Two Sacramento County Education Board Members Back Sac City's Appeal to State

08 Agustus 2026

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Two Sacramento County Education Board Members Back Sac City's Appeal to State

Sacramento Bee

Two county education board members, Harold Fong and Annie Fischer, have sent letters to State Superintendent Tony Thurmond expressing their support for Sacramento City Unified School District's (Sac City) appeal to the state. The district is seeking greater state intervention in its fiscal crisis, which has been exacerbated by a county office-appointed fiscal adviser rescinding a key labor agreement with the teachers union. This decision has made insolvency more likely, with the district facing a nearly $222 million deficit. Fong wrote in his letter that the rescission undermines efforts by the district and teachers union to address the district's fiscal challenges, stating, 'This request is due to the Sacramento County Office of Education's (SCOE) ineffective assistance in resolving the SCUSD's fiscal challenges.' Fong urged Thurmond to intervene immediately and grant the district's appeal, citing the potential for insolvency if state action is not taken promptly.

The district's fiscal adviser has told them that they need to identify $150 million in cash solutions by June 2027 to avoid insolvency and a potential state takeover. This figure has become the target for the district's broader fiscal sustainability plan, which was approved on July 30. A significant part of this plan relied on projected savings from the teachers union agreement, but the rescission of this agreement has put a key piece of the plan in doubt. The district is now asking Thurmond to appoint an independent fiscal and legal review team that would not report to SCOE and assume some of the county office's fiscal oversight power.

The Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team, a state-funded fiscal oversight agency, projected in May that the district could run out of cash as early as January or February. Receiving a state loan would trigger state receivership, resulting in a far greater loss of local control as the state takes a more direct role in stabilizing the district's finances and making the necessary budget cuts to balance its budget. This development has taken on a more political and unusual dimension, leaving state officials to sort out the scope of their authority.

Under state law, the state superintendent must uphold or deny an appeal within five days of receiving it, but it remains unclear whether that period includes weekends. The California Department of Education did not immediately respond to The Bee's request for clarification. If the five-day review period includes weekends, a decision on the appeal would be due on Monday. The district's financial situation has become increasingly precarious, with the state now being called upon to resolve the dispute.

The tensions between the district and the county office have boiled over in recent weeks, stemming from a new labor agreement approved by the district with its teachers union. The district viewed this agreement as a substantial step toward avoiding insolvency, while the county office argued it would merely delay when the district runs out of money.

Meanwhile, Board President Mariana Sabeniano took a different approach, referring The Bee's request for comment to Superintendent David Gordon and stating he was 'the best point of contact for Sac City Unified related issues.' The other four board members and Gordon did not respond to The Bee's requests for comment. New letters of support came Thursday from the Oakland Education Association, San Diego Education Association, and United Teachers Los Angeles, urging Thurmond to intervene on behalf of the district.

As the district navigates this challenging situation, it is essential that all parties work together to find a solution that addresses the underlying structural deficit and provides a sustainable fiscal path forward. The stakes are high, and the state's intervention will have significant implications for the district's autonomy and control.