was done intentionally so they could offer more programming to those who did enroll, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

About 8,000 students enrolled, down from 23,500 last year and 13,700 the year before, according to the Union-Tribune. About 71% of those enrolled are what the district considers “priority” students, according to the Union-Tribune. Those include low-income students, homeless students, foster youth, English learners and disabled students.

The district intentionally enrolled fewer students so that it could provide more hours of programming for them, Tobie Pace, the district’s senior director of extended learning opportunities, told the news outlet.

In the past, the district offered a number of part-time programs during the summer that lasted only a few hours over just a few days each week. This year, the district offered full-time programs — nine hours per day, five days each week.

“The actual numbers are overall lower than what we’ve had the previous two years. However, the … hours of programming are larger than we’ve ever had,” Pace told the Union-Tribune.