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Teachers urge Murrieta Valley board to restore IEP planning time and address special-education staffing
Summary
Several special-education teachers told the board they are stretched beyond capacity, asking for a restored dedicated IEP period and more staffing and supports; district leaders acknowledged concerns and offered to follow up with site-level meetings and further discussion.
Two long-serving special-education staff urged the Murrieta Valley Unified Board to address what they described as unsustainable workloads and missing protected time for Individualized Education Program (IEP) work.
Cheryl McNally, an RSP special-education teacher of 24 years, told the board that a district-designated IEP period that previously existed was removed this year "without any explanation." She gave a classroom-level calculation: this semester she held 31 IEP meetings and tested 10 students, which she estimated required about 180 unpaid hours outside contracted time.
"Restoring our dedicated IEP period is not optional," McNally said. "It is a necessary step to ensure compliance, sustainability, and appropriate support for our students."
Monte Jones, a special-education teacher for 29 years, said staff are now managing classrooms that combine foundational, high-behavior and other students with profoundly different needs without appropriate staffing ratios, behavior supports or program structures. "Teaching is being replaced by crisis management," Jones said, and asked trustees to spend time in classrooms to see working conditions.
Superintendent Dr. Ward Andress told the board he heard their concerns and said staff would pursue follow-up: provide opportunities for board members to observe classrooms, convene site-level conversations and coordinate with the district's student-support services.
Board members encouraged continued dialogue and asked staff to set up meetings with student-support services and the teachers' union. No formal motion was made at the meeting; trustees asked staff to return with more information and possible next steps.
The speakers emphasized compliance risk, student and staff safety and the time required for mandated documentation. District leaders acknowledged that state requirements and expanded responsibilities have increased workload and said they will work with teachers and the union to identify concrete solutions and timelines.
