Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Staffing And Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Teachers and paraeducators urge Travis Unified to reverse hurried kindergarten reconfiguration, cite safety and staffing shortfalls
Summary
Several Travis Unified educators told the board the district collapsed a fourth kindergarten class and moved students four weeks into the year, creating larger classrooms and unmanageable behavior; paraeducators also pressed for a stalled pay‑reclassification and better staffing supports.
Starla Robinson, a ninth‑year Travis Unified employee and Center Elementary kindergarten teacher, told the board she was “angry, disappointed, and downright perplexed” after the district collapsed a fourth kindergarten classroom and reassigned students.
“I was informed by my site administrators that an executive decision was made by cabinet members to collapse a fourth kindergarten classroom, which was nearly at capacity with a credentialed teacher that had just been hired to fill the position,” Robinson said, describing a plan that would add five to seven students per class and push existing classes from about 19 students toward 24 or more.
Robinson and other public commenters said trial integration led to immediate disruptions, including physical incidents and property damage. Angela Taylor, speaking in solidarity with colleagues, said staff trust has been broken by district‑level decisions and cited frequent substitute use and high turnover among kindergarten teachers.
Paraeducators Rochelle Cactac and Simone Clemons described the reclass/upgrade process for paraeducators and urged the board to complete a pending pay range change. Cactac explained the committee review and panel steps and said the final superintendent approval has been delayed; Clemons said paraeducators in the district are paid less than counterparts in neighboring districts and sometimes less than janitorial or campus monitor roles, contributing to turnover.
Board president (chair) asked Superintendent Benson to brief the full board “on both sides of this issue” in the superintendent’s weekly briefings so trustees could be fully informed; the superintendent said staff would follow up and asked the public to stand by for more information.
District staff and trustees discussed legal and operational constraints. One trustee noted Ed Code permits extended‑day kindergarten under specific conditions and questioned whether implementation had included required developmentally appropriate activities and supports. Officials said the ELOP (Early Learning Opportunity Program) pilot with the City of Fairfield is being developed separately and that program planning is intended to minimize district staffing burdens when implemented as a partnership.
The board did not take formal action on the kindergarten configuration at the meeting; trustees directed staff to review the operational decisions, communicate findings to the board, and report back with options for addressing teacher workload, safety supports and potential classroom balances.
