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Director highlights inclusion gains, flags disproportionality; parents and teachers warn of cuts
Summary
Director Dr. James Adams reported progress on inclusive preschool and compliance but said the district is addressing disproportionate identification of Hispanic students for specific learning disabilities; teachers and parents urged the board not to cut key EL or counseling positions. The board appointed Cynthia Price as the new director of special education.
Dr. James Adams, director of special education, gave an annual update describing the district’s special education population (roughly 783–800 students) and a staffing complement of about 178 staff supporting those students. Adams emphasized inclusion and preschool mainstreaming advances, described a recent Supporting Inclusive Practices (SIP) grant and said the district was working to transition children into TK and kindergarten with stronger supports.
Adams said the district has identified two areas of concern this year: a disproportionate representation of Hispanic students classified with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and higher‑than‑expected suspension rates for Hispanic students. "We looked at the data with the county office of education and saw Hispanic students are appearing more than expected in SLD eligibility," Adams said, and the district will pursue root‑cause analysis and strengthen tier‑1 and tier‑2 interventions to reduce later special‑education referrals.
During public comment, George Washington SDC teacher Deanna Menddees warned that proposed eliminations — including a TIG teacher position and reductions to a school counselor — would disproportionally harm small Title I and SDC‑serving schools. "Many of our students come to us with no English at all... This is unacceptable," Menddees said, urging the board to reconsider rolling multiple cuts into the same year. Parent Ramundo Biaga expressed similar concerns about larger combined classes undermining mainstreaming benefits for his son.
The board approved an administrative appointment for Cynthia Price as director of special education, effective July 1, 2025. After the board motion passed, Price thanked the board and her family for the opportunity to serve.
Adams and trustees discussed systemic funding issues for special education and the possibility of a board resolution to advocate for increased IDEA funding at the state and federal level; Dr. Adams recommended screening (including dyslexia screening) and earlier intervention to reduce wait‑to‑fail outcomes.
Next steps: the district will continue root‑cause work on disproportionality, implement SIP grant activities to expand inclusion, and coordinate with the superintendent’s advisory committee on budget implications for special education staffing.
