Santa Barbara Unified to Consider Bringing Back 7th Period to Junior Highs

The school board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday to consider an additional course period 'to address diverse student needs.'

Feb. 9, 2026 at 2:15pm

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Santa Barbara Unified teachers are pushing for longer days at the junior highs to make room for more electives, especially for kids who need extra support. On Tuesday, February 10, the school board will hold a public hearing to consider adding a 7th period to the junior high schedule, which was cut 20 years ago. The estimated cost to add the extra period is $1.87 million.

Why it matters

Multilingual learners and students with disabilities usually must take supplemental classes, squeezing electives out of their school day. Adding a 7th period would increase access to arts and music for these students, but the district claims it is not a mandatory bargaining subject since changes to students' schedules do not directly affect teacher working conditions.

The details

Teachers proposed the schedule changes during ongoing contract negotiations with the school district. The district is currently working to address a substantial budget deficit and is considering reductions, even before accounting for potential cost increases from ongoing labor negotiations. An additional period is something that performing arts and music teachers have been advocating for for years, as their numbers have dwindled.

  • The school board meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 10.
  • The Santa Barbara Teachers Association and the district are in negotiations to amend and update their current three-year contract, which expires on June 30.

The players

York Shingle

President of the Santa Barbara Teachers Association (SBTA).

Rich Lashua

Santa Barbara Unified's last remaining full-time performing arts teacher at the junior high level.

Santa Barbara Unified

The school district that is considering bringing back a 7th period to junior highs.

Santa Barbara Teachers Association

The union that is negotiating with the school district on the schedule changes and other proposals.

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What they’re saying

“Our students always come first, so we're prioritizing the needs of our students and families before requesting a salary increase this year.”

— York Shingle, President, Santa Barbara Teachers Association

“It opens up more electives, even for students who don't need those additional supports. And so what we would be able to do is build out a more robust elective program and more robust elective offerings.”

— York Shingle, President, Santa Barbara Teachers Association

What’s next

The school board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, February 10 to consider adding a 7th period to the junior high schedule. The district and the Santa Barbara Teachers Association are also in ongoing contract negotiations, with their next session scheduled for February 23.

The takeaway

This proposal highlights the ongoing challenge of balancing student needs, budget constraints, and teacher working conditions in public education. The potential addition of a 7th period could improve access to electives for all students, but the district's budget concerns and the union's other negotiation priorities will factor into whether the change is ultimately implemented.