Caroline Harrah founded SB PLAN two years ago at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Today, she and her Facebook group are still driving the agenda at the Santa Barbara Unified School District.
“Teachers need more resources, they need more funding, they need more classroom support, they need better programs for literacy,” Harrah said. “I don’t know when we decided phonics didn’t work, but that’s an evidenced-based program.”
Harrah, originally from Charlotte, North Carolina, emerged on the scene in 2020 when she formed SB PLAN, a Facebook group that created a conversation around returning students to in-person school amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, her organization has more than 1,000 members who regularly discuss educational issues such as equity, literacy, technology, leadership, and the administration.
“I can tell you I’ve had a few conversations where there’s a real concern, that there’s a crisis of confidence in the leadership,” Harrah said. “Some may feel that they are sort of jeopardizing their own reputation or integrity to continue when they don’t believe in the direction of the district.”
She said the crisis is very concerning.
“Either the superintendent leaves, or we are going to see more defections,” Harrah said.
In the podcast, Harrah also talks about the district’s plan to combine Honors and College Prep students into once classroom, under one teacher. The district launched a pilot program last fall, and is looking to expand the program, beginning in seventh grade this upcoming fall.
“I want that to be an agenda item, by the board,” Harrah said. “That’s never been on the agenda.”
The item did come up last year as part of a broader discussion, but never as a matter of discussion for a vote.
“I want to see the data that drove the decision to combine classes,” Harrah said. “I want to see the data that validates the expansion of the pilot program. I don’t want us to proceed further without some validation.”
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Josh Molina is journalist, college instructor and podcaster. For more content and to make a contribution to his independently owned podcast, visit his Website.