Is summer recovery program coming back to Macon high schools? What we know

Less than two months after announcing it would cut summer school for high school students, the Bibb County School District appears to be reconsidering its decision.

In December 2025, district leaders said summer school would no longer be offered for students in grades 9–12, citing a focus on more frequent academic check-ins during the school year and expanded opportunities for students to complete credit repair and credit recovery during the school day.

Now, district officials say some form of summer programming is planned, though details remain unclear, and no formal outlines have been shared.

BCSD Superintendent Dan Sims referenced the potential change during a tense Jan. 15 board meeting, where members discussed amending a $5.5 million budget shortfall and identifying over $1 million in savings.

“We intend to, as we move forward with the rest of this year in the summer, provide high-quality experiences for our students to include a robust summer school experience that covers our needs,” Sims said. He added that staff were still determining how cost reductions may align.

The comments came before the board approved a budget amendment that excluded a line item proposing $1.27 million in unspecified cost reductions. Several board members said they felt uncomfortable approving cuts without an itemized breakdown.

At the meeting, BCSD Chief Financial Officer Eric Bush said the funds reflect anticipated underspending across several entities. “Talks about reducing the summer school load” were among cost-saving options considered, he added.

When reached Jan. 16, district officials declined to provide further information about the apparent reversal or if the summer school program will differ from previous years.

“More information about summer school will be shared in the coming weeks. We will make sure media are informed as it is shared,” district spokesperson Stephanie Hartley told The Telegraph said in an email on Jan. 20.

Board member and newly elected board president Daryl Morton said he is unsure whether Sims’ comments indicated a reversal of the policy to eliminate summer school for high school students or a reaffirmation of the plan to retain it for lower grades.

“I’m not real clear about it,” Morton said. “I need to know, too.”

At the meeting, Sims also acknowledged public confusion following earlier discussions about summer school.

“I want to dial back to when the summer school discussion got out to the public, next thing you know, people were saying we’re not doing school. I had to manage that,” he said.

Sims asked the board for patience and emphasized the importance of clarity before sharing information to avoid misunderstandings that could cause the public to “run away again with a narrative that is not accurate.”

“I do not need the public running again thinking that we are pulling something away from our beloved students,” Sims said. It wasn’t clear if he was directly referencing the summer school discussions.

In a previously written statement to families, Sims said the district would place “full emphasis” on school-year credit recovery instead of summer school, instructing families to plan for all remediation during the regular academic year.

The Telegraph submitted several questions to Sims and Deputy Superintendent Katika Lovett via email on Jan. 23 about the status of summer school for grades 9–12, the reasons for the shift and whether it was related to the district’s $5.5 million budget gap.

Hartley referred to answers given in her previous email.

Board members expect additional details on the proposed $1.27 million spending reductions in February, crucial as the district closes near to another upcoming budget session, Morton said.

Board member Henry Ficklin said he learned about the potential restoration of summer school during the January meeting. He said he is unsure about when it is guaranteed to resume or how it will be funded.

“I have not been given any information,” Ficklin said.

When asked about any relationship between the cost reductions and summer school funding, Ficklin said he does not know.

“I don’t understand some of the other stuff, how they were saying that the money they had identified was not there to supplant the deficit that had been generated by their spending that was not in the budget,” he said. “I’m at a loss with all that.”

The district’s initial decision to halt summer recovery programs sparked mixed reactions among Macon residents, as previously reported by The Telegraph.

Some parents and community members supported eliminating summer school, arguing some students intentionally fall behind and rely on summer courses to catch up. Others warned the move would harm students who struggle academically and depend on summer instruction for support.