LCFEF Summer School Is Closing
No classes will be offered for summer 2025.

After 14 years of providing educational opportunities to the students of La Cañada Flintridge and surrounding communities, the Board of Directors of La Cañada Flintridge Educational Foundation Summer School (LCFEF Summer School) has made the difficult decision to close the program effective immediately. Despite strong community demand for remedial and acceleration courses during the summer, the rise of numerous alternative in-person and online programs in recent years has significantly reduced enrollment for the LCFEF Summer School to the point it is no longer financially viable.

 

Founded in 2011, LCFEF Summer School was established in response to La Cañada Unified School District’s (LCUSD) suspension of its summer program due to reduced state funding. Two former LCFEF board members along with a former LCUSD Governing Board member proposed a not-for-profit, tuition-based summer school that would provide a robust program which would mirror the district’s curriculum and academic rigor. With the endorsement from both LCUSD and LCFEF, this volunteer leadership team quickly established the necessary infrastructure, policies and curriculum to ensure the program's successful launch.

 

Initially uncertain of its success, LCFEF committed to cover any potential shortfall for the first year; however, tuition revenue ultimately met operating costs. Since then, the LCFEF Summer School board has raised tuition only to keep pace with increasing salary, insurance and other operating costs. Enrollment over the past 14 years peaked at 366 students in 9-12 and 171 students in 7-8. In 2024, the 9-12 enrollment dropped to 177 students and -8 enrollment to 158 students. No reasonable increase in tuition would compensate for this decline in enrollment.

 

The decline in enrollment can be attributed to various factors which the LCFEF Summer School Board anticipates will only continue to grow in number and impact. LCUSD has implemented its own program for remedial coursework, local community colleges offer tuition free summer courses that can provide both high school and college credit, and students often prefer on-line courses which provide more flexibility. Additionally, more parents are opting for college-based summer programs and internships to enhance their student’s college applications.

 

Jinny Dalbeck, Chairman of the Board and 14-year volunteer Administrator of LCFEF Summer School and former LCUSD Governing Board member, stated, “The landscape of options for summer school coursework continues to evolve and affects the viability of our institution. This is unfortunate because I know that most emerging alternatives do not provide the academic rigor of the LCUSD curriculum that is the foundation of our summer school. I am truly proud of what we accomplished and provided to the La Cañada community over the past 14 summers. I want to thank each of the students, educators and parents who contributed to our succes."

 

Any questions, concerns, and or transcript requests going forward please contact info@lcfefsummerschool.org or 818-952-8070.