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New student board member Victoria Martinez Penaranda sworn in and urges support for students with disabilities
Summary
Victoria Martinez Penaranda was sworn in as student board member and delivered her first report, highlighting alternative-education projects, a student anthology, and concerns about clarity of accommodations for students with 504 plans and IEPs (she cited that 14 percent of students have learning disabilities).
Victoria Martinez Penaranda took the oath of office and delivered her first student report to the board, describing her work in alternative education, a student-published anthology, and her advocacy on youth mental health. She introduced the anthology project and credited the Santa Barbara Education Foundation for grant funding that supported student work.
Penaranda stressed challenges for students with accommodations, saying confusion and denial of accommodations are recurring issues and noting that "14 percent of our students have learning disabilities," a figure she said likely undercounts students not yet assessed. She asked the board and staff to consider including a student with those experiences in a future report to the board. The board thanked her and the superintendent noted the district looks forward to her ongoing contributions.
