Union, board and staff debate special-education hires and credentialing

The Board of Education on Sept. 26 approved personnel items that include the hiring of roughly 60 people for special-education roles, prompting questions from the teachers' union about rehiring practices and credentialing.

Dennis Kelly, president of United Educators of San Francisco, told the board the union is aware of the district's need for special-education staff but urged that openings be offered first to teachers with recall rights and that paraprofessionals receive training and preparation before starting special-education assignments. "Paraprofessionals deserve training and preparation in special education to ready them for the jobs ... so they do not walk in on the same first day of school with the students with no more preparation than the students," Kelly said.

Associate Superintendent Orlow O'Keefe said the district followed contract protocols and practices for hiring and noted the district uses intern programs, emergency credentials and other supports where necessary. O'Keefe said the district will provide the board a profile of hires and an analysis identifying which appointments hold full special-education credentials, which are on emergency credentials and which are in intern programs.

Commissioners asked staff for the proportion of hires that hold special-education credentials and whether previously laid-off teachers were offered these positions first. Staff said they would return that information to the board.

The personnel items (F1'F4 and F8) were considered together; one commissioner recused from an item where a conflict was disclosed. The hires were approved by roll call.