School district officials already dealing with mounting budget constraints said they expect to eliminate some summer school programs this year in anticipation of proposed cuts in state funding.

While most districts will continue to offer summer courses for middle and high school students, others are considering whether to continue programs for lower grades. Some elementary schools already have decided to cut the number of classes they will offer this summer.

Intervention programs for elementary students who might be scoring below academic standards in math and language arts will be the first to go in some school districts.

While school officials continue to look for ways to keep their programs running, the outlook is grim under Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's proposal to cut $4.8 billion from education next school year.

"Traditional summer school, as we knew it as kids, simply isn't funded in California anymore," said

county schools Superintendent Charles Weis.

In the Ventura Unified School District, the decision to shutter some classrooms this summer means about 1,000 students will not be able to catch up on subjects they are falling behind on, said Superintendent Trudy Tuttle Arriaga.

"The governor's budget proposal is already having a drastic negative impact on our ability to serve and address the needs of our children," Arriaga said.

"An excess of 1,000 elementary-age children will not be receiving the summer intervention. We no longer have a general fund surplus to take a $100,000 hit."

The district will continue to offer its Ventura Neighborhoods for Learning program, which provides services for preschool children using funding through tobacco tax dollars, Arriaga said.

She said many of the children who will not have the opportunity to take summer courses this year are just learning to speak English.

"The children who need these intervention programs the most and who would benefit from additional help will no longer get that help this summer," she said.

Summer school is considered part of the state's Supplemental Instruction Program, which provides funding for students at risk of being held back a grade, those who need remedial classes, or those who have yet to pass the high school exit exam.

Districts are reimbursed by the state on an hourly rate basis for summer school, not on average daily student attendance, as is done during the regular school year.

The hourly reimbursement rate is $4.08 per pupil, according to the state Department of Education. Usually, that's not enough.

"Districts normally have to use their general funds for summer school, and they have to find the cheapest way to do it while providing quality education," Weis said.

Dropping summer school offerings doesn't necessarily mean students will not be able to take those courses at another time, Weis said.

The school could provide the programs during the regular school year, before or after school or on weekends.

Other programs, such as courses for special education and migrant students, will not be affected by the cuts because they have other sources of funding or are mandated by the state.

Sergio Robles, Hueneme School District senior director of special projects, said because of funding uncertainty, intervention programs for English-language learners could be scaled down this summer.

Last summer, about 450 such students took summer courses, although about 100 dropped out toward the end of the program, Robles said.

"It probably won't be the size it was in previous years," he said.

"We are putting our heads together to see what are our other options. We first have to get families to commit that their child will attend the full four weeks.

"When children learn these skills during the summer, they are ready for school in September. It's definitely valuable."

Tim Baird, Ojai Unified School District superintendent, said his district might eliminate summer remedial courses for first- through sixth-graders because of the budget shortfall.

The middle school summer program offers only English and math courses, which are funded through separate funds, he said.

Baird said high school summer classes will not be cut because students need them to make up credits.

The Conejo Valley Unified School District will cut its summer-school sites down from four to three elementary schools, said Assistant Superintendent Janet Cosaro. Conejo Valley Unified, however, is planning other summer programs for kindergarten and middle school students, Cosaro said.

This summer, Las Virgenes Unified School District can accommodate about 550 students and not the usual 1,000, said Superintendent Don Zimring.

The district is working with the private Las Virgenes Educational Foundation to offer high school elective courses for a fee, Zimring said.

"In the past, we have dipped into district coffers, but we can't do that this summer," Zimring said.

"We just can't afford to do that any longer."