A Bakersfield superintendent is under fire for frequent spending on trips both in and out of California.
KBAK reported Monday that Standard School District Superintendent Jocelyn Hively attended over a dozen professional development conferences last year alone.
Flashback: Questions surrounding the frequency of Hively’s trips came to light in May when the Standard Teachers Association (STA) submitted a vote of no confidence in Hively to the district board.
- The union accused Hively of attending excessive and costly out-of-state trips and conferences that have not yielded any clear benefit to the district, among other concerns.
The big picture: KBAK filed a Freedom of Information Act request with Standard School District for bank statements, hotel receipts, airplane receipts and other forms that Hively filed with the district to attend conferences since she was hired as superintendent in 2022.
- The documents obtained by the station show expenses tied to trips to Seattle, New Orleans, Sacramento, San Diego and San Luis Obispo, among other places in 2024.
- Other trips included New York in 2023 and Washington D.C. this year.
The other side: Hively told KBAK that she believes two of the conferences were cancelled or were attended by another staff member in her place.
- Hively said over half of the conferences were paid through grants or other sources that are specifically earmarked for professional development, not from the district’s general fund.
Zoom in: Some of the conferences included one at the Grand Californian Hotel and Spa at Disneyland last July, called the “Disney Institute.” That cost $4,200 to register for the event.
- Another trip was the National School Board Association’s Annual Conference in New Orleans last year. The total registration cost for six people from Standard School District was $8,250, and that does not include travel and lodging expenses.
What she’s saying: “My contract with the Board calls for me to maintain and strengthen my professional skills through all available means, including participation in state and regional conferences,” Hively told KBAK. “This aligns with board policy, which emphasizes ongoing professional development for all educators as a key driver of improved student outcomes.”
- She said that while the location of some of the conferences may have created an unintended perception, the district prioritized learning experiences that were meaningful and impactful.
- “My focus has been on elevating instruction, using data to drive improvement, and advocating for comprehensive support for students and families,” Hively told KBAK. “There is still more work ahead, but I’m proud to share that we’re seeing meaningful progress in key student outcomes, including a decline in chronic absenteeism and suspension rates, as well as growth in both literacy and math achievement.”
