Parents and teachers urge Newark Unified board to pause plan to relocate Kennedy special‑day classes

Dozens of parents, students and teachers pressed the Newark Unified School District board on June 10 to pause an administrative plan to relocate special day class (SDC) students from Kennedy Elementary, saying the move is being advanced without adequate planning or transparency.

Miss Parks, a parent who opened the public comment block, told the board the district is "attempting to relocate while lacking both the special education director and program specialist," and asked the board to "place an immediate pause on the proposed transfer of special education students from Kennedy Elementary." She warned that an abrupt change risks violating legal obligations and noted that "a single federal lawsuit or public or private placement can cost the district $75,000 to $150,000 a year," a fiscal risk she said was not accounted for.

Other speakers described the potential emotional and educational toll. A Kennedy student, Samantha Artiaga, told trustees she was "very sad" her twin brother’s class was being moved and said the students make their school "nicer and happier." Retired special education teacher Christina Bernald urged preserving the inclusive environment and keeping teachers and aides together, warning that larger SDC class sizes ‘‘can be overwhelming’’ for students who rely on consistent routines and relationships.

Teachers and advocates at the meeting said the proposal has been framed as a budget solution but lacks transparent enrollment and savings data. One parent asked for a clear breakdown of the claimed savings from eliminating three contractor-teacher positions and how newly identified students would be placed if SDC seats are reduced. Several commenters called on the board to place the proposed changes on a publicly noticed agenda item and to allow a formal vote only after a comprehensive written transition plan has been made available.

District leaders acknowledged community concerns and said staff would provide additional information. The superintendent thanked families for sharing concerns and said staff would try to address questions. The board later corrected an earlier closed-session procedural error and publicly approved two personnel appointments (see separate article), but several parents and teachers said that appointments and program decisions appeared to be moving forward without full stakeholder involvement.

The meeting record shows repeated calls for transparency, a written implementation plan including IEP fidelity on day one, enrollment data to justify consolidation, and assurances of staffing equity and credentials at receiving sites. Several attendees explicitly requested that the board use its governance authority to pause implementation until those materials are provided.

The board did not take formal action to adopt or reject the SDC relocation during the June 10 meeting; public commenters were told the item will return to the agenda next week. The board did vote on personnel and other agenda items during the meeting; community speakers said the district should not finalize program changes while families remain without a complete plan.