School districts across the state are slashing summer school to deal with the state financial cuts.

Los Angeles Unified School District officials announced today that all summer school classes are being canceled at elementary and middle schools, and only credit recovery courses will be offered at high schools. The reductions were prompted by the district's budget deficit, which calls for $131 million in new cuts by June 30 and up to $273 million next year after voters overwhelmingly rejected a package of state ballot measures earlier this month. Once the measures failed, state legislators were left grappling with a $21.3 billion deficit and are considering cutting $5.3 billion from public school districts and community colleges over the next 13 months.

L.A. Unified is not alone. According to a recent survey by the California State PTA, nearly 41% of parent-teacher organizations around the state report cuts to summer school. Other districts reducing or eliminating summer offerings include San Carlos, Petaluma and Mount Diablo.

Community colleges are feeling the pinch as well, with several. including the Los Angeles Community College District and the College of the Sequoias, cutting summer sessions popular with high school students looking to get ahead on their coursework.

-- Seema Mehta