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CNTA treasurer and parents tell Corona-Norco board legal fees, inconsistent special-education services are driving families away
Summary
Union and parent speakers at a CNUSD study session urged the board to redirect millions spent on outside law firms into special-education staffing and supports, alleging inconsistent evaluations, long caseloads, and a perceived lack of accountability.
Karen Taggart, the CNTA treasurer, told the Corona-Norco Unified School District board during public comment that educators and families are raising consistent concerns about special education caseloads and supports and urged the district to align resources and staffing with students’ needs. “Our educators are deeply committed to their students…They want stability,” Taggart said, asking the board to partner with teachers to translate feedback into concrete proposals.
Multiple other speakers amplified the theme. Ben Horn said bluntly, “Our taxpayer dollars are going to lawyers instead of students,” echoing earlier references to a federal sanction of a law firm involved in prior litigation. Annette Haukner told the board she believed the district had lost hundreds of students and accused leadership of holding “49,000,000 in excess funds while spending millions on attorneys.”
Several public commenters raised allegations about outside groups and law firms influencing district personnel and legal work. Angela Van Horn cited a recent investigation alleging that an Inland Personnel Council (IPC) arrangement gives unelected bodies and private law firms, including AALRR, broad influence over investigations, training, and legal services for multiple districts. She asked trustees whether IPC agreements had been fully reviewed in public and whether any investigative authority had been improperly delegated away from the elected board.
Parents described individual experiences with the IEP and 504 processes. Miriam Roque recounted repeated IEP meetings and said her sons had not received promised services, asking the board to take concrete action: “Please help my sons…Help all the other students that need help too.”
Board rules prohibit direct responses during public comment; later in the session board members acknowledged the speakers’ concerns and said the board and staff were pursuing training, expanded support, and tools to respond more quickly. The formal study session then moved into a midyear presentation on special-education services and planned next steps.
What’s next: The board received the public comments as part of the study-session record; no formal action on the claims or recalls was taken during the meeting.
