NEWS

Hope Awards Raises Record-Breaking $278,000 for Santa Barbara Students
[vc_row type="in_container" full_screen_row_position="middle" column_margin="default" column_direction="default" column_direction_tablet="default" column_direction_phone="default" scene_position="center" text_color="dark" text_align="left" row_border_radius="none" row_border_radius_applies="bg" overflow="visible" overlay_strength="0.3" gradient_direction="left_to_right" shape_divider_position="bottom" bg_image_animation="none"][vc_column column_padding="no-extra-padding" column_padding_tablet="inherit" column_padding_phone="inherit" column_padding_position="all" column_element_direction_desktop="default" column_element_spacing="default" desktop_text_alignment="default" tablet_text_alignment="default" phone_text_alignment="default" background_color_opacity="1" background_hover_color_opacity="1" column_backdrop_filter="none" column_shadow="none" column_border_radius="none" column_link_target="_self" column_position="default" gradient_direction="left_to_right" overlay_strength="0.3" width="1/1" tablet_width_inherit="default" animation_type="default" bg_image_animation="none" border_type="simple" column_border_width="none" column_border_style="solid"][vc_column_text css="" text_direction="default"]On Thursday, April 24, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) hosted the [...]

Why I Chose to Support Public Education: Debbie Arnesen’s Story
Legacy Society member Debbie Arnesen talks to SBEF's Nina Dunbar about a friendship and other events that led her to a much deeper involvement with public education in Santa Barbara. Last December, the Santa Barbara Education Foundation's Legacy Society welcomed Debbie Arnesen as a new member. A former board member, Debbie was already familiar with [...]

Santa Barbara Education Foundation’s Commitment to Arts Programs
On Tuesday, March 11, the Santa Barbara School Board voted 3-to-2 to approve preliminary cuts to 85 teachers at the Santa Barbara Unified School District. Many of the cuts included arts and music educator positions. Public comments lasted three hours, and the meeting continued into the early hours of the following morning. We will not [...]

Santa Barbara High School Educator Brings Shakespeare to Life with Bright Torches
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EVENTS

The Santa Barbara Education Foundation (SBEF) will host Wealth of Knowledge, a free financial literacy workshop designed specifically for educators, on Saturday, April 18, 2026.
LATEST ISSUE
Education Matters
As we close out 2025, this issue of Education Matters celebrates the impact made possible by our community.
From a powerful story highlighting the lifelong influence of music education to key insights from Superintendent Dr. Hilda Maldonado’s State of Our Schools address, this newsletter reflects a year of growth and opportunity across Santa Barbara’s public schools.
You’ll also meet SBEF’s newest board member and join us in thanking a longtime leader for his dedicated service.

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