Parents and unions press Hacienda La Puente USD over special-education delays and AMAR program changes
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Summary
Parents, the CAC and labor representatives at the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District board meeting urged faster IEP timelines, better SELPA coordination and accountability after reports of missed assessments, staffing reassignments and program disruptions at AMAR/child-development sites.
Parents, union leaders and community advisory committee members used public comment at the Hacienda La Puente Unified School District board meeting to press administrators for faster special-education assessments, clearer communication and accountability.
Sandra, a parent who said her family has three students in the district, told trustees the assistive-technology assessment deadline for her son passed Jan. 16, 2026, and that multiple reassigned psychologists left required timelines under IDEA and the California Education Code “exceeded by several months.” She asked the board to oversee the reassignment and to hold a separate IEP meeting to review results so services could move forward without further delay.
“When assessments are late, services are delayed, and access to education is impacted,” Sandra said.
Marissa Pham, vice chair of the district’s Community Advisory Committee, described chronic delays and staffing shortages that she said leave students vulnerable and undermine families’ ability to participate in legally required IEP decisions. “Systems do and people do,” Pham said, urging “adequate staffing, ongoing training and evidence-based practices” for special education.
Union leaders echoed the calls. Margaret Caldera, chapter president of CSEA 115, said payroll and administrative lapses have caused harm to classified employees and urged timely pay and accountability for supervisors after child-development technicians missed pay because timesheets were submitted late.
“Employees deserve timely pay. They deserve accountability from those who supervise them,” Caldera said.
Tilly Carlos and Dennis — who identified himself as staff at AMAR Children’s Center — described program disruptions after administrative changes, including closed classrooms and what Dennis called repeated destruction of program decorations by onsite personnel. Dennis said five parents withdrew children after new management arrived and requested restoration of prior staffing arrangements to rebuild trust.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and asked Superintendent John Roche to follow up. Roche said he would take the complaints under advisement and pledged to look into payroll, supervision plans and SELPA timelines; he told community members that some executive summaries and updates would be provided to the board and public shortly.
The board did not take formal action during public comment; several items related to special education and Williams complaints were discussed later in the meeting and an executive summary on unresolved Williams complaints was promised to board members the next day.
