As a parent in the Santa Barbara Unified School District, I’ve watched with growing concern as valued teachers — especially in arts, music, and band — face pink slips, while top-level administration grows in size and salary.
Our art and music rooms are overcrowded. These teachers are essential. They build community, elevate school culture, and help students thrive. Their value was on full display at the recent board meeting, where students, families, and staff testified passionately in their defense.
And yet, what’s growing in this budget crisis? Cabinet-level compensation.
Since Superintendent Hilda Maldonado took office, student enrollment has declined by 5 percent, according to the California Department of Education. During the same period, administrative pay has increased nearly 8 percent, per Transparent California.
A glaring example is the Chief Operating Officer position, added under Maldonado and held by Steven R. Venz. Initially tied to COVID relief efforts, the role’s total compensation rose 21 percent from 2021 to 2023 — from $222,000 to over $269,000. If COVID funds are drying up, shouldn’t this role be first to go?
Instead, 85 staff who work directly with students are receiving RIF [Reduction in Force] notices.
District leaders claim reducing admin pay is legally complex. But so are teacher layoffs. Why is complexity only a concern when it applies to the highest-paid?
In 2016, the superintendent of Hope School District took a voluntary pay cut to protect student services. That’s leadership worth emulating.
This isn’t about blame. It’s about realigning our budget priorities with our values. Start at the top — not in our classrooms.
