Orange County Grand Jury
• 2013-2014
• Agency Response
Orange County School Districts:
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 5 findings
F1
School districts in Orange County and throughout the state have endured at least five years of severe budget cuts from the state. 2013-2014 Orange County Grand Jury Orange County School Districts: Dire Financial Futures
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
Conduct a comprehensive study as to ways to decrease the costs of school administration in Orange County including whether the unification of non-unified high school districts (Anaheim USD, Fullerton JUHSD, and Huntington Beach UHSD) with respective elementary school districts would result in cost savings as well as an increase in revenue, and an improvement in the efficiency of the administration of these respective schools. (F.4., F.5.)
F2
School districts have exhausted traditional methods for reduced spending and are now driven to seek more expensive borrowing repayments for taxpayers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
Consult and confer with the County Committee on School District Organization about the feasibility of preparing a study proposal on the unification of the non-unified high schools in the County with their respective elementary school districts. (F.4., F.5.)
F3
There are 12 elementary, three high school and 12 unified districts in Orange County.
No recommendations for this finding
F4
District unification produces the potential for increased revenue benefits, cost savings and educational advantages for the community. Seven of the 12 elementary districts in Orange County were recently listed on the State Watch List as having an uncertain financial future. Elementary districts have also sought bond measures that add to future liabilities.
No recommendations for this finding
F5
The Superintendent of Schools/Orange County Department of Education has the responsibility and resources to conduct a comprehensive study as to ways to decease the costs of school administration in Orange County. The study should determine the cost savings, the potential increase in revenue and the improvement in the efficiency of school districts operations. RECOMMENDATIONS Based on its investigation of the cost of school district administration in Orange County, the 2013-2014 Orange County Grand Jury makes the following two recommendations. The Grand Jury recommends that The Superintendent of Schools/Orange County Department of Education should:
No recommendations for this finding
Conclusions 1
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CL1The Grand Jury concludes that the Orange County Department of Education, with its responsibility and resources should study and develop a feasibility proposal for Orange County school districts to consolidate. The study should examine the cost savings mechanisms for the districts as well as improving efficiency in operations. Unification should be considered within the existing boundaries of the high school districts. Pursuant to Education Code 35542(b), any district may request to be excluded from unification if that is the vote of that district‟s electorate.