Novato school district approves budget with ‘qualified’ status

The most recent version of the Novato Unified School District budget has been downgraded from “positive” to “qualified” status because of a projected reserves level below the mandated state minimum amount.

The state and the Marin County Office of Education require school district budget reserves, or ending fund balances, to be at least 3% of total annual general fund expenditures in order to be in a “positive” status. If a school district goes below 3% reserves in the current or any of the two years out...