Santa Ana : Valley High School to Offer Intensified Classes

Valley High School will be launching an intensive academic course of study for 500 of its freshmen and sophomores next year.

The pilot program will be for a mix of students, including high achievers and students taking English as a second language.

The Santa Ana Unified School District has committed $200,000 from its share of state lottery funds to create “an academics-intensive course of study for freshmen and sophomores at Valley High.”

Applicants for the program who meet the criteria will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. About 500 freshmen and sophomores are expected to qualify.

To stay in the program, students must have “regular and punctual attendance and completion of all assignments.” They also must maintain a C-plus (2.5) grade-point average and participate in at least one academic-related school activity, such as the Orange County Academic Pentathlon. Students in the program will receive special academic counseling.

School officials said the pilot program at Valley could lead to similar programs at the other Santa Ana high schools.

“I think this is an exciting step,” said district Supt. Edward S. Krass. “I believe that a good school district goes to where its students are, and this is a way to provide another excellent program for our students.”