COMMUNICATIONS & ENGAGEMENT

Dr. Faris Sabbah
Superintendent
Nick Ibarra
Director of Communications and Engagement
(831) 466-5886

COMMITTED TO EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION

At the Santa Cruz County Office of Education promoting awareness, increasing knowledge, and inspiring collaborative learning communities are core to our work. We pride ourselves on being responsive and transparent, and are always seeking to amplify our work by teaming up with partners committed to empowering students and educators.

Contact Us

Email: communications@santacruzcoe.org
Phone: (831) 466-5600
Mailing Address: 400 Encinal Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

LATEST NEWS & UPDATES

Notice of Vacancy on the Santa Cruz County Board of Education, Trustee Area 4

Applications are invited from community members for appointment to a seat on the Santa Cruz County Board of Education representing Trustee Area 4, vacated by ...
Stuff the Bus lead image 2025

Stuff the Bus Campaign Gears Up to Support Students in Need

With thousands of local students experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity, the Santa Cruz County Office of Education (Santa Cruz COE) and United Way of Santa ...
Hephaestus Team Photo 2024-25

High School Robotics Team Repeats with Third Place at World Championship

For the second year in a row, a robotics team of Santa Cruz County high school students earned third place at the prestigious MATE ROV ...

StuDENT LEADERSHIP AND ENGAGEMENT

The Santa Cruz COE’s Student Leadership and Engagement program equips students to be tomorrow’s leaders by amplifying their voices today. At its core is the Youth Led Leadership Alliance (YLLA)—a network of student-run groups tackling issues from environmental action to mental health advocacy.

Other initiatives include:

  • Student Trustee Academy, which trains students to serve as district trustees and prepares them to advocate effectively in governance spaces.

  • Countywide summits, forums, and campaigns that bring students together with policymakers, educators, and community leaders to shape meaningful change.

Through these programs, students learn civic engagement, strategic thinking, and leadership skills that carry into their schools, communities, and future careers.

FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

Family engagement is essential to student success. The Santa Cruz COE supports this through the Family Engagement Collaborative, a countywide professional learning community of family engagement specialists from across districts.

The Collaborative provides training, resources, and peer support rooted in national best practices such as Dr. Karen Mapp’s Dual Capacity-Building Framework. In 2023–24, the Collaborative co-developed the 5 Essential Components for Transformational Family Engagement, gathered input from hundreds of families through countywide surveys, and supported COE-wide events including Stuff the Bus, HERStory, and the STEAM Expo.

This work empowers families with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to advocate for their children, while strengthening the partnerships between families, schools, and communities.

ANNUAL REPORT TO THE COMMUNITY

The Santa Cruz COE’s Annual Report to the Community includes an overview of our programs, priorities, and partnerships throughout the year, as well as demographic and financial information regarding the COE and Santa Cruz County students.

Printed copies of the report are available in the COE lobby and may also be obtained by contacting the Communications Department at communications@santacrucoe.org.

PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS

It is the right of every Californian to understand the business of government, a right that extends to public education institutions. The Santa Cruz COE complies with the California Public Records Act and proactively releases non-confidential data and reports, including through our data portal, staff directory, and annual reports.

If you would like to submit a Public Records Request, please email communications@santacruzcoe.org. We will respond within 10 days and are happy to assist in clarifying whether our office is the custodian of the records you seek.

Please note that requests for student records are protected by state and federal law and cannot be disclosed without proper authorization.