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 must step in — for example by imposing a budget revision, stopping district actions that would worsen its finances, or appointing a fiscal adviser (Ed Code §42127.6). In the most serious cases a district may need an emergency loan from the state, which comes with strict state conditions (Ed Code §41320).
Qualified Certification
Assigned when a district may not meet its financial obligations over the current and next two fiscal years. The county superintendent must send a written "going concern" notice and take at least one step — such as assigning a fiscal expert, requiring cash-flow analyses and budget revisions, or directing the district to submit a plan to fix the problem (Ed Code §42127.6).
What Changed Since the First Interim
Districts file two interim reports each year. The First Interim covers finances through October 31; the Second Interim covers through January 31 and is the most recent check-up for 2025–26. Here is how the lists moved between the two.
Antioch Unified (Contra Costa) moved from Qualified up to Negative.
Adelanto Elementary · Culver City Unified · Dunsmuir Elementary · Livermore Valley Joint Unified · Pacifica Elementary
Plumas Unified · Rincon Valley Union Elementary · Santa Rosa Elementary · Santa Rosa High
Apple Valley Unified · Capay Joint Union Elementary · East Side Union High · Foresthill Union Elementary · Galt Joint Union High · Grenada Elementary · Hayward Unified · Howell Mountain Elementary · Mother Lode Union Elementary · Needles Unified · Newark Unified · Oak Grove Union Elementary · Pajaro Valley Unified · Petaluma City Elementary · Petaluma Joint Union High · Placer Hills Union Elementary · Saddleback Valley Unified · Sebastopol Union Elementary · Siskiyou Union High · Sonora Elementary · Willits Unified
Coming off a list means CDE no longer shows the district as Negative or Qualified at Second Interim — which can reflect budget cuts, new revenue, or updated projections. It does not mean the district's budget problems are over. Budget figures shown below come from the Second Interim and may differ from the First Interim amounts for the same district.
A separate, rarer warning sign — when the county office refuses to approve a district's adopted budget. Weed Union Elementary, on the Negative list above, is the only district with a disapproved 2025–26 budget.
Districts in Active Fiscal Crisis
As of the Second Interim Report (2025–26), five 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. The county office must step in to help these districts get back on track (see "What These Certifications Mean" above).
| Number | County | Local Educational Agency | Total Budget ($) in millions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alameda | Pleasanton Unified | 153.6 |
| 2 | Contra Costa | Antioch Unified | 344.0 |
| 3 | Sacramento | Sacramento City Unified | 953.6 |
| 4 | San Diego | San Ysidro Elementary | 100.5 |
| 5 | Siskiyou | Weed Union Elementary | 6.8 |
Table reproduced exactly as published by CDE (column order, district names, and budget figures). See "What Changed Since the First Interim" above for districts that are new to or moved between lists.
Districts on the State Watch List
These 28 districts hold a Qualified Certification — meaning they may not meet their financial obligations through 2027–28. Each district is under increased oversight by its county office (see "What These Certifications Mean" above). Impacts can include program cuts, staff reductions, and larger class sizes.
| Number | County | Local Educational Agency | Total Budget ($) in millions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alameda | Livermore Valley Joint Unified | 225.3 |
| 2 | Alameda | Oakland Unified | 966.0 |
| 3 | Alameda | Dublin Unified | 207.5 |
| 4 | Amador | Amador County Office of Education | 13.7 |
| 5 | Amador | Amador County Unified | 64.4 |
| 6 | Contra Costa | West Contra Costa Unified | 548.9 |
| 7 | El Dorado | Camino Union Elementary | 7.7 |
| 8 | Fresno | Laton Joint Unified | 14.9 |
| 9 | Los Angeles | Culver City Unified | 118.7 |
| 10 | Marin | Novato Unified | 138.7 |
| 11 | Orange | Cypress Elementary | 59.8 |
| 12 | Placer | Colfax Elementary | 5.9 |
| 13 | Riverside | Coachella Valley Unified | 361.2 |
| 14 | Sacramento | River Delta Joint Unified | 40.0 |
| 15 | San Bernardino | Adelanto Elementary | 160.0 |
| 16 | San Diego | Bonsall Unified | 40.9 |
| 17 | San Francisco | San Francisco Unified | 1,504.3 |
| 18 | San Mateo | Pacifica Elementary | 43.4 |
| 19 | Santa Barbara | Guadalupe Union Elementary | 32.9 |
| 20 | Santa Clara | Cambrian Elementary | 18.5 |
| 21 | Shasta | Cascade Union Elementary | 24.5 |
| 22 | Shasta | Castle Rock Union Elementary | 1.5 |
| 23 | Siskiyou | Dunsmuir Elementary | 2.1 |
| 24 | Siskiyou | Happy Camp Union Elementary | 2.6 |
| 25 | Siskiyou | Yreka Union Elementary | 17.0 |
| 26 | Solano | Vallejo City Unified | 231.7 |
| 27 | Sonoma | Cotati-Rohnert Park Unified | 118.7 |
| 28 | Ventura | Oxnard Union High | 307.5 |
Table reproduced exactly as published by CDE (column order, district names, and budget figures). See "What Changed Since the First Interim" above for districts that are new to or moved between lists.