SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell held a news conference today at McClatchy High School with members of the education community to highlight the effect of budget cuts to education on summer school programs across the state.

"The elimination of summer school courses threatens to significantly affect students already behind in their schoolwork because they will miss out on the chance to catch up to their peers over the summer break,” O'Connell said.

"Some districts that offer summertime intervention programs for English learners cannot afford to keep their classrooms open. Even schools that are just scaling back what they offer will begin offering classes only to students who need to complete courses in order to graduate. This means that students looking to get ahead or improve their grade point average will not be able to do so.”

Also joining O'Connell at today's event were members of the Education Coalition, including Cynthia Clark, Principal of McClatchy High School; David W. Gordon, Sacramento County Superintendent of Schools; Paul H. Chatman, President of the California School Board Association; Dana Dillon of the California Teachers Association; Pat Dingsdale of the California State PTA; and Dean Murakami, President Los Rios College Federation of Teachers-AFT Local 2279.