In front of a captivated audience at the Carrillo Recreation Center, Santa Barbara Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado delivered a comprehensive update on the state of local public education during the Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s (SBEF) annual State of Our Schools.
The presentation offered parents, educators, and community leaders valuable insight into the district’s current challenges, recent successes, and vision for the future.
Now in her sixth year as superintendent, Dr. Maldonado reflected on the district’s progress since she took the helm at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. “I want to be clear,” she stated. “We have challenges, but they don’t define who we are. They define the work we need to do to succeed.”
Maldonado outlined the district’s four core academic priorities: Literacy, Math, Alignment of Academics, Assessment & Achievement, and Belonging & Commitment, and highlighted the collaborative efforts driving improvement across the district.
There was much to celebrate, including rising test scores districtwide. Santa Barbara Unified now boasts the highest test scores of any TK–12 district in Santa Barbara County, performing above the state average. The superintendent credited the district’s success to high-quality professional development for teachers, including Orton-Gillingham and LETRS training, as well as the adoption of new, research-based instructional materials.
In math, the district has shifted toward conceptual understanding, small-group learning, and differentiated instruction to meet students’ varying needs. Universal screeners are now used three times per year to proactively identify students needing additional support. “The failure to learn is an intervention failure, not a student’s,” Dr. Maldonado emphasized.
In addition to academics, Maldonado reaffirmed the district’s commitment to the whole child, promoting a “culture of care” that integrates character development, belonging, and humanistic values alongside academic achievement.
Following her presentation, a panel of local education leaders shared their perspectives on progress and school priorities. Panelists included Dr. Sonia Wilson, Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services; Veronica Binkley, Principal of Harding University Partnership School; Valerie Galindo, Principal of Roosevelt Elementary School; Bradley Brock, Principal of La Cumbre Junior High School; Dare Holdren, Principal of San Marcos High School; and Dr. Jill Sharkey, Interim Dean of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education at UC Santa Barbara.
Holdren, a San Marcos alum who now serves as its principal, echoed Maldonado’s message about collaboration and teacher excellence. “We’ve had significant growth over the last four years with our math and our English,” Holdren said. “The main factor really is the teachers. I can have a small part in that as an administrator, with alignment and making sure that we are working together and collaborating. But the teachers working each and every day with these students, who are coming with a wide variety of skill levels, is what’s really driving this growth.”
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 SAGE Publishing, Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, Chevron, 19six Architects, Cottage Health, KBZ Architects, Santa Barbara Teachers Federal Credit Union, Chaucer’s Books, Future Leaders of America, Griffith & Thornburgh, Hospice of Santa Barbara, Lazy Acres, Santa Barbara City College Foundation, Santa Barbara Foundation, and Schools First Federal Credit Union.
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.
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