Teachers and parents press Lacey Township board over pay and missed special‑education services
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Summary
At the Feb. 19 Lacey Township Board of Education meeting, teachers and parents urged the board to offer staff pay closer to the county average and raised allegations that special‑education services were not delivered as mandated; the board said confidentiality limits public comment on individual student matters.
At a Feb. 19 meeting of the Lacey Township Board of Education, teachers and parents used the public comment period to press the board on staff compensation and alleged failures in special‑education service delivery.
"When you budget 0% increase for your staff, the message received is clear," Michael Ryan, president of the Lacey Teachers Association, told the board, arguing the district should offer raises that reflect the county average rather than repeated zero‑percent proposals. He said teachers and support staff deserve pay that allows them to meet living expenses and stressed that the district should "choose fairness" for employees who keep schools running.
Several parents amplified concerns about special education. "My son was shorted about 84 therapy sessions mandated in his IEP over the past two years," said Ashley Meyer of Weehawken and Fort Gurderer, who described repeated attempts to get a response from the special‑education office and the superintendent before filing due process. Meyer said she was later told the hours were owed but that make‑up sessions had not been scheduled as of Feb. 19.
The board acknowledged receipt of the concerns but declined to discuss specifics in public. "Please understand that the board is not able to comment on matters that involve litigation or individual students as they are confidential and protected by law," a board representative said, and encouraged affected parents to make an appointment with the board office to pursue the matter through appropriate channels.
Other public commenters, including a retired district teacher and parents, criticized class sizes and urged greater transparency in personnel and records requests. Regina DeSantis and Richard Bidnick both raised questions about the board's appointment process and Open Public Records Act response times.
The meeting record shows the board received the comments and proceeded with its agenda, including votes on routine and personnel items. Several speakers urged the board to prioritize long‑term solutions to funding and staffing that would reduce turnover and restore community trust.
The board did not take immediate public action on contract offers at the meeting; the district is conducting budget workshops in the coming weeks as it finalizes the 2026–27 budget.
