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Teachers and union representatives warn Bellevue School District special-education staffing is strained
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Summary
Multiple teachers and BEA representatives told the Bellevue School District board that shortages of paraeducators and specialist staff are leaving students without required services, forcing overtime and causing staff burnout; commenters urged immediate action and more staffing resources.
Several teachers and a union leader urged the Bellevue School District board on Tuesday evening to address what they described as a growing “special-education crisis” that is leaving students without legally required supports. Reagan Lourdan, vice president of the Bellevue Education Association, said classroom staff are working ‘‘12 to 13 hour days’’ and that special-education students are missing planning time and other services.
Joy Haverstik, a sixth‑grade teacher at Tillicum Middle School, told the board that general classrooms have reached as many as 44 students and that paraeducator support required by some IEPs has not been provided: “We lack sufficient paraeducators in these huge classes…despite requests for more staff.” She said administrators are being told to ‘‘make do’’ with current resources, and added that teachers are unable to provide legally required services when caseloads are so large.
Christina Howard Barrios, an elementary teacher and BEA representative, said the removal of elementary assistant principals and larger class sizes have made it ‘‘unsustainable for educators’’ and risk losing highly qualified staff. Michelle Mordaunt, reading on behalf of a colleague, described students with severe behaviors that disrupt learning and said teacher input is not included in some out‑of‑district admission decisions.
Board members asked staff how the district plans to respond, what data inform staffing decisions and whether money already cited as available for special education could be directed to current needs. Directors pressed for clearer measures and asked staff to return with options, including sustainable staffing models and trade‑offs to balance fiscal constraints with legal obligations to students.
The public testimony came during the meeting’s public-comment period; the board did not take a formal vote on policy changes but directed staff to follow up on questions about caseloads, compliance and potential reallocation of funds. The board also noted that further analysis of program effectiveness and “return on investment” will be part of budget discussions this year.
What’s next: Board members requested more specific data and options from staff about staffing models, service gaps, and legal compliance; no formal policy or budget action was adopted during this meeting.
