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EMERYVILLE — Assemblymember Dion Aroner, D-Oakland/Berkeley, has scheduled meetings with Alameda County Superintendent Shiela Jordan and State Superintendent Delaine Eastin to discuss the financial status of the Emeryville School District. 

In a report released last night at the Emery Board of Education meeting, it was revealed that the school district is nearly $2 million in debt. This potentially triggers a state takeover of the troubled school district. 

“The district is clearly in trouble and needs some assistance,” said Aroner.  

“It is going to be very difficult for them to pay their bills and employees without some help from the state. I plan on meeting with Superintendent Jordan and Superintendent Eastin today to discuss options.  

“However, at the level of assistance we are talking about, the state is probably the only one who can afford to help us.” 

Aroner plans to introduce legislation to help bail out the district and to create a new system of checks and balances for superintendents. Emery Unified School District recently changed superintendents after the former superintendent, J.L. Handy resigned amidst allegations of financial mismanagement. Handy left the Compton School District $5 million in debt before taking over Emeryville's schools in 1993. The Emery Unified School District now may have to endure the same fate that faced Compton; the prospect of having a state administrator step in and manage the school district.