As part of Noozhawk’s June 7 primary election coverage, we are publishing Q&As with candidates running for contested county races of Sheriff-Coroner; Clerk-Recorder-Assessor-Registrar of Voters; and County Superintendent of Schools.
Candidate answers may be lightly edited for spelling and formatting, but are otherwise presented as they were submitted.
For County Superintendent of Schools, candidates include Christy Lozano and Susan Salcido.
The June 7 election is a vote-by-mail election with ballot drop-off boxes and polling places also available for returning ballots.
Click here for more information about the positions on the June 7 ballot and how to cast your vote.
County Superintendent of Schools Candidate Christy Lozano
Noozhawk: Why do you want to be elected as County Superintendent of Schools? What makes you the most qualified candidate to be County Superintendent of Schools?
Christy Lozano: I’m running because I can no longer stand by and watch our schools fail. Throughout my 18 years, I have been a passionate advocate for children. Over the years I’ve realized that in order to ignite the magic of learning in the classrooms, we need to have pro-educational outcomes, pro-transparency, and pro-safety policies and practices enacted from the very top of our educational hierarchy.
My experience is tailor made for this job. In the past 18 years, I have taught every grade level K-12 in our local schools. I have worked with special needs, foster youth, and English learners. I know
that each and every student has the potential to learn. I’ve learned at a granular level how the magic of learning happens. I also know the institutional barriers that suppress this magic of learning for far too many students. And finally, I have the solutions, energy and can-do attitude to rebuild our education system.
Noozhawk: What work experience do you have as an administrator in public K-12 education?
Christy Lozano: I’m a local teacher with 18 years experience in K-12 with a number of leadership and administrative roles. I have the experience, energy, and leadership skills that are tailor made for the job at hand. I know how the magic of education happens and the bureaucratic barriers that have limited success for so many students. Half our students can not read at grade level and 2/3 of our students can not do math at grade level. We have an education system that fails to educate. I have a plan to change that.
Noozhawk: How long have you lived and worked in education in Santa Barbara County?
Christy Lozano: I have lived in Santa Barbara 21 years, and been in education 18 years.
Noozhawk: What are your goals for the four years of the elected term?
Christy Lozano: My goal is to raise countywide language proficiency from below 50%, where it is today. To over 90%, where it needs to be. In addition to literacy outcomes, I will also increase transparency and accountability throughout the county education system in order to rebuild trust. My goal is to make all our schools safe, not by lowering standards but by raising educational outcomes, improving classroom management, and raising expectations for behavior.
While you didn’t ask this specifically, I do want to share my broad vision. I envision an educational environment where parents and teachers work together to create schools where the joy of discovery is never lost. If we can do this, the children in our care eventually will develop, mentally and physically, into young people with the tools to confidently begin their journey to adult life.
Noozhawk: If elected, how would you lead the County Education Office to support public school districts as they struggle with student learning loss and the increased demand for mental health services during the pandemic?
Christy Lozano: My first step is to form a “Literacy Task Force.” The goal of this task force is to raise countywide language proficiency from below 50%, where it is today to over 90%, where it needs to be. That means doing what works, and ending what doesn’t. That means aligning incentives with outcomes. That means putting resources directly into the classrooms where the magic of learning happens.
— Noozhawk staff writer Joshua Molina can be reached at jmolina@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.
