Students, parents press Elizabeth board on testing stress and IEP access

During the April 23 public‑comment period at the Elizabeth Board of Education meeting, students and parents pressed the board on testing, language access and alleged IEP noncompliance.

Student speaker Bianca Gambetta told the board that recent months have been "nothing but testing," citing benchmarks and SATs and urging changes to final‑exam policies to reduce student stress. "We're all mentally and physically exhausted," Gambetta said, and she added she was representing "more than 320 students." She referenced a bill that would remove state testing as a graduation requirement while asking the board to consider local policies that reduce high‑stakes tests.

Parent Maria Lorenzo criticized the board’s handling of language access, saying Spanish‑speaking parents lacked reliable interpreters at a prior meeting and that sign‑in forms previously included a column to request interpreters. "That is a fault on all of you that sit there and pretend to care about this community," Lorenzo told the board. She also alleged repeated IEP violations affecting her child and said she has filed state complaints in the past. Lorenzo said one child died and that matter is under criminal investigation; she accused the district of "pivoting and diverting" responsibility when the trigger for the matter, she said, was an IEP that was not followed.

The public comment period closed after the speakers finished. The district did not debate individual allegations during the meeting; the transcript notes the district’s statement that it "cannot comment further" on matters under criminal investigation. No board action addressing the specific claims was recorded at the meeting.

The speakers’ remarks are part of the public record provided to the board; the board and administration reiterated their broader commitment to special education supports and to engaging parents and stakeholders in policy and program decisions.