From the Desk of the Superintendent
Superintendent J. Brian Sarvis, Ed.D.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Santa Barbara School Districts Consider Options to Meet Fiscal and Staffing Needs
Our public schools play a vital role in the community. The responsibility to properly educate our children and prepare them for the future has never been more daunting. This is especially so in the Santa Barbara area, where families have been leaving in droves, caused largely by impossibly high housing costs. Declining enrollments mean declining revenue for the Santa Barbara School Districts.
Over the past six years the decline in elementary enrollment has meant more than $5,000,000 annually in reduced revenue. We have also been forced to cut worthwhile educational programs in order to balance our budget. Last year, for example, we were forced to eliminate elementary library teachers, resorting instead to library technicians, similar to other districts. It is essential that we search for new means to supplement our shrinking revenues if we want to maintain and expand the excellent educational programs that remain in place.
The present crisis is not expected to abate any time soon. All indications are that current trends will continue for the foreseeable future. This makes it imperative that we explore innovative solutions to dwindling public school resources.
An associated problem lies in attracting and retaining the best and brightest new teachers and staff. The quality of the teacher is the cornerstone of education. It is no secret that teachers and other school staff are particularly vulnerable to soaring housing costs. There is real concern that unless solutions to our dilemma are found, we will cease to be competitive with less-costly areas in recruiting and retaining the highest-quality personnel.
The Santa Barbara School Districts recently began a study to explore different options for utilizing the districts’ real property assets to address these issues. The Board of Education has initiated a feasibility analysis of two undeveloped parcels owned by the school districts, commonly known as the Hidden Valley and Tatum sites. Over the next six months, the feasibility analysis will look at a range of options for these properties, with two overarching goals:
- to increase the districts’ revenue and provide more fiscal stability that would allow the districts to continue to provide quality student programs; and
- to explore options for providing reasonably priced, high-quality housing for district staff, to assist with recruitment and retention of employees.
It is the express intent of the Board of Education, and the charge given to UniDev LLC, the professional team leading the study, to look at a broad range of options regarding each of the two sites. Furthermore, only after the study is completed and presented to the public and board, will the board deliberate on the various options presented, as well as other possible options such as retention of one or both properties for the construction of school-related facilities. The study, which is now just underway, is being designed to provide an accurate assessment of the options, and it will include public input through a variety of participation opportunities.
It is disconcerting to the school board and the districts that there has been frequent, recent mention in the media that large numbers of homes are being planned for the Tatum site, near San Marcos High School. This is indeed unfortunate since the feasibility study is barely beginning: Very limited background research regarding this site has occurred to date, and no studies have been conducted regarding potential appropriate land usage, much less what intensity of development makes sense under alternative scenarios. It is both entirely premature, and counterproductive to the objective analysis the school board is intent on undertaking, for anyone to speculate on what the conclusions would be for a staff housing development or any other project on either the Tatum or the Hidden Valley sites.
The Santa Barbara School Districts respect the sensitivity of the community and know that there will be legitimate concerns from adjoining neighbors and community members whenever any form of potential development is being considered on the South Coast. Therefore, the study is being designed to take in all points of view, and to consider them objectively in evaluating the range of options that will be presented for the thoughtful consideration of the school board.
An initial work plan for the feasibility analysis will be completed in the coming weeks, and the Santa Barbara School Districts will be announcing community forums and other means for obtaining public input. We look forward to a healthy and constructive discussion. I ask that all interested parties support this process and provide their input on the options for using these properties to the best advantage of students and the community.