San Diego Unified Faces $117 Million Budget Shortfall

SAN DIEGO, CA – The San Diego Unified School District faces a budget shortfall of nearly $117 million in the 2017-18 school year, and almost $50 million the following year, according to a report that's scheduled to be delivered to the Board of Education on Tuesday.

The projection is partly based on an ongoing decline in enrollment at most grade levels, while charter schools have gained nearly 5,000 additional students since 2012-13, the report says. It also comes after the board granted pay raises to teachers and other employees.

School districts are required by the state to report on their financial conditions for the current and subsequent two fiscal years. They list their status as “positive” if they expect to meet their financial obligations, “qualified” if they're uncertain and “negative” if they will not be able to pay their bills.

San Diego Unified staff has recommended issuing a "qualified" status.

The board is also scheduled to consider implementing the “digital badges” program, in which virtual tokens would be awarded to students in grades 6 through 12 for various achievements, accomplishments, skills, attendance above 95 percent, a grade-point average of 3.0 or higher, test scores and other areas.

Electronic badges are popular among young adults, used by industry, and something that will support students as they enter the post-secondary world of college and career by displaying what they can do and what they know, according to a letter emailed by district officials to parents over the weekend.

“These badges can be collected over time and shared on social media and through resumes”' the letter said.

The badging system will be supported by UC San Diego Extension and other local business partners, and delivered to a student's “backpack” via email through their Google apps for education, the district said.

The trustees will also select a board president.

– By City News Service. Image via Shutterstock.