Peralta Community College District works to fend off state takeover

Facing the threat of a state takeover, a major California community college district is under pressure to resolve wide-ranging financial issues.

The Peralta Community College District, serving about 18,000 students in several East Bay communities, is in the early stages of implementing recommendations to improve budget, auditing, staffing and enrollment problems, among other issues highlighted by the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT), an agency established and funded by the state to provide advice to districts facing financial problems.