Voters have the power to potentially elect two new Santa Barbara Unified School board members on Tuesday and tip the scales towards a post-Hilda Maldonado era of the district.
But will two-term school board member Rose Muñoz, running in Area 4, hold on to her seat? Or will nonprofit CEO Valerie Amparan, with the support of the teachers’ union and two sitting school board members, oust her?
And will the longtime activist Jacqueline Inda Karlsen, running in Area 1, win the votes of a majority-minority district? Or is financial analyst Mark Philibosian the answer to the district’s financial woes?
No matter who gets elected, the new board will grapple with the arduous task of hiring a new superintendent. The trustees will also face the reality of stagnant test score growth, oversee a transformation in educational technology and tackle the looming $5 million budget deficit.
Community members Arturo Valentin, a Santa Barbara Community Academy parent, and Laura Gomez, who lives in Goleta, want the new board to repair the relationship between district administration and parents who feel unheard.
“Board members don’t need to know everything, but they should be willing to learn,” Valentin said.
For San Marcos High School parent Michele Voigt, who along with her husband have shed light on the district’s budget deficit and declining reserves, the new board must thoroughly understand the needs of students and select strong leadership.
“It’s really important that the next board is able to select the next superintendent,” Voigt said. “Trustee candidates need to have that level of judgement, independence, financial literacy, discipline and an understanding of and commitment to student outcomes.”
Trustee area 1: Downtown and Eastside
In the days leading up to the election, Philibosian has stressed the importance of choosing a new superintendent, ever since she announced her retirement on Oct. 21.
“I’ll fight for a leader who puts every student’s reading and math first, and I’ll hold that leader accountable from day one,” Philibosian says in an Oct. 21 Instagram post.
It’s not difficult to gauge Philibosian’s priorities. In forums and media interviews, he’s constantly stressed the need to bring up test scores and create a plan for fixing the budget deficit.
The former Blackrock employee is new to running for local office, but he’s made some strides with influential groups in town. He’s earned the coveted endorsement of the Santa Barbara Independent and the backing of School Board Bridge, a local organization preparing community members to run for office.
His opponent, Inda Karlsen, has attempted to reveal Philibosian’s true values.
In debates, Inda Karlsen has claimed that Philibosian is conservative — a claim that Philibosian has disputed. He told the News-Press that he switched his party registration from Republican to No Party Preference earlier this year before filing to run.
However, according to recent campaign filings, Philibosian reported paying $155 to the Santa Barbara County Republican Party for a text messaging campaign. The party has not formally endorsed Philibosian but recommended a “no” vote on Inda Karlsen.
Inda Karlsen previously ran for school board in 2008 and interviewed in2023 following a board member’s resignation. She portrays herself as a champion of the community, especially for Latinos, and uses that identity to draw a contrast to Philibosian.
In many ways, Inda Karlsen is a unique candidate.
She is an activist, most closely associated with the immigration organization Restorative Justice Center, which is headquartered at La Casa de la Raza. Her ties to the historical Hispanic building have come with its own set of challenges, including a cease-and-desist letter from its directors. Inda Karlsen also founded the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
On the campaign trail, Inda Karlsen said the district needs to break out of its silo and work with the Goleta Union School District, which feeds into Santa Barbara Unified. She is the only candidate who has mentioned the immeasurable impact of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids on students, as well as needing to upgrade classroom facilities.
Her supporters include the Santa Barbara County Democratic Party, the Santa Barbara Teachers Association and Chapter 37 of the Classified School Employees Association.
Trustee area 4: Old Town Goleta and Isla Vista
Amparan has made a big wave this election season. She is the most endorsed candidate in the race. The Santa Barbara Independent, Santa Barbara County Democratic Women and the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee have endorsed Amparan. Current board members Sunita Beall and Celeste Kafri have also endorsed her over their colleague.
In debates, Amparan has spoken passionately about bringing up test scores and creating a reserve policy to tighten the district’s grip on its budget. A former tech sales professional and nonprofit CEO, she said she wants the district to set goals and deliver measurable results for students.
Her two children attend Santa Barbara Charter School, where she led a large-scale fundraising campaign. Amparan said that earlier this year, she went around to different schools and talked to teachers to understand what issues they were facing.
Amparan has not shied away from criticizing the performance of her opponent. During a debate, Amparan told Muñoz she “could have done more” to address the budget deficit. Muñoz admittedly said she was skeptical when the district created a finance committee.
Muñoz, whose background is in social services, has been quieter than Amparan on the campaign trail, and has not reported any campaign spending. Muñoz has said she is qualified to serve a third term because she has an eight-year year track record of serving on the board. She mentioned being part of the effort to acquire the Armory and convert it to a Career Technical Education center and approve workforce housing for district employees.
It is unclear what Muñoz seeks to do differently with a third term. In debates, when asked about her position or what she would do about a certain issue — whether improving student test scores or fostering collaboration with outside partners — she often responded by stating the work the district is already doing, but did not elaborate on what she would do differently.
Muñoz is endorsed by the Santa Barbara Democratic Party and Chapter 37 of the Classified School Employees Association. She is endorsed by Santa Barbara County Democratic Party.
Kevin Thomas Guay is also on the ballot, but has not made any public appearances or attended any of the debates.
