The Mariposa County Unified School District and Mariposa County Office of Education are among 126 local educational agencies  that are now on the California Department of Education’s watch list, which is up 17 percent from last June. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O’Connell released the list on Monday.

California has an early warning system designed to detect which districts are in danger of failing to meet their financial obligations. Interim status reports on the fiscal health of school districts are prepared semi-annually. The certifications are classified as positive, qualified or negative.
At first interim report, MCUSD filed a “qualified” status, which means the district many not meet its financial obligations for the current or two subsequent fiscal year. At a meeting last week, the school board approved a “negative” second interim report.

For the complete story on the district’s budget crisis, see this week’s Mariposa Gazette.