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Parents and staff decry handling of school social workers and RTI staffing changes
Summary
At the May 13 Tehachapi Unified School District board meeting, parents and staff raised concerns about how the district is restructuring two social worker positions and the reassignment of a learning director while retaining RTI intervention roles; speakers warned those personnel moves undermine student support and dignity.
Parents, staff and advocates pressed the Tehachapi Unified School District Board of Trustees on May 13 over recent personnel moves that affect school-based mental-health and intervention services, saying the changes risk harming students and the employees who serve them.
The concerns centered on two social worker positions and changes to how Response to Intervention (RTI) and learning-director roles were funded and assigned. "This practical and professional solution was dismissed," said Jessica Smith, a resident, describing a proposal to reclassify two positions as "mental health clinicians" to retain their campus roles. Smith said one social worker was told she "must return next year only as an independent contractor due to credentialing technicalities," a change Smith said would strip retirement and benefits.
Smith also urged the board to reconsider how RTI positions are funded after…
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