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Parent tells Santa Maria‑Bonita board child’s IEP supports and door‑to‑door transportation were not provided at Camp Elevate
Summary
During public comment a parent said the district failed to provide promised door‑to‑door transportation and one‑to‑one assistance for her child’s IEP at Camp Elevate, naming staff she had contacted and saying she had to provide support herself on the first day.
A parent told the Santa Maria‑Bonita School District board during public comment that the district did not provide promised door‑to‑door transportation or one‑to‑one support for her child, who is covered by an individualized education program (IEP).
The parent said she received no information until June 8 about transportation related to Camp Elevate and that the IEP specifies door‑to‑door transportation and assistance moving between classes. "My son has an IEP… he is required to get door to door transportation," the speaker said, adding that staff told her they lacked personnel and that on June 16 "there was nobody to assist my student" at 9 a.m., forcing her to arrange and provide care herself.
She said she spoke with district staff members by name — Lydia Cardenas, Anna, Alfonso and Miriam — and relayed conflicting assurances. According to the speaker, one staffer told her there would be personnel on June 16; another said the district could not share private IEP details with all staff. The parent said she believes sharing relevant IEP safety information with staff is necessary: "With all due respect, I think that's really stupid… It is a question of safety."
Board members did not take formal action during the public‑comment period. The exchange ended with the parent asking whether she could return to speak again and noting the concern that students’ rights were being "stepped on." No board member offered a specific corrective timeline on the record; the superintendent and staff later continued with the meeting’s agenda.
Why it matters: IEP transportation and in‑class supports are individualized services tied to federally protected special education plans. Parents told the board that an agreed accommodation was not in place during a district summer program, raising questions about implementation and staff capacity.
What’s next: The parent requested follow‑up; board members and staff did not record a formal directive during the public comment segment. If the board or district follows up, they may address staffing for summer programs and how IEP information is communicated to appropriate staff.
