Community speakers urge Elk Grove USD to preserve counselors, social workers, AVID coaches and special education staffing as temporary funds end

Dozens of parents, educators and union representatives urged the Elk Grove Unified School District board on Aug. 27 to protect student support services and frontline staff as temporary funding sunsets.

At the start of a public-comment period that included more than 40 speakers, several parents and educators described what they called a “crisis” in special education: vacancies, revolving substitutes and non‑qualified staff filling roles meant for paraeducators. “Students who need consistent trained support are instead experiencing constant disruption,” said Amanda Scott, who spoke on behalf of students with disabilities and their families. “Their learning is interrupted, their safety is compromised, and their dignity is diminished.”

Counselors and social workers across grade levels told the board that positions created with one‑time grants have demonstrable effects on student outcomes and school climate but are slated to expire. Evette Jackson, an elementary counselor, outlined the scope of counselor work — short‑term counseling, crisis response and classroom lessons — and warned that ending funding would reduce access to mental‑health supports. Multiple secondary and elementary counselors said added positions had reduced caseloads (one speaker cited a drop from about 500:1 to about 350:1) and increased access to interventions, small‑group counseling and dual‑enrollment opportunities.

School social workers and counselors emphasized preventive work. “We identify students in crisis, connect families with community resources and deescalate conflicts before they become disruptions,” said Tori Sie, a social worker. Speakers representing school‑based mental‑health programs pointed to data and local academic gains tied to those services and asked the board to convert temporary roles into permanent funding lines.

AVID teachers, site coordinators and recent AVID graduates urged the board to keep district AVID coaches that train teachers and sustain schoolwide implementation. “If you take away our AVID team, we would not only be removing our talented educators, you would also be taking away opportunity, mentorship, and help from students,” said Karini Garcia, AVID coordinator at Toby Johnson Middle School.

Several union leaders and classified employees used their one minute to press for improved pay and benefits. Transportation staff, bus drivers and mechanics described recruitment and retention pressures and compared local wages to neighboring districts. “We carry about 10,000 children daily,” said Sylvia Lopez Garcia, pointing to long routes and low starting pay; other speakers urged the board to address increasing family‑health premiums and rising out‑of‑pocket costs.

Trade and construction union speakers asked the district to consider community workforce training agreements or project labor agreements for upcoming construction projects, arguing such agreements increase local hiring and project performance. Supporters and some educators also said PLAs create career pathways for students who do not follow a four‑year college path.

Board members did not take action on the public comments during the meeting but several trustees acknowledged the concerns and said administration would respond to specific inquiries. “If anybody brought up anything specific the administration will be responding to those and will reach out individually,” the board president said at the close of public comment.

What happens next: Many of the positions criticized in public comment are funded by multi‑year or grant sources that expire after the current fiscal year. Speakers urged the board to prioritize recruitment, retention and budget planning during the district’s pending reviews of one‑time funds and the upcoming June 2026 budgeting cycle.

Ending note: The board received the comments during its public‑comment period and did not vote on staffing changes that evening; administration committed to follow up with commenters.