Number of O.C. School Districts in Financial Jeopardy Plummets

Originally posted at 2:19 p.m. March 11, 2014. Edited to add a link.

The number of Orange County school districts in what the state defines as “financial jeopardy” has dropped from 11 to three, the California Department of Education reported today.

The figures out of Sacramento are based on school districts’ first financial reports of the year.

In the past year, Garden Grove Unified, which operates Los Amigos High School in Fountain Valley, has gotten its financial house in order.

The only district in a Patch town still remaining on the list is Capistrano Unified School District, which services South County students. However, at a school board meeting scheduled for Wednesday, trustees will hear its first positive financial report in years.

A positive finding means the district can meets its financial obligations for this and the next two fiscal years.

“Californians have put our schools back on the path toward economic recovery after several years and billions of dollars of cuts, and they are working hard to continue down that path,” Tom Torlakson, state superintendent of public instruction, said in a statement. “Although our work won’t be done until every school is in solid financial shape, this is certainly movement in the right direction.”

Statewide, in May of last year, there were 92 districts in financial jeopardy, either submitting what’s called a qualified report – can’t guarantee they’ll meet the bills for the two coming years – or negative – can’t guarantee they’ll meet the bills this current year.

Now, there are only 49 districts on the danger list, and of those, eight have submitted negative reports. None, however, is in Orange County.

Joining Capo Unified in submitting qualified financial reports are Fullerton Joint Union High and Santa Ana Unified.