School board candidate Ross Swartzendruber urges ratification of labor contracts and budget transparency

Ross Swartzendruber, a candidate for Zone One on the Salem-Keizer School Board, submitted a 10-minute video in which he outlined his priorities if appointed to the board. He asked the board to "address ratification of the ASK ESP and SKEA collective bargaining agreements," to evaluate the superintendent’s performance on Executive Limitation 9 (asset protection), and to gather information for the upcoming budget process.

Speaking from several district sites, including Brush College and West Salem High School, Swartzendruber said board governance should follow established policies and use an equity lens so that "characteristics such as race, national origin, religion, disability, geographic location, economic circumstances, mobility, native language, sexual orientation, gender identity or level proficiency upon entering our schools shall not be predetermined for student success." He emphasized the role of transparent, community-informed decision-making during the budget process.

Swartzendruber described his local ties and volunteer work: he said he volunteered five years with the Straub Middle School music boosters and "we raised $75,000 for music programming" there. He also noted he has been substituting at West Salem High School and praised the campus’s CTE and music programs.

On district finances, Swartzendruber said he attended a superintendent listening session where he reported the district announced $30 million in reductions in December 2023 and that "at least another $32 million in cuts are necessary to close the remaining shortfall." He urged the board to seek community input on expense reductions, including reductions in force, and to make decisions guided by the equity lens he described.

He also outlined relevant policy experience, saying he participated in the 2019 Student Success Act process and worked on ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) reauthorization and data-privacy issues. He listed several bills he said were part of that work: "SB 744, 619 and house bills 4124 and 2052," and said he introduced "SB 196 in 2023" which he said "died in committee." He described teaching district students since 2022 and leading the Music Lessons Project, plus serving on a nonprofit board that preserved program options.

Swartzendruber closed the video by offering his "35 years of networking and community organizing experience" to represent Zone One and thanked viewers for their time. He explicitly requested the board fill the Zone One vacancy so constituents would have representation.

The board has not recorded action in the transcript attached to this video; Swartzendruber’s remarks function as a candidate statement and request for appointment. Any formal action on contracts, evaluation, or appointment would require separate agenda items and votes by the board.