Dear community member,
Today I’m honored to share with you the Santa Cruz County Office of Education’s 2025–2029 Strategic Plan. This plan is the result of deep collaboration with learners, families, educators, and community partners. In these times, this commitment is more important than ever, to reflect our shared — and unwavering — dedication to equity, innovation, and opportunity for every learner in our county.
Over the past five years, this school community has navigated a period of profound change. We’ve faced public health emergencies, economic pressures, natural disasters, and mental health challenges. And through it all, we’ve worked together to support students, reimagine what’s possible, and build stronger systems for the future.
This new plan carries forward that spirit of resilience and collective purpose. Centered on belonging and equity, it outlines our continued focus on safety and wellness, equitable achievement, and sustainable systems — guided by the core values that help us build bridges to educational equity.
Thank you to the COE staff, partners, and the Santa Cruz County Board of Education for supporting and advising this planning process. I invite you to explore the plan and join us in our work to support safety and wellness, empower equitable achievement, and build sustainable systems across Santa Cruz County’s TK-12 school community.
Yours in education and equity,
Dr. Faris Sabbah
County Superintendent of Schools