Union presses Carpinteria Unified over special-education staffing, legal costs and bargaining impasse

Jay Hochner, president of the district employees' union, used the public-comment period at the Oct. 8 Carpinteria Unified School District board meeting to press the district on labor and special-education issues, saying employees have repeatedly asked to be included in the development of workplace violence prevention and safety plans as required by California Senate Bill 553.

“Our union is the only legally authorized representative of district employees,” Hochner said, arguing the district has not included employee representatives in safety-plan development, monthly safety meetings or safety-training design despite repeated requests over four months. He also raised concerns about a contract nurse paid more than twice the previous nurse’s hourly rate and maintenance work contracted without a public bidding process.

Hochner told trustees three grievances had advanced to arbitration as of mid-September and that a fourth was expected. He said employee leaders were unable to present at this year’s new-employee orientations, alleging the district prevented union representatives from introducing themselves in violation of onboarding expectations tied to AB 119. Looking ahead, he said the parties would meet for in-person impasse mediation on Oct. 9.

The union also raised sharply worded allegations about staffing in the district’s special-education program, telling the board that “13 special education teachers” and many instructional aides left for other districts in recent months and that a Canalino moderate-to-severe special-education classroom (room 6) has lacked a permanent teacher since the first week of school. “Students’ IEP goals are not being met,” Hochner said, adding that legal expenses—cited elsewhere in the meeting—have reduced funds available for classroom needs.

District staff and board members did not provide a detailed rebuttal in the public comment segment. The superintendent’s report earlier in the agenda did note the district’s staffing and contracting choices: the human-resources presentation listed a mix of contracted classified and certificated positions in special education (behavior technicians, contracted speech-language services and others). The board did not take formal action on the issues raised at the meeting, but trustees can expect additional materials and bargaining updates at upcoming sessions while mediation and arbitration proceed.

Next steps: the union said impasse mediation was scheduled for Oct. 9; three grievances are already in arbitration and at least one more is anticipated.