Ramona Unified May Have Trouble Paying Bills in Coming Years, State Says

Nine school districts in San Diego County, including Ramona's, 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.

In no particular order, the districts in San Diego County are:

• Ramona City Unified
• Alpine Union Elementary
• Borrego Springs Unified
• Carlsbad Unified
• Fallbrook Union High
• San Diego Unified
• San Marcos Unified
• San Ysidro Elementary
• 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.

—City News Service