Santa Barbara Unified Board of Trustees to Consider 13 Applicants for Vacant Seat

By SB Unified

The Santa Barbara Unified School District (SB Unified) Board of Trustees will hold two Special Board Meetings to interview applicants for the Board vacancy. The Special Board Meetings are scheduled for Thursday, January 5, at 5:30 p.m. and Thursday, January 12, at 3:15 p.m. in the boardroom at the District Office located at 720 Santa Barbara Street. The agenda for the meeting and list of candidates are posted on the district’s website and in the lobby of the District Office. The meetings will be open to the public. 

SB Unified Trustees will interview 13 applicants at those meetings. The District used software to randomize the scheduling of each interview. 

Interested applicants have to reside in the attendance boundaries of the Santa Barbara Unified School District, meet all requirements of the law, and comply with the District’s application submission requirement. They also had to submit their application before last month’s deadline.

SB Unified Trustees will make a decision after all interviews have been completed. Supervisor Laura Capps resigned from her At-Large Trustee Area 2 position in November 2022. The Provisional Appointee will complete the remaining At-Large elected term and, at this time, is not required to live in Trustee Area 2.

In February 2022, the District changed elections from At-Large to by Trustee Area to comply with the California Voting Rights Act. By November 2024, the seat must be filled by a candidate that resides in Trustee Area 2 Map.