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Parents and staff urge District 20 to restore special‑education paraprofessionals and review recent staffing reallocations
Summary
During public comment, multiple speakers accused the district of cutting special-education paras and reallocating positions in ways that harm students; they asked the board to form a review committee and restore paraprofessional positions.
Eleven members of the public addressed the board during the meeting’s public‑comment period. Several speakers described staffing reductions in special education, urged the board to review recent budgetary decisions, and recounted individual student impacts.
Veronica Baker, identifying herself as a parent and taxpayer, said District 20 accounted for eight special-education lawsuits in 2024, ‘‘14% of all cases statewide,’’ and argued the district has been releasing experienced teachers and paras while leaving higher‑level administrators in place without similar accountability. Baker said the district’s reliance on contractors and online providers for speech, social and psychological services is ineffective for students who require in‑person support.
High‑school student Talia Navarro delivered a first‑person story about a hypothetical peer ‘‘Ruby’’ to illustrate the effect of para reductions in secondary classrooms; she said resource paras at Rampart were let go and pleaded with the board to bring them back so students with IEPs will continue to receive supports.
Catherine Beasley, a resource teacher, said she was told her position was ‘‘reallocated’’ but not offered a comparable job and that several resource positions at Air Academy were cut, leaving programs severely understaffed. She urged the board to: 1) form a committee to review recent budget decisions affecting special education and paraprofessionals; 2) collaborate with special‑education staff to evaluate each school’s program individually; and 3) revise the budget to ensure at least one paraprofessional per program district‑wide.
Other commenters praised the district’s care teams and counselors for responding to a recently deceased Rampart High School teacher, and urged the board to support teachers by reversing policies that limit public participation (one commenter noted public‑comment sign‑up and meeting frequency changes). Another speaker alleged a procedural violation when an agenda item was removed and asked the board to reinstate the written report.
Board response and next steps: The board acknowledged the comments; Superintendent Haber said there were no immediate clarifications to offer during public comment. Several speakers asked for a review of the reallocation decisions and for direct collaboration with SPED staff; the board did not take formal action at the meeting but recorded the requests for follow-up.
Representative quotes - Veronica Baker: "District 20 accounted for 8 special education lawsuits filed across the state in 2024 — 14% of all cases statewide." - Talia Navarro: "What Ruby and all the shining rubies like her need is your leadership. They don't just need you to ensure they have the legally mandated resources. They need your helping hand." - Catherine Beasley: "My position was not reallocated to another resource position at the secondary level. I was not offered another comparable job."
