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Teachers and staff tell Santa Maria-Bonita board: 'Our resource teachers are not okay' as budget and benefits concerns mount
Summary
Multiple special-education teachers, classified staff and union leaders urged the board to address heavy special-education workloads, high vendor turnover and proposed health-care premium increases, including an anonymously reported vote of no confidence at one site.
Scores of teachers, resource specialists and classified employees addressed the Santa Maria-Bonita School District board during public comment, urging immediate action on special-education staffing, employee retention, health benefits and budget priorities.
“Tiffany, our resource teachers are not okay,” said special-education teacher Tiffany Marquez, describing expanded duties, high turnover and the unsustainability of current caseloads. “We are not consistently able to hire and keep the highly qualified educators our students deserve.”
Amy Dolan, a 27-year teacher, said the district’s inclusion model is straining staff and students. “The current model of inclusion is not working,” she told the board, describing classrooms where one teacher is performing multiple full-time roles and where aides and vendor staff cycle in and out.
Multiple speakers also highlighted benefit changes under discussion. Lauren Castanos, an education specialist undergoing cancer treatment, described the potential impact of premium increases. “That $300 is not insignificant. That's groceries, gas, transportation to and from appointments,” she said, urging the board to avoid passing costs to employees at a time of personal health crises.
Speakers raised budget-allocation questions tied to a county waiver that allows districts to fall below the statutory 60% requirement for classroom instruction. Jonathan Bier, a long-serving teacher, told the board the district is spending roughly 53% on classroom instruction under a county waiver and estimated that amounts to about $21 million not directed to classroom instruction this year. He urged the district to prioritize classroom funding and reconsider the waiver in future budgets.
Board members acknowledged the concerns and said staff will continue to review recruitment, benefits options, and workload data. Several association presidents also urged formal collaboration with district leadership on co-creation and consultation processes.
What’s next: District staff indicated follow-up with associations and plans to review staffing ratios, special-education caseloads and benefits impacts during upcoming budget and collective-bargaining cycles. No formal board action on these matters was taken at the meeting; the public comments were entered for the record.
