Santa Barbara Unified Teachers Pack School Board Meeting in Push to Bring Seventh Period Back to Junior Highs

School boardmembers show support for extending the school day so more students can take electives like woodshop, pottery, and music.

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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Teachers in the Santa Barbara Unified school district packed a school board meeting to advocate for bringing back a seventh period to junior high schools. The goal is to provide more opportunities for students to take elective classes like woodshop, pottery, and music, which have been cut over the years. The board expressed overwhelming support for the idea, though they want to study the feasibility and costs before implementation.

Why it matters

The loss of elective classes like the arts and STEAM subjects has been a concern for teachers and parents, as it limits opportunities for students to explore their interests and develop lifelong skills. Restoring a seventh period could help address inequities, as multilingual learners and students with disabilities are often the ones who miss out on electives due to scheduling constraints.

The details

At the school board meeting, teachers argued that junior high students are lucky to take even one elective, as enrollment issues and budget cuts have led to the loss of many creative and hands-on classes over the years. For example, at Santa Barbara Junior High, 176 students taking supplemental support classes have no elective at all. Teachers shared stories of students being re-energized by new elective offerings, like an intro to sewing class. The board was presented with options to either maintain the status quo, pilot a seventh period at a few schools, or implement it district-wide, with an estimated $1.5 million cost for full implementation.

  • The seventh period at the junior highs was cut around 20 years ago.
  • The school board discussed the proposal at their meeting on Tuesday, February 12, 2026.

The players

Brianna Serrato

A teacher and parent in the Santa Barbara Unified school district.

York Shingle

President of the Santa Barbara Teachers Association.

Haley Silva

A teacher at La Colina Junior High who just began teaching an intro to sewing class.

Rich Lashua

The last remaining full-time performing arts teacher at the junior high level in the district.

Janet Munoz Emery

A parent who came to the meeting with her daughter, who had her oboe with her.

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What they’re saying

“Continued cuts to music and the arts are driving factors for [parents] to send their students outside of the district. Students are going from having art, STEAM and music weekly in elementary to being lucky to have even one of those in their junior high career.”

— Brianna Serrato, teacher and parent (The Independent)

“It should not depend on a student or family's ability to get them there early or let them stay late. It should be our system that is taking care of these kids and providing the opportunity.”

— York Shingle, president of the Santa Barbara Teachers Association (The Independent)

“They [the students] tell me, 'It is the best part of my day. It is the reason I want to come to school.'”

— Haley Silva, teacher at La Colina Junior High (The Independent)

“For the students standing here today, music is where they have found their identity, their passion, and their voice. A seven period is not just an added class; it's an extended opportunity.”

— Janet Munoz Emery, parent (The Independent)

“What is our budget for? It's for our students.”

— Sunita Beall, school board member (The Independent)

What’s next

The school board asked staff to conduct a feasibility study on implementing a seventh period at junior high schools, either as a pilot at a few schools or district-wide, to be presented at the next board meeting.

The takeaway

This push by teachers to bring back a seventh period at junior highs highlights the ongoing challenge of maintaining robust elective offerings, especially in subjects like the arts and STEAM, as schools face budget constraints. Restoring these opportunities could help address inequities and re-engage students, but will require careful planning and tradeoffs by the district.