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Speech-language pathologists and union raise staffing, pay and records concerns at City Schools public comment
Summary
A Baltimore City Public Schools speech-language pathologist and BTU representative told the board that human capital failures, growing caseloads and transportation delays are harming special education services and urged action.
Diana Desiredo, a speech-language pathologist and member of the Baltimore Teachers Union executive board, told the Baltimore City Board of School Commissioners during public comment on Jan. 20 that the district’s human capital office has failed to process degree verifications and pay adjustments and that shortages of related-service staff are producing dangerously large caseloads.
Desiredo said the BTU is seeking clarity about “AU payouts for teacher chapter members” and that verification of educators’ master’s degrees has been “very chaotic,” noting that the contract provides a $2,500 master’s-degree increase to base pay beginning in the 2025–26 school year.
The comments matter because speech-language pathologists (SLPs) provide time-sensitive assessments and services under Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Desiredo said delays in credential processing and slow responses from human capital are worsening staffing challenges and service delays for students with disabilities.
Desiredo described heavy caseloads among SLPs in Baltimore: “I have close to 50 students on my caseload,” she said, and colleagues’ caseloads have climbed “up to 80 students,” producing “delays in time sensitive services, assessments, coaching, paperwork, and an overall delay in the entire flow of the IEP process.”
She told the board that transportation problems are compounding special-education harms: “This morning, one of the buses was 50 minutes late. The afternoon bus ride was an hour and a half. Why? We're talking about 3 year olds,” she said, urging compassion for families whose very young children ride long routes.
Desiredo also urged the board to ensure the Office of Special Education creates the work group called for in the BTU contract to address the SLP shortage and related workload issues. She said the union has asked repeatedly for the work group but the office has not responded.
Board members did not take immediate formal action in response to the comment during the meeting. Desiredo recommended families and colleagues contact the BTU special education committee to share issues and participate in solutions.
Clarifying details presented by Desiredo included the contract provision for the $2,500 master’s-degree increase (effective 2025–26), reported caseloads of about 50 to as many as 80 students for individual SLPs, and reports of bus delays of 50 to 90 minutes affecting preschoolers. Desiredo attributed these problems to recordkeeping, human capital responsiveness, supervisor turnover and insufficient staffing.
