Over the past six years, Ben has served as a Board Member and President of one of the most successful school districts in California, the Santa Monica- Malibu Unified School District. During the nation's most difficult economic environment since the Depression, by working with parents and teachers, Ben helped to achieve great results for students from all backgrounds:
Protecting career-technical education programs from budget cuts to ensure our kids are prepared for the jobs of the future
Launching the Spark Program, which connects disadvantaged middle school students with apprenticeships in the business community
Leading the charge to fully fund core educational programs while helping to raise student academic achievement and test scores across the district, with particular gains from lower-income students.
Preserving and protecting critical music, arts, and library programs from budget cuts.