Glendale Unified faces grim future

“It's really important — more than any other time — for parents to get out there and support their schools by being present and really trying to make up where the money falls,” she said. “We can come in as a community and build it ourselves back up.”

California education officials have also given local school districts permission to shorten their school year to save money. Glendale Unified could tap that newfound freedom to reduce the academic calendar to 160 school days. The current school year is 180 days in length.

[For the Record, Oct. 10, 2012: A previous version of this post incorrectly stated that the district plans to reduce the length of the school calendar, when in fact, it merely remains an option.]

Of the 20 unpaid teacher furlough days the shorter calendar could create, five are already on the books for 2013-14.

Despite the grave forecast, Sheehan assured parents on Monday that the district would survive — a future that may elude some other districts that are unable to cope with the economic pressure.

“We as a district won't go under,” he said.

The next community meeting will be held at Glendale High School at 7 p.m. on Oct. 15, followed by a meeting at Hoover High on Oct. 22.

Follow Kelly on Twitter @kellymcorrigan.