What These Certifications Mean
Negative Certification
Assigned when a district's current projections show it will not meet its financial obligations during the current or next fiscal year. The county superintendent may recommend state intervention, including an emergency loan or appointment of a state administrator.
Qualified Certification
Assigned when a district may not meet its financial obligations over the next three fiscal years. Districts receive increased oversight from their county office and must submit a corrective action plan to demonstrate a path to fiscal recovery.
Districts in Active Fiscal Crisis
As of the First Interim Report (2025–26), eight California school districts hold a Negative Certification, meaning current projections show they will not meet their financial obligations for fiscal year 2025–26 or 2026–27. State intervention — including emergency loans or appointment of a state administrator — is possible for these districts.
| # | District | County | Total Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pleasanton Unified |
Alameda | $227.2M |
| 2 | Plumas Unified |
Plumas | $42.9M |
| 3 | Sacramento City Unified |
Sacramento | $828.3M |
| 4 | San Ysidro Elementary |
San Diego | $82.5M |
| 5 | Weed Union Elementary |
Siskiyou | $7.2M |
| 6 | Rincon Valley Union Elementary |
Sonoma | $67.8M |
| 7 |
Santa Rosa Elementary Joint Admin
|
Sonoma | $252.3M* |
| 8 |
Santa Rosa High Joint Admin
|
Sonoma | $252.3M* |
* Santa Rosa Elementary and Santa Rosa High share a joint administration; the $252.3M budget is shared between them.
Districts on the State Watch List
These 45 districts hold a Qualified Certification — meaning they may not meet their financial obligations through 2027–28. Each district is under increased oversight by its county office and must submit a corrective action plan. Impacts often include program cuts, staff reductions, and increased class sizes.
| # | District | County | Total Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Unified | Alameda | $204.9M |
| 2 | Hayward Unified | Alameda | $384.2M |
| 3 | Newark Unified | Alameda | $89.6M |
| 4 | Oakland Unified | Alameda | $981.1M |
| 5 | Amador County Office of Education | Amador | $13.4M |
| 6 | Amador County Unified | Amador | $64.9M |
| 7 | Antioch Unified | Contra Costa | $313.1M |
| 8 | West Contra Costa Unified | Contra Costa | $522.1M |
| 9 | Camino Union Elementary | El Dorado | $7.7M |
| 10 | Mother Lode Union Elementary | El Dorado | $15.3M |
| 11 | Laton Joint Unified | Fresno | $16.8M |
| 12 | Capay Joint Union Elementary | Glenn | $2.9M |
| 13 | Novato Unified | Marin | $136.5M |
| 14 | Willits Unified | Mendocino | $30.1M |
| 15 | Howell Mountain Elementary | Napa | $3.3M |
| 16 | Cypress Elementary | Orange | $58.4M |
| 17 | Saddleback Valley Unified | Orange | $407.8M |
| 18 | Colfax Elementary | Placer | $5.8M |
| 19 | Foresthill Union Elementary | Placer | $8.2M |
| 20 | Placer Hills Union Elementary | Placer | $12.0M |
| 21 | Coachella Valley Unified | Riverside | $361.5M |
| 22 | Galt Joint Union High | Sacramento | $40.0M |
| 23 | River Delta Joint Unified | Sacramento | $40.9M |
| 24 | Apple Valley Unified | San Bernardino | $274.3M |
| 25 | Needles Unified | San Bernardino | $20.0M |
| 26 | Bonsall Unified | San Diego | $41.0M |
| 27 | San Francisco Unified | San Francisco | $1,505.4M |
| 28 | Guadalupe Union Elementary | Santa Barbara | $31.5M |
| 29 | Cambrian Elementary | Santa Clara | $55.4M |
| 30 | East Side Union High | Santa Clara | $403.1M |
| 31 | Pajaro Valley Unified | Santa Cruz | $382.3M |
| 32 | Cascade Union Elementary | Shasta | $23.7M |
| 33 | Castle Rock Union Elementary | Shasta | $1.5M |
| 34 | Grenada Elementary | Siskiyou | $3.6M |
| 35 | Happy Camp Union Elementary | Siskiyou | $2.5M |
| 36 | Siskiyou Union High | Siskiyou | $9.1M |
| 37 | Yreka Union Elementary | Siskiyou | $16.0M |
| 38 | Vallejo City Unified | Solano | $224.5M |
| 39 | Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified | Sonoma | $116.7M |
| 40 | Oak Grove Union Elementary | Sonoma | $15.8M |
| 41 |
Petaluma City Elementary Joint Admin
| Sonoma | $138.9M* |
| 42 |
Petaluma Joint Union High Joint Admin
| Sonoma | $138.9M* |
| 43 | Sebastopol Union Elementary | Sonoma | $11.4M |
| 44 | Sonora Elementary | Tuolumne | $11.0M |
| 45 | Oxnard Union High | Ventura | $239.3M |
* Petaluma City Elementary and Petaluma Joint Union High share a joint administration; the $138.9M budget is shared between them.