Summer is coming to an end, and around the country, so is summer school.  This yearly opportunity to bring up bad grades, pass classes that one previously failed, or to get a jump on credit requirements, is under financial fire in many areas.  School systems facing budget cuts are turning to summer school programs to get some relief.  The Washington Post is reporting on this very issue. On the secondary school level students end up in summer school for a number of reasons.  As a high school freshman, I voluntarily signed up for summer school so I could complete required courses in half the time, leaving my schedule open to pursue more elective courses.  Granted, I had to give up my summer, or at least a few weeks of it, to spend my days at school with students who had not passed, but it was worth the time.  By my senior year, I had exceeded all of my graduation requirements and was granted early-release so I could work a part-time job. College students often opt to take summer courses, which traditionally boast smaller class sizes, easier requirements, and smaller price tags.  Some students find that in order to complete all of their required courses by graduation they must take summer courses.  While public summer school may be a drain on already strained budgets, college-level or community college summer courses may actually boost the economy by providing students with the opportunity to learn new skills.