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Parents and Evergreen staff urge board to restore para allocations and protect transition program supports
Summary
Multiple public commenters, including parents and Evergreen Transition Program staff, urged the Bellevue board to maintain one‑to‑one paraeducator support for students with significant disabilities and to avoid cuts that would jeopardize safety and IEP compliance.
During a lengthy public comment period the board heard repeated appeals to preserve paraeducator (PAR) staffing levels for the Evergreen Transition Program and other special‑education services.
Parent Brandon Berget described his daughter Claren’s progress after years in district programs and said, “Claren is a return on investment.” He urged the board to consider the lifelong gains students can make with consistent para support and asked the district not to reduce PARA staffing for transition students.
Evergreen Transition teacher Sally Eels presented district staffing projections she said would leave the program short. Eels said the program was told a proposed allocation of 26 paras for next year would not meet the minute‑by‑minute one‑to‑one IEP needs of an expected 71 students and that, by her calculation, staffing would qualify for 29 paras to meet IEP minutes. She warned the gap threatens student and staff safety and increases reliance on outside agency staff.
Several parents and family members reinforced that message with personal examples of life changes tied to the program; one parent said the transition program had given their child job skills and independence. Allison Woo, an online student speaker later in the public comment period, asked the board to consider how interfund loans and fee structures affect students with disabilities and access to legally required accommodations.
Board response: Directors listened and thanked speakers; no formal action was taken during the meeting. The public testimony sets a clear expectation from families and staff that special‑education para allocations be reviewed before final budget decisions are adopted.
