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Parents tell board CNUSD failed special-education procedures; speakers say they have filed multiple CDE complaints
Summary
Multiple public commenters alleged long delays, procedural errors and inadequate responses in the district's special education process, named SELPA leadership, and said families filed several compliance complaints with the California Department of Education.
Dozens of public commenters at the Corona-Norco Unified School District board meeting urged officials to address what they described as systemic failures in special education services, alleging delays in evaluations, denials of services and poor dispute-resolution practices.
Angela Van Horn read a statement for a parent she said was too upset to read, alleging that repeated requests for an IEP evaluation were ignored and that district staff used an "adverse effect" rationale to deny eligibility. "This is a violation of IDEA," the comment read aloud to the board.
Other speakers described canceled ADR (alternative dispute resolution) meetings, delegation of settlement discussions to coordinators they said lacked authority, and what they called repeated delays in providing independent educational evaluations. One speaker said the family waited five months for board approval of a requested IEE and that district teams ‘‘picked apart’’ outside evaluations rather than implementing recommendations.
A commenter asked where accountability is after promised reviews and timelines went unmet. One parent said their family had filed eight compliance complaints with the California Department of Education and intended to file more; another speaker said families had compiled as many as 15 complaints. The presenters named district administrators they say were involved, including the SELPA director (referred to in the record as both Don Rust and Dawn Rust) and SPED leadership members.
Board leadership acknowledged the public comments and the request for follow-up. The transcript shows the district’s assistant superintendent for special education (Dr. Burrell) was named in public remarks as a contact who counselors and parents had reached out to; public speakers asked for accountability and clearer timelines for required federal procedural steps.
The board did not take immediate action on the individual cases during the meeting but two public commenters requested follow-up from staff and asserted they would continue filing complaints with the state education agency until they received lawful resolutions.
The transcript records precise allegations by parents; the board or staff response outside the public comment period is not recorded in this meeting's transcript.
