“Across California, parents, teachers, and administrators are increasingly wondering how to keep their schools’ lights on, their bills paid, and their doors open.” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson
A record 188 school districts in California are in “financial jeopardy,” the office of the state’s top schools official said on Monday, just a week after Governor Jerry Brown warned of the potential for deep cuts in education spending.
Another 61 local education agencies have been added since February by the state superintendent of public instruction’s office to its list of districts with either negative or qualified certifications. Local education agencies include school districts, county offices of education and joint powers agencies.
The 188 districts have an enrollment of 2.6 million students.
California, which is the most populous U.S. state, has 6.2 million students enrolled across 1,037 local education agencies.
“This is the kind of record no one wants to set,” State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson said in a statement.
His office grades school district finances with positive, qualified and negative certifications.
A district receives a positive certification if it is judged to meet its financial obligations for the current or following two fiscal years.
A district receives a qualified certification if it may not meet its financial obligations for the current or following two fiscal years.
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