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CVESD parents, staff urge higher pay and staffing after repeated special-education shortages
Summary
Multiple student attendants, special-education teachers and parents told the Chula Vista Elementary School District board that chronic understaffing, low substitute pay and overloaded RSP caseloads are harming student safety and interrupting legally required IEP services. The board heard plans to hire behavioral specialists and pursue grant funding.
Dozens of parents, student attendants and special-education staff told the Chula Vista Elementary School District board on May 28 that chronic shortages of trained paraprofessionals and low substitute pay are compromising student safety and disrupting legally required services.
At the meeting, student attendant Kathy said dozens of SA (student attendant) substitute positions go unfilled and that SA subs are paid $16.50 an hour, the same as IA subs, despite more specialized duties. "This is a safety issue," she said, describing classrooms where adults have been injured and situations where untrained IAs are asked to cover SA duties.
Several other speakers echoed the staffing complaints. Hezekiah Herrera, a special-education teacher at Sonia Sotomayor, told trustees that vacancies and high turnover prevent delivery of mandated IEP minutes and increase safety risks for…
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