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Principals, union and CCAC warn board of special‑education staffing strains and workplace culture concerns
Summary
HCEA, principals and the Countywide Coordinating Committee on Access and Capacity (CCAC) told the board that special‑education caseloads and inconsistent implementation are causing staff burnout, service gaps for students with IEPs and alleged retaliation fears; they urged board endorsement and funding of a special‑education strategic plan.
Multiple groups representing educators and special‑education advocates presented a coordinated message to the Howard County Board of Education on April 30: student supports are improving in some areas, but staffing allocations, high caseloads and inconsistent implementation at the school level continue to undermine services to students with IEPs.
HCEA (speaker 39) described educator site visits in schools with low morale scores and relayed recurring themes: unmanageable workloads, inconsistent fidelity to IEPs, delays in special‑education services and fear of retaliation by staff who raise concerns. HCEA urged stronger central office responsiveness and timely support to building leaders.
A group of principals and HCASA representatives (speaker 35) said gains have been made—designation of instructional team leaders, revised onboarding and targeted training—but when staffing allocations do not match student need the continuum of special‑education services "collapses," they said. Principals urged the board to fully fund and endorse a district special‑education strategic plan focused on equitable access, consistent implementation and workforce capacity building.
The countywide CCAC panel (speaker 26/36) amplified concerns about leadership, accountability and HR capacity, urging the district to invest in personnel systems and to make special education a forethought rather than an afterthought. CCAC said it received an unusually high volume of community letters about Lake Elkhorn Middle School and said it has established a helpline for those who fear retaliation.
Superintendent Barnes acknowledged the concerns and said district leaders are committed to addressing culture and staffing; board members requested more detailed, school‑level examples and asked for the strategic plan and funding needs to be provided for budget deliberations.
What happens next: Principals and CCAC asked the board to endorse and fund the strategic plan; staff indicated the plan will be part of forthcoming budget discussions. No formal board vote was recorded on April 30.
