Edhat Reader
In front of a packed audience at the Carrillo Recreation Center, Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado provided a comprehensive look at the status of local public schools during the Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s (SBEF) annual State of Our Schools. The presentation offered parents, community members, and local leaders gathered for the event insight into the district’s challenges, successes, and vision for the future.
Following an introduction by SBEF Executive Director Dr. Pedro Paz, Dr. Maldonado opened with an overview of student demographics. Of Santa Barbara Unified students, 61.1% are socioeconomically disadvantaged, 8.3% are unhoused, 13.5% are students with disabilities, and 15% are emergent multilingual learners.
She also noted that unlike many other districts, more than half of Santa Barbara Unified’s student population is made up of high school students. This presents a challenge in terms of the increase in resources needed to teach secondary students.
Throughout her presentation, Dr. Maldonado emphasized the need to adapt to a rapidly changing world, especially when preparing students for future challenges. She stressed that systemic changes are necessary to ensure that all students, regardless of background, have access to the resources they need to succeed in higher education and beyond.
“To do that, we need to change our system. Right now, we are designed to get the results we are getting,” Maldonado stated, highlighting the importance of fostering critical and creative thinkers who can thrive in a rapidly evolving world.
“We are also looking at ways to eliminate systematic inequalities, inequities, and injustices.” Dr. Maldonado emphasized that universal design for learning will benefit all students, not just those who need it the most. Citing the Curb-Cut Effect, or when disability-friendly features are used and appreciated by a larger group than the people they were designed for. The idea is that increasing access for those who need it the most benefits everyone.
During the presentation, she also highlighted additional key priorities for the district, including improving math scores, addressing the shortage of special education teachers, updating curricula, and enhancing the culture of belonging for students. The superintendent stressed that there is still significant work ahead to bring the district where it needs to be, but the commitment to progress remains strong.
Following Dr. Maldonado’s presentation, a panel of local education leaders shared their on-the-ground perspectives about the district’s current status. Panelists included John Schettler, Executive Director of Student and Family Services; Bill Woodard, Dos Pueblos High School Principal; Denise Alvarado, Executive Director of Elementary Education; and Erick Gonzales Ramirez, SBUSD Student Board Member.
To watch the entire State of Our Schools presentation, please visit sbefoundation.org/state-of-our-schools-tickets.
SBEF also wishes to recognize and thank the sponsors of the State of Our Schools, including Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, Huckabee, KBZ Architects, UCLA Health, Chaucer’s Books, Future Leaders of America, Santa Barbara Teachers Federal Credit Union, Scott and Sons Electric, and AE Group Mechanical Engineers.
Founded in 1985, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation promotes private support of Santa Barbara’s public education system, serving almost 12,000 students in 21 schools. For more information, visit santabarbaraeducation.org.
Our local schools. especially K-12, continue to fail our children and their ability to function in changing a technology oriented workplace. The world language is English. It is taught to children in every modern country around the world and even in some third world countries. Every country in Europe teaches English and teaches their native language. Here in Santa Barbara, over 50% of our children have no grasp of English and basic math! English and math are the language of the modern world. You cannot understand AI unless you know English and math. When Dr. Maldonado speaks about preparing our students for a rapidly changing world, she can start by teaching our children to be proficient in English and math. If she accomplishes just this, then she will have earned her keep.
There is a change.org petition to remove her due to her failing leadership.
During a time when the public school has decreasing outcomes in children’s performance the state of California decised to start putting 4 year olds in Transitional Kindergarten. With no preparation accross the state to create a staff trained properly in Early Childhood Education, and no adequate classrooms with small toilets, changing stations, etc. for these young children, somehow the union has convinced districts and politicians to offer this. So now parents struggling with the rising cost of child care flock to put their preschool children in the public school. And there already is a better program in place, if it were funded. Head Start. Teachers have bachelors degrees in Early Care and Education. Classrooms are properly equiped to facilitate social and emotional development. Why not fully fund Head Start, a model that has alreay been proven? Or offer parents vouchers to continue to place their child in the program of their choice? How can school districts say they “dont have enough money, they need more, vote for a bond, help us!” When at the same time they are offering an entirely new grade to the roster? The reprucussions to this have been devastating to private preschool programs and family child care as fully 1/3 of their clients left for the new free option. And this says nothing about the decades of research that a later intorduction to academics while focusing on play based learning produces a higher literacy rate.
How did Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo end up sponsoring the event!!?!? This is the law firm that the district has to settle due process special education complaints!
Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo: https://www.aalrr.com
We need to take a good, long look at this! The lack of district action is causing our families with children with disabilities to have to sue to try and get an education for their child, causing payments to AALRR. Is the district having so many lawsuits that only the lawyers benefit- so much so they can sponsor an event that tries to cover up the realities of the district!?
JGonthecoast: Thanks for raising such good points about special ed and the district’s law firms. Parents who have means hire lawyers to fight the district for the ” free and appropriate” education the law obligates the district to provide. Parents without means are stuck an education that leaves 85% behind not able to meet reading or math requirements. Special ed and english learners have the lowest, stagnant scores in the district for decades .Special education students in 4th grade, only 13.8 percent are meeting requirements, and in 11th grade, only 10.6 percent are meeting requirements. Vacancies for special ed teachers and para educators is common. Only 23% of these students ever take the A-G’s and are college ready. For english learners only 18% are college ready. At the Oct 15th board meeting this same Superintendent who gave herself a self serving raise of 30K a couple months back and 1.5million to her cabinet canceled all 5th grade overnight trip to Catalina and one to a science camp because of “equity”. Also canceled are the enrichment classes after school. These students need these trips more than our Superintendent needs her opportunistic raise. A good leader would donate back the self serving raise but don’t hold your breath waiting for Maldonado to do anything meaningful for the vulnerable students. So sad our district is so top down. The needs of the Superintendent consistently come before students. Now students are left with bare bones. No wonder enrollment is down and students are unmotivated. Every chance every day applies more to the perks given our Superintendent than serving the unmet needs of thousands of our deserving students many who live below the poverty line and 80% can’t even apply to a UC.. Let’s hope the new board is bottom up not top down.
I completely agree! There is a systematic FAPE denial with many of my private clients (some with and without lawyers) with their children not having access to their paras. This is causing additional stress and anxiety for the kids- including the possibility of not graduating their senior year. I don’t know if the problems will be worked out by the end of the year so they can graduate.
The consistent staff shortages are systematic yet the school district does nothing about it. We can file complaints with the State Department of Education, but really a class action lawsuit is the way to cover all the students that need help.
Class actions lawsuits have their place especially when there is flagrant disregard for vulnerable students
needs for a long time, like in our district. Consistent staff shortages should be made public. We ought to know how many teachers at each site, how many kiddos and breakdown of whether they are in 5 vulnerable groups. When students graduate without foundational skills we are setting them up for a downward spiral which is extremely challenging to overcome. I would like to see the public more involved. Does not matter if you have kids in the district , if so many graduate without being able to apply to a UC we have failed them. This has a negative effect on communities, families and individuals. Class action suits are an effective wake up call. One that might actually get all students basic needs met. . Thanks for you thoughts .Jgonthecoast