Schools
GUHSD Makes List of CA High School Districts With Troubled Budgets
The district that includes Santee's high schools is one of seven school districts in the county that might have trouble paying their bills in the next few years.
Updated Feb. 24 @ 8 a.m.
Seven school districts in San Diego County, including , are on a list released by the state Department of Education Thursday of those that might have trouble paying their bills in the next few years.
The districts are among 120 around California that submitted "qualified" certifications of their financial condition. The information includes the current and following two fiscal years.
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"Our concern is not with the current school year," said Scott Patterson, Deputy Superintendent of Business Services for the GUHSD.
"However, based on the current state budget picture, we are concerned about next year and the following... We are confident that in partnership with our employee bargaining groups, we will develop a balanced solution to our projected budget gaps," he said.
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The districts in San Diego County are:
- Borrego Springs Unified
- Carlsbad Unified
- Fallbrook Union
- Grossmont Union
- National Elementary
- Ramona City Unified
- San Marcos Unified
The San Diego Unified School District, the largest in the region, filed a "positive" certification even though it faces a possible shortfall of over $100 million in the next school year.
Seven school districts statewide issued "negative" certifications, meaning they won't be able to cover their financial obligations. Two are in Southern California -- neither in San Diego County.
The challenged school districts -- 17 more than last year -- educate one in three students in California, said state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.
"The financial emergency facing our schools remains both wide and deep," Torlakson said. "The deep cuts made to school funding -- and looming uncertainties about the future -- are driving school districts to the brink of insolvency."
The districts issued the semi-annual certifications in December, based on their finances last Oct. 31. Torlakson said their fiscal situations might have changed since Gov. Jerry Brown made his budget proposals last month.
-City News Service with additions
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