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Teachers and public commenters tell Eagle Point board special‑education paperwork, caseloads burden instruction
Summary
An employee‑association representative told the board a Nov. 7 listening session and a 27‑person survey found many special‑education staff working extra hours, taking IEPs home and facing caseload pressure; a White Mountain Middle School resource teacher said she is "buried with the IEPs."
An employee‑association representative presented results from a Nov. 7 listening session and a brief survey of certified special‑education staff, telling the Eagle Point School District 9 board that about 27 people responded and that many described caseloads as “high but manageable” or close to tipping into “unmanageable.” The presenter said the largest single reason staff work beyond the regular day is lack of prep time; roughly half of respondents cited insufficient prep time.
The presenter said some special‑education teachers reported taking individualized education program (IEP) paperwork home to finish. The board discussed the sample size and asked for school‑level breakdowns; the presenter said the survey was anonymous but agreed to provide more precise counts and a school breakdown by follow up email.
During public comment, Terry Swan, a resource teacher at White Mountain Middle School, described district practices that she said add to IEP workload: more extensive readout and transfer processes, collecting records and finalizing documents for incoming students, and frequent turnover that has left her to recreate procedures. “I have 35 students on my caseload,” Swan said, adding that paperwork and processing have left her with less time to plan and teach.
Trustees and staff asked clarifying questions about response rates and whether the survey was district‑wide; one trustee noted the district has about 35 certified SPED teachers and encouraged refining future surveys to increase participation and provide school‑level detail. Board members said they want to support staff and asked administration to return with the requested breakdown and staffing data.
The board did not take formal action on the survey results at the meeting; trustees directed staff to provide more detailed numbers and to continue monitoring staffing, caseloads and IA assignments.
Ending: The district presenter said she will provide school‑level response counts and follow up by email; trustees said they will use the data to consider supports for SPED staff and to inform hiring decisions.
