Parents press board over oversized classes at Cerritos and raise bus-safety concerns

Nine in-person speakers addressed the governing board during the May 13 call-to-public, and several focused on class-size changes at Cerritos Elementary and concerns about transportation safety.

Cerritos parents: teacher cuts and class-size impacts Multiple Cerritos parents and a student described multi-year experience with large classes and asked the board to reconsider a decision that will reduce teacher staffing in the coming year. Key points raised by speakers included: - Loss of teachers: Parents said Cerritos will lose two teachers at the end of the year; speakers said that led to a projected fourth-grade class size of about 32 students per classroom if reductions stand. - Local experience: Michelle Dixon, a Cerritos alumna and parent, described consecutive years of overcrowded classrooms at Cerritos (class sizes cited by speakers included kindergarten classes of 27–30 students and first-grade classes with 30 students). She said high class sizes had harmed teacher morale and contributed to families leaving the school. - Student impact: Taylor Warner, a Cerritos parent and former teacher, said her son’s anxiety spiked during a year with a 30-student class and improved after his class size decreased the following year. “With a smaller class and a supportive teacher… he is thriving again,” Warner said. - Hiring and LIFO policy questions: Several parents asked whether the district’s “last in, first out” (LIFO) approach to staffing was the only tool used to determine layoffs and urged the board to consider teacher performance, community needs, and principal recommendations. Caitlyn Logan said a Cerritos teacher of 25 years would depart under the staffing decision because of LIFO rules. - Data and counts: Parents disputed some district statements about the number of teachers needed to resolve overages. One speaker corrected a district statement that 19 teachers would be required across the district; parents said addressing the specific overages at the school would require far fewer teachers (parents supplied an estimate of six teachers for certain third–fifth grade overages).

Student speaker A third-grade student, Dutch Hultman, described his own experience in a large first-grade classroom and said the smaller current class has improved learning and behavior.

District response and limitations Board President Kevin Walsh and district staff repeatedly noted that board policy and state statute limit discussion of non-agenda items during the public meeting but said district staff would follow up. Superintendent Laura Tenas and staff members present said they would coordinate with site administration and talent management when parents raise personnel concerns; the board encouraged parents to share documentation and follow up through district channels.

Transportation safety concerns raised Alexis Tavaro, a parent and a former Kyrene transportation employee, described three incidents she said occurred in April: a bus driving on the wrong side of the road nearly causing a head-on collision; children seated in bus aisles because of combined routes; and a driver running a red light with children aboard. Tavaro said she had reported the events and that the department’s leadership did not notify the district or external authorities in some cases. She asked for transparency and for the district to investigate and respond. The board and superintendent said they would have staff follow up and asked Tavaro to provide contact information; district staff agreed to pursue the concerns through the appropriate channels.

What parents asked the board to do Parents asked for: - Reconsideration of teacher reductions at Cerritos and a district review of the LIFO staffing impacts. - Clearer communication about how staffing decisions were made and whether other staffing metrics (teacher performance, principal input, community feedback) could be used. - Faster, transparent follow-up on transportation safety reports and notification of parents when incidents affecting student safety occur.

Where this stands The board did not take action on staffing or transportation during the meeting. Trustees said the district could follow up with families and that issues raised during public comment may prompt staff-level investigation or administrative review; the board emphasized it cannot discuss or decide on non-agenda personnel matters during the meeting itself.

Ending Speakers were directed to provide documentation to district staff for follow-up. Several parents said they will continue to bring the topic to future meetings if they do not receive satisfactory responses.