If you have a D in my transcript in high school, will UC and State colleges see that grade as failing?

Yes, you need a C or better to be considered ping. If you took the cl over again they will average between those two grades. You need 4 years of English for all California universities, so you need to make up that grade. A 1 semester course at a junior/community college will equal 1 year of a high school course. You need to check with your counselor at high school to see what community college course is the equivalent to a 9th grade English course.