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Cash-Strapped Santa Rosa Schools To Spend Thousands To Fix Racial Imbalance

SANTA ROSA (CBS SF) - Santa Rosa schools will be spending about $350,000 to fix a racial imbalance in the number of special educations students deemed emotionally disturbed, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.

Enrollment statistics from 2010-2011 show .4 percent of Latino students are classified as disturbed, while 1.4 percent of white students have been given that special needs designation. As a result, the District is out of compliance with California Department of Education standards.

According to the Press Democrat, the district will now be forced to pay 15 percent of its general fund during the 2012-2013 year to find a solution to the gap.

Like many California school districts, Santa Rosa City Schools has already been forced to make cutbacks for the 2012-2013 year, including a shortened year and staff reductions.

School officials said that, while the mandate comes at a bad time, the money will still be spent on assistance for some of the most vulnerable students.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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