Alright, so apparently, Plumas Unified in northeast California is about to make history. They’ve decided to go for a state bailout loan, making them the first district in over a dozen years to do so. With around 2,000 students, they must be in some serious financial trouble to resort to this drastic measure.
It seems like California’s system of keeping an eye on school district finances has been working pretty well. Only nine districts have had to ask for a state bailout loan to avoid going bankrupt. The county offices of education and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team have been doing a good job of preventing financial disasters in most districts.
Plumas Unified is now in the same boat as those select few districts that needed a state bailout. The state’s oversight system was put in place after the West Contra Costa Unified district went broke in 1990. Since then, the system has been working to prevent more districts from facing the same fate. Let’s hope Plumas Unified can get back on track with some help from the state loan.
