San Diego Unified leaders will head to Sacramento Wednesday to meet with state leaders and push for investments in special education.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Leaders from the San Diego Unified School District will travel to Sacramento Wednesday to meet with state leaders and push for investments in special education, the district said.

The district said the superintendent and Board of Education vice president plan to advocate for increased funding to support students with disabilities, as well as behavioral supports and early intervention efforts in classrooms, specifically for Transitional Kindergarten through third grade. They will also oppose proposals that would withhold $5.6 billion from schools under Proposition 98, California’s primary funding mechanism for K-12 education, according to San Diego Unified. 

“The investments we are advocating for will contribute to the development of early intervention efforts and ensure that every child has the support they need to succeed,” said Superintendent Fabi Bagula, Ph.D. “By investing in professional development for educators and building a system of tiered supports, we can ensure that every child has the opportunity to thrive with the appropriate and necessary support, so that special education remains one of several thoughtfully applied supports.”

San Diego Unified said it has a vision to build a tiered support system, and that earlier, targeted intervention with behavioral and emotional support could make a difference for students. The district proposes appropriating $250 million from Proposition 98 to implement the plan. Some of the funding would go toward equipping teachers with more tools and strategies to address the diverse needs of students, the district said in a press release. The district said IEP referrals will only be made when initial interventions have proven insufficient.

The push for increased funding precedes a planned teacher strike scheduled for February 26. The one-day strike, scheduled for a Thursday, is the San Diego Educator Association standing in solidarity with the California Teachers’ Association as it seeks an increase in educator pay and benefits. SDEA is asking for a raise (the district has proposed no raise for the 2025-26 school year and a raise next year contingent on state and federal funding) and better pay and protections for special education teachers, among other issues.

San Diego Unified said it is honoring the strike and closing schools for the day. The makeup date for classes will be on March 9.

Superintendent Bagula said the district would continue to work in good faith with the union, but that compromise was being left on the table.

“Our educators are among the highest paid in the region, receive comprehensive benefits fully funded by the district, and work in classrooms with some of the lowest class size ratios in the region,” she said. “We have put concrete solutions on the table that remain under consideration, and we remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching an agreement that keeps students at the center.”

According to Bagula, SDUSD’s salaries are 10% higher than the state average, and special education teacher caseloads are less than the state maximum.