Goleta Suspends Summer Classes

The Goleta Valley School District Board voted unanimously last week to suspend summer classes because of budgetary pressures. In an effort to trim $280,000 in expenses, the board nixed not only summer classes—19 days’ worth—but groundskeeping, custodial, and technological support staff. Some of these services could be restored if Governor Jerry Brown succeeds in winning a five-year extension of certain taxes originally enacted by his predecessor Arnold Schwarzenegger. To date, however, Republicans in Sacramento have successfully stymied Brown’s efforts to place the tax extensions before state voters during a special election this spring. But even if the tax extensions were approved, summer school classes will still not be held this year.