Is SCUSD at risk of state takeover? What does that mean?
If the district fails to submit a balanced budget to the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) for both the current and upcoming two school years, the district risks receiving a “negative” rating from SCOE which very possibly could lead to state takeover of the district. Unlike past years, SCOE is directing our district to provide a balanced budget without any assumptions about negotiated employee contributions, although we have until the end of June to make any adjustments before the budget is finalized. We will be working with our collective bargaining partners on solutions to our deficit that would allow us to save programs and positions.
If our district were to receive a “negative” rating and fall into state receivership, all decisions having financial impacts on our schools would be taken out of the hands of our locally elected school board. The state trustee would have the authority to unilaterally make decisions to balance our budget without direct accountability to our community. Local concerns are normally not a priority for a state trustee.
