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Teachers and specialists warn of special-education cuts and lost assistive-technology lab
Summary
Special-education teachers and program specialists told the board that staffing reductions have left the district short multiple specialists and over-cap caseloads; staff pleaded for immediate action to restore directors, nurses and program specialists and to find space for the assistive-technology lab used by students with complex needs.
Multiple employees and family members urged the Pajaro Valley Unified School District Board on Oct. 8 to reverse reductions in special-education staffing and to preserve the district—s assistive-technology resource lab.
Eileen Shay, an adaptive physical-education specialist, said the district now employs only four program specialists to serve nearly 3,000 special-education students and that caseload caps were regularly exceeded. She told trustees that teachers are unsupported, psychologists and nurses are understaffed, and that recent retirements had not been adequately replaced.
Lindsey Kent, a speech therapist, explained that the district—s assistive-technology and augmentative alternative communication (AAC) resource lab—which holds expensive, highly specialized lending equipment for 200 students across about 30 schools—had been dismantled with three days notice. Kent said materials were being relocated to a cramped classroom and offsite storage, which she warned would degrade services and risk damage or loss of items purchased with specialist grant funding.
Shannon McCord and other specialists urged immediate action to restore support structures and filled roles in the special-services department; speakers said cuts risk violating federal requirements that students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education under IDEA.
At least one board member said they supported approving the SELPA plan while undertaking a critical review of special-education practices and reassignments. Trustees asked staff for further details on staffing changes and for an analysis that would be shared with the public; the SELPA plan was ratified for the record and will be revisited as staff returns details to the board.
No budget reallocations were adopted at the meeting; staff and trustees agreed to follow up with written reports on how vacancies and lab relocations will be handled and whether equipment will remain available for student use.
