EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14) — Parents and special education advocates claim that the Socorro School District’s special education department is understaffed and fear it will have a negative impact on students in the long run.
“We’re used to hearing a lot from the parents of the El Paso School District,” said Bonnie Perez, a mother and special education advocate. “But now it’s the Socorro School District, and it’s heartbreaking.”
Perez said students with special needs are losing out, with some having to go without a certified special education teacher for up to two years.
A teachers’ union leader in the Socorro Independent School District said that when it comes to this staffing issue, SISD stands out from other school districts in the border area because of its large number of vacancies.
“They don’t have as many job openings as Socorro,” said Angelica Soto, president of the Socorro Education Association.
Soto said SISD has resorted to stopgap measures due to a shortage of full-time special education teachers.
“We are represented by substitute teachers for an extended period of time who are not certified and not highly qualified in this field,” Soto said.
SISD’s website lists at least 32 special education job openings, while a search of EPISD’s website only found seven. While this isn’t a complete picture of the whole thing, advocates are concerned about the impact this will have on students.
“In the long run, students will be affected,” Perez said.
The grandmother of a special education student at SISD said her granddaughter had a substitute teacher for an extended period of time several years ago. She said it devastated her granddaughter. Even after changing schools and getting a full-time teacher, she worries about the staffing situation.
“There is a shortage of special education teachers,” said Frances, who declined to give her last name. “There is a shortage of special education teachers. I don’t know how many children there are at this school, but I think there should be more than just one, more than just two.”
SISD, EPISD and YISD did not immediately respond to our questions.
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