Parents and teachers urge CUSD to restore part‑time ELD teacher at Jacobson Elementary

At the July 9 Chandler Unified School District governing board meeting, more than a dozen parents, current and retired teachers and the district educators union urged the board and district leadership to reverse the recent elimination of a part‑time English Language Development (ELD) teacher position at Jacobson Elementary.

Speakers described Jacobson as a long‑running, concentrated ELD program that enrolls children who often arrive speaking little or no English. Retired teacher Kimberly Christ said the program’s strong reclassification rates are precisely why it should not be cut. “How can you eliminate a program just because we got good at instructing our students into English proficiency and testing out of ELD?” she said.

Several speakers said Jacobson’s student population differs from many schools. Allison Amparano, a Jacobson parent and a fifth‑grade teacher at the school, said many ELD students enroll at a “pre‑emergent” or “basic” English level and rely on pull‑out instruction to access lessons and feel included. “The dedicated ELD support isn't just a nice to have. It is essential to how these kids learn to understand lessons, actively participate, and meet academic goals,” Amparano said.

Speakers gave specific details they said support keeping the position. One said Jacobson had more than 20 languages and students from more than a dozen countries in a single year; another said the school commonly reclassifies large cohorts of students on a two‑ to three‑year rotation. Several parents said Jacobson’s ELD community draws families from abroad — they cited parents who relocated to Chandler specifically because of Jacobson’s reputation. Christina Pilolo, a Jacobson teacher reading on behalf of a family, said: “Jacobson's ELD program creates more than just academic support. It builds a community, a safe welcoming space for families who are starting over in a new country.”

Multiple speakers said the district had already moved the school’s ELD teacher, identified in public comments as Jan Johnson, to Basha Elementary. Laurel Miller, president of the district educators union, told the board: “Jan Johnson has been involuntarily transferred to Bash Elementary. Jacobson needs your help to get Jan and her part‑time ELD position back.” Miller urged the board to consider projected midyear enrollments and students’ English proficiency levels — not only the snapshot headcount used to allocate positions in late spring.

Other details mentioned by commenters: families run an annual Jacobson ELD potluck with more than 200 attendees; several speakers said enrollment that determines staffing often grows during the school year (parents arriving midyear or in January); speakers requested at least a part‑time ELD instructor for the 2025–26 school year. The presenters included retired teachers, classroom teachers, site staff and multiple parents representing families from Israel, South Korea, China, Japan, Mexico and elsewhere.

The public comment period ended after the speakers finished; the board proceeded with its agenda (consent items and the budget public hearing) and did not announce a formal decision on restoring the Jacobson ELD position during the July 9 meeting.

The comments on July 9 represent a sustained community appeal to the district to restore specialized ELD staffing at Jacobson, and union and parent representatives asked the board to consider projected midyear arrivals and English proficiency levels when allocating ELD positions for the coming year.