Parents and alumni urge Santa Ana Unified to restore Early Start DHH staff; superintendent says program not closing

Dozens of parents, alumni and advocates told the Santa Ana Unified School District board that recent staffing adjustments threaten early-intervention services for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.

"The negligence and discriminatory acts cannot continue," said Ivonne Bogen, a Taft parent, who urged the board to ensure certified DHH teachers and credentialed specialists lead the program. She referenced Assembly Bill 1836 (education code provisions for DHH services) while saying district leadership had repeatedly placed unqualified administrators over the program.

Former Taft student Robbie Bogen told the board that the Early Start classroom was essential to his education and development. "If you guys close that class, you're denying education to other children that are like me," he said, describing how deaf role models and certified teachers helped him graduate and enroll in college.

Several speakers alleged that a teacher at the Mitchell early-childhood center had been removed without adequate parent notice, that enrollment counts for the program were inconsistent (parents cited 20+ students while the district reported 16), and that the district had not shared legal/compliance reviews required under Education Code section 56425.

Superintendent Dr. Cristian Perez responded after public comment: "The program is not closing." He acknowledged community concern and said staffing adjustments were being made districtwide in line with current enrollment: "There are staffing adjustments that are happening again in line with what we are expected to do ... but the program is not going away."

Janette Anderson, the district's executive director of special education, presented a detailed departmental overview later in the meeting and reiterated that Early Start remains part of the district's continuum of services. Anderson also provided fiscal context: the district's projected special education budget for 2026-27 is approximately $211 million, of which about 5% is projected from federal sources and roughly 19% from the state; the remainder is supported with local district resources.

Parents at the meeting asked for specific remedies: clear enrollment counts, timely and accessible family notification, assurances that DHH-certified teachers will be assigned where required by law, and explanations of any staffing or program design changes that could affect legal entitlements for infants and toddlers. District staff committed to smaller, focused meetings with families and to provide additional documentation and outreach.

What comes next: board members said they will meet with district staff this week to follow up, and staff said they will hold meetings with families and program staff to provide clarity about the staffing adjustments and to review any legal or fiscal analyses related to Early Start operations.