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Superintendent: $12.4M in impounded federal funds released; IT restructure and countywide AI workshop announced
Summary
Superintendent Dr. Salcedo told the board that about $12.4 million in previously impounded federal education funds will be released to districts, detailed a planned IT reorganization including a new chief technology officer position, and announced a countywide AI workshop on Sept. 30.
Dr. Salcedo reported to the Santa Barbara County Board of Education that previously impounded federal funds have been released and will be returned to local school districts. "In terms of Santa Barbara County, the amount of those impounded bound, funds for the school districts, including SBCO, totaled $12,400,000," Salcedo said.
Salcedo described the operational impact of the earlier impoundment, saying the worst effects were not only financial but also planning disruption for districts and community partners. "There's the funding, and then there's the scramble," Salcedo told trustees, describing the logistical challenges that result when funding is paused and later resumed.
On internal operations, Salcedo outlined steps taken after an ITS audit: the county office has restructured its information-technology services, created a chief technology officer position that is open for applicants (application period noted as open through the coming Sunday), and plans to expand the IT team from 15 to 17 staff to strengthen cybersecurity and district support. "The chief technology officer position is now open," Salcedo said, adding that the new CTO will be part of the superintendent's cabinet.
Salcedo also announced a community workshop on artificial intelligence scheduled for the evening of Sept. 30, to be held in multiple locations across the county for parents, students and educators. The event will include national speaker Ken Shelton and is intended to surface both opportunities and cautions around classroom and district uses of AI.
Trustees thanked Salcedo for the updates and welcomed Gina Branham, the county office's associate superintendent of human resources, who attended from the North County location. The board did not take formal action on the IT reorganization during the meeting; the CTO posting and other implementation steps will proceed under the superintendent's direction.
