Middleboro School Committee, parents share concern over special education understaffing

MIDDLEBORO — Several special education staff in the Middleboro school district have taken leave or resigned since the spring, leaving some classrooms without certified special education teachers. 

Middleboro School Committee members and parents addressed concerns over this recent loss, and how to resolve the issue, at the committee’s Sept. 25 meeting. 

According to the district’s profile on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website, nearly 550 Middleboro students rely on special education teachers for at least part of the school day. 

While many spend the majority of the day in general education classrooms with additional support, over 150 spend a significant part of the day in a separate special education classroom. 

Michael Perrone, the district’s interim superintendent, said the school is working to fill these positions but a shortage of certified teachers across the state has made this difficult. 

He also said the roles left open by teachers on leave have been particularly difficult to fill, as the positions are not appealing to  certified teachers with many available options. 

“We’re trying to fill a long-term sub in a field that is already extremely difficult to get candidates in,” Perrone said. “The long-term leaves are just not attractive to someone who has the full experience and certifications.”

One solution Perrone pointed to was applying for waivers with the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education that allow uncertified teachers to work at the school when certified ones can’t be hired. 

To obtain one, the school must tell the department how many people applied for the role and what the selected applicant’s qualifications are. 

He said this was helpful in the recent hire of a teacher who had just graduated and had not yet obtained her certification — especially because she was the only applicant. 

Several parents who attended the meeting expressed their concern over these staffing shortages. 

Sarah Zigouras said she wanted to know why so many special education teachers have left the district, and asked the committee to add a discussion about exit interviews to the next agenda. 

The request was due to her frustration over what she said was a lack of communication from the district and the school committee. 

She also said she was concerned the district is using waivers to comply with state law, but not prioritizing the impact these decisions will have on students. 

“Maybe you’re covering the laws, but the kids are the ones that are suffering because of it, and I don’t think that’s OK,” Zigouras said. 

Bridget Kearns said she did not believe the committee was emphasizing the importance of the issue or treating it with the same level of concern they would if it was occurring in general education classes. 

“As somebody who works in special education, I am alarmed when our classrooms lack qualified teachers for our neediest kids,” Kearns said. “I’m not saying that [hiring] problem doesn’t exist, but we really need to hear the other side of that, that these students matter.”

Another parent, Kimberly Jones, has a high school-aged son who has been in special education classes since he was adopted at the age of five. She said his class has not had a certified special education teacher since April. 

The classroom also does not comply with departmental mandates for teacher-student ratios. While the state requires one teacher for every eight students, she said her son’s class has 11 students but one teacher. 

She said she has filed a formal complaint against the school for its noncompliance, and will take further action if the situation is not resolved. 

“I have a child who has been let down since day one, and I am fighting until I drop dead for this child,” Jones said.