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Parent tells Gadsden board special‑education students were left without consistent teachers
Summary
At the Gadsden Independent Schools board meeting, a parent said special‑education classrooms lost assigned staff and asked the district for a plan; board leadership said someone would follow up with the family.
A parent told the Gadsden Independent Schools Board of Education that her first‑grade child lost both a special‑education teacher and an occupational therapist this year and that district moves left a classroom of students with Individualized Education Programs without consistent, trained staff.
The comments matter because students with IEPs rely on scheduled services and staff continuity to receive the supports required by their plans; the parent said the changes reduced services and left families frustrated, and requested district leadership respond with a plan.
Eva De Luna said her son’s special‑education teacher was transferred “without notice, without a plan, and without a replacement,” and later the occupational therapist assigned to her child arrived “with no records, no training, no support.” Stephanie Arredondo read parts of De Luna’s prepared statement in public comment and said substitutes being used in special‑education classrooms were not trained and were paid less than certified staff. De Luna also told the board she was hearing that classrooms were full while the district has discussed closing buildings due to low enrollment.
Board President Murillo responded after public comment that district leadership would follow up: “Somebody will be contacting you either Mr. Dempsey or someone from the leadership,” the president said. The transcript shows no formal board action was taken on the matter during the meeting.
The parent urged the board to plan and protect services and wrote that decisions moving staff among campuses appeared to come from the district office. The board president acknowledged receipt of the comment and promised outreach; the transcript records no additional commitments such as a staff report date or a motion to investigate during the meeting.
The item occurred during the meeting’s open forum/public comment period; it was not part of the consent agenda or a formal action item. The board’s public comment rules read aloud before speakers state that questions requiring investigation will be referred to the superintendent for later report.
