Report on Santa Cruz County School District Staffing and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

An analysis of California Department of Education data from the 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 school years reveals a significant trend in Santa Cruz County school districts. Despite declining student enrollment and budgetary pressures, several districts have increased their number of administrators. This report examines the data and contextualizes the staffing changes within the framework of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), highlighting how new administrative roles are essential for implementing state-mandated programs focused on health, equity, and quality education.

• Several districts, including Pajaro Valley Unified, Live Oak, and Scotts Valley Unified, increased administrative staff while student enrollment decreased.
• Officials cite the need to manage new state-funded initiatives as the primary driver for these hires.
• These initiatives directly support key SDGs, including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
• The trend reflects a strategic shift for schools to function as comprehensive community hubs, requiring specialized oversight.

Analysis of Staffing and Enrollment Data (2019-2024)

The data indicates a divergence between student population and administrative staffing levels across the county and in specific districts.

Overall County and State Trends

• Santa Cruz County: Experienced a 10.6% loss in student enrollment (3,572 students) while adding 17.3 full-time equivalent administrators.
• State of California: Mirrored the local trend, with a 6.5% decline in student enrollment statewide alongside a 15% increase in administrators (approximately 3,780 positions).

District-Specific Data

1. Pajaro Valley Unified School District (PVUSD):
   • Student Enrollment: Decreased by 12.4% (2,190 students).
   • Administrators: Increased by 28.3% (20 full-time equivalents).
   • Teachers: Decreased by 6.7% (52.8 full-time equivalents).
2. Live Oak School District:
   • Added two administrators to manage new grant-funded programs.
3. Scotts Valley Unified:
   • Added three administrators.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The increase in administrative positions is directly linked to the implementation of programs that advance several SDGs. School districts are expanding their roles beyond traditional education to address the holistic needs of students, which requires enhanced administrative capacity.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being & SDG 2: Zero Hunger

Schools are increasingly becoming hubs for community health and nutrition, a core objective of SDGs 2 and 3. The administrative expansion is necessary to manage these critical services.

• Behavioral Health Services: Districts have hired administrators to oversee the expansion of mental and behavioral health support for students, a direct investment in their well-being.
• Universal Meals Program: The state mandate to provide breakfast and lunch to all students required administrative oversight for logistics, compliance, and reporting, directly addressing the goal of Zero Hunger.

SDG 4: Quality Education & SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

New administrative roles support programs designed to ensure equitable access to quality education and resources, which are central to SDGs 4 and 10.

• Expanded Learning Programs: Grant-funded administrative positions have been created to manage afterschool programs, providing safe and enriching environments that help reduce educational disparities.
• Student-Centered Initiatives: PVUSD noted its administrative increase reflects an “intentional investment” in initiatives aimed at meeting diverse student needs, thereby promoting equity.
• Oversight and Implementation: Officials argue that proper administrative structures are essential to design, implement, and oversee these complex programs effectively, ensuring they achieve their intended educational and equitable outcomes.

Fiscal and Institutional Accountability

The staffing changes are occurring within a complex financial landscape, raising questions of efficiency and institutional management, which relates to SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

• Funding Sources: Many new administrative positions are funded through external grants and one-time funds, not the districts’ general funds, which are strained by declining enrollment and the expiration of COVID-19 relief aid.
• Budgetary Discipline: Districts like PVUSD report that spending on administration (approximately 6%) remains aligned with the statewide average, demonstrating fiscal control.
• Compliance and Governance: The new programs come with significant compliance and reporting requirements, necessitating administrative staff to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of public funds. Districts are continuously evaluating staffing levels to balance administrative needs with the maximization of resources for direct student services.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• The article’s primary focus is on the public education system in Santa Cruz County, discussing staffing, funding, student enrollment, and the provision of educational services. It directly addresses the operational aspects of ensuring quality education.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• The article mentions the expansion of services within schools to include “behavioral health services.” It notes that schools are becoming “hubs for the community” to meet “more health and social needs,” which directly relates to promoting well-being, particularly mental health among students.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• The text references the “universal meals program,” which mandates that schools provide breakfast and lunch to all students. This initiative is a direct effort to combat hunger and ensure students have access to nutrition, which is essential for their well-being and ability to learn.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• The article analyzes the administrative and financial management of school districts, which are public institutions. It discusses issues of budget balancing, fiscal responsibility, staffing ratios, and compliance with state mandates. This scrutiny of institutional efficiency, accountability, and transparency aligns with the goal of building effective institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 4: Quality Education

1. Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
   • The article discusses the fundamental inputs for quality education, such as the number of teachers, administrators, and student-centered initiatives. The decline in teachers (“the district lost 52.8 full-time equivalent teachers”) while enrollment also declines raises questions about maintaining the quality of education.
2. Target 4.a: Build and upgrade education facilities that are child, disability and gender sensitive and provide safe, non-violent, inclusive and effective learning environments for all.
   • The article highlights that schools are expanding to provide a “broader range of services,” including “behavioral health services,” to better address student needs. This contributes to creating a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.
3. Target 4.c: By 2030, substantially increase the supply of qualified teachers, including through international cooperation for teacher training in developing countries, especially least developed countries and small island developing States.
   • The article provides data showing a negative trend in relation to this target in one district, stating that Pajaro Valley Unified “lost 52.8 full-time equivalent teachers, or a drop of 6.7%.” This directly concerns the supply of teachers.

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

1. Target 3.4: By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.
   • The article explicitly mentions the “implementation of more behavioral health services in schools than ever before” as a reason for hiring more administrators. This is a direct action to promote mental health and well-being among the student population.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

1. Target 2.1: By 2030, end hunger and ensure access by all people, in particular the poor and people in vulnerable situations, including infants, to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round.
   • The introduction of the “universal meals program, which mandates that TK-12 schools provide breakfast and lunch to all students,” is a direct measure to ensure students have access to sufficient food during the school day, addressing potential hunger.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

1. Target 16.6: Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.
   • The entire article is an examination of the effectiveness and accountability of school districts. It scrutinizes staffing decisions in the face of declining enrollment and budget cuts. Statements like, “it’s useful for educational institutions to monitor their staffing levels to ensure that they’re not top-heavy with administrators” and the district’s claim that it “continuously evaluates staffing levels to ensure they are aligned with student needs, legal requirements, and fiscal responsibility,” directly address the principles of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 4: Quality Education

• Student-to-teacher ratio: Implied. The article provides data on the decline in both students (“lost 2,190 students”) and teachers (“lost 52.8 full-time equivalent teachers”) in Pajaro Valley Unified, allowing for the calculation of this ratio.
• Student-to-administrator ratio: Implied. The article’s central theme is the change in this ratio, providing numbers for the decline in students and the increase in administrators (“lost 2,190 students… added 20 full-time equivalent administrators”).
• Number of full-time equivalent teachers: Explicitly mentioned. The article states the change in the number of teachers for Pajaro Valley Unified.
• Proportion of schools providing additional student services: Implied. The mention of new programs for “behavioral health services” and “expanded learning, or afterschool programs” serves as an indicator of schools offering services that create a supportive learning environment (Target 4.a).

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

• Number of schools implementing behavioral health services: Implied. The article states there is an “implementation of more behavioral health services in schools than ever before,” indicating this is a measurable activity.

SDG 2: Zero Hunger

• Proportion of students receiving school meals: Implied. The “universal meals program” that provides “breakfast and lunch to all students” implies a 100% coverage goal, which is a clear indicator of progress.

SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

• Percentage of budget spent on administration: Explicitly mentioned. The article states that districts spend “about 5% to 6%” of their budgets on administrators and that Pajaro Valley Unified spends “about 6% of its budget on school and district administration salaries and benefits.” This is a key indicator of institutional efficiency.
• Number of administrators: Explicitly mentioned. The article provides precise figures on the increase in administrators in several school districts (“Pajaro Valley Unified… added 20 full-time equivalent administrators”).

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: lookout.co