Parents and CAC members say CNUSD improperly exits students from IEPs, urge board action

At a Corona-Norco Unified School District study session, parents and CAC representatives accused district special-education staff of improperly removing students from Individualized Education Programs and urged the board to take action to restore services.

Angela Van Horn, a CNUSD teacher and parent, described her son Braxton’s multiple diagnoses and said the district’s IEP team “predetermined an exit strategy” that left him ineligible for autism, speech and occupational therapy services. Van Horn told the board she provided independent evaluations and legal documentation and said she had been told by an independent evaluator that the team had ignored a 108‑page psychoeducational report. “Our son is what’s considered twice exceptional,” she said, adding that the team’s conclusion that his autism “does not adversely affect his education is legally incorrect.” She asked the board to help advance IEP-team actions and said she expects follow-up from staff.

Misty Hamlin, a former chair of the Special Education Community Advisory Committee (CAC), urged the board to reduce outside legal spending and consider in‑house counsel after describing a recent state decision ordering the district to take corrective action by Sept. 30. She said the district’s outside counsel filed a request for reconsideration on Aug. 28 and argued that the filing “does not pause the corrective action deadline,” calling the firm’s behavior “a frivolous expenditure” that primarily billed hours to the district. “Taxpayer dollars spent not to advance student interest but to satisfy an associate attorney’s billable hour requirements,” Hamlin said.

Hamlin also told the board that a SELPA administrator referred a routine student‑record request to outside counsel, which produced advice that forced Hamlin to file a due‑process request just to obtain her child’s records. She said that routine legal detours increase attorney fees and undermine trust between families and the district.

Both speakers warned against using Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) to replace specially designed instruction provided through an IEP. Hamlin said MTSS “cannot be used to replace or supplant specially designed instruction under the IDEA” and argued that exiting a child from an IEP removes procedural safeguards and measurable goals that protect students and parents.

District leaders acknowledged the concerns and said they were taking them seriously. Superintendent Dahlia Gattelmala and Dr. Goins (one of the presentation leads) repeatedly emphasized the district’s partnership with CAC, labor groups and the Riverside County Office of Education in responding to performance gaps. Gattelmala said the district is “moving in the right direction” and welcomed continued dialogue; Dr. Goins said the administration had compiled an initial plan and asked for board feedback.

Board members pressed staff for follow-up steps, including a suggested six‑month progress check and additional detail about staffing and timelines. Several members voiced concern that the special-education program is “lean” on staff, highlighting shortages of speech‑language pathologists and school psychologists and urging the district to move quickly to fill positions.

No formal board action was taken during the study session. Board President Nicola said staff would continue work on an implementation plan and the meeting closed after a routine motion to adjourn. The board is scheduled to meet next in regular session on Oct. 7.

What happens next: District staff told the board they will analyze the 82‑page School Services of California report, finalize staffing recommendations through executive cabinet and bring proposed actions back to the board; parents and CAC members said they expect both accountability and follow-up from the SELPA office.