SAN DIEGO: Some county school districts might have trouble paying their bills

(CNS) – Nine school districts in San Diego County are on a
list — released Monday by the state Department of Education — of those that
might have trouble paying their bills in the next few years.

The districts are among 117 around California that submitted “qualified'' certifications of their financial condition. The information
includes the current and following two fiscal years.

The number of districts issuing “qualified'' reports statewide was down
by a handful from last year. However, San Diego added two districts to the
seven that were listed as “qualified'' last year.

The districts in San Diego County are:

— Alpine Union Elementary;
— Borrego Springs Unified;
— Carlsbad Unified;
— Fallbrook Union High;
— Ramona City Unified;
— San Diego Unified;
— San Marcos Unified;
— San Ysidro Elementary; and
— Vallecitos Elementary

The Alpine, San Diego, San Ysidro and Vallecitos districts are all new
to the list this year. The Grossmont Union High School District and National
Elementary School District, which were included last year, did not issue
“qualified'' certifications this time.

No districts in San Diego County gave themselves a “negative''
certification, in which they would not be able to pay their bills. Seven did
across the state.

“I can say with growing confidence that the worst of California's
school funding crisis is behind us,'' said state Superintendent of Public
Instruction Tom Torlakson. “As this report demonstrates, it will take years to
restore our education system to financial health.''

Individual districts made their certifications by Dec. 15, based on
financial date through last Oct. 31.