Special education teachers in Santa Clara County are at a tipping point following a recent round of layoffs — on top of massive cuts last year that left educators managing larger classes of students with serious medical and behavioral needs.
Due to declining enrollment, the Santa Clara County Office of Education plans to cut eight classes for preschoolers, the “medically fragile” and other special education students across six schools in the upcoming 2026-27 school year. That translates to about 31 layoffs, according to union leaders. Sources who spoke to San José Spotlight on condition of anonymity said the number could be higher as preliminary layoffs are planned in other departments, as well as at Walden West summer camp, which is closing temporarily for renovations.
Office of education representatives said the layoffs aren’t final and could be rescinded. The Board of Education is expected to vote on the layoffs in June when it adopts a budget for the next fiscal year.
Officials said they have already reversed the decision to eliminate a deaf and hard of hearing class at Oster Elementary School in San Jose, after talks between the agency and local school districts. Teachers say it’s a sliver of hope against troubling reports of student behavioral problems due to larger classes and fewer staff.
Sarah Gianocaro, an occupational therapist for preschoolers and transitional kindergarteners, has worked at the office of education for 20 years. One of her special ed preschool classes has seven students with significant medical diagnoses. Two students have full time nurses with them, and most need physical help to move in their seats and change in the restroom.
She said her classroom staff were so busy cleaning, changing, feeding and checking students’ medical devices on Wednesday that one student-assigned nurse helped with some educational activities, even though it’s not her responsibility.
“It was one of those days where despite the fact we technically had what should have been enough people — four staff in the classroom — there just wasn’t,” Gianocaro, who is also a union leader for SEIU 521’s Santa Clara County Office of Education chapter, told San José Spotlight. The union represents more than 1,400 teachers and other office of education staff.
Gianocaro said class sizes used to be smaller before last year’s layoffs of hundreds of educators serving low-income preschoolers, migrants and special education students. One of her classes with transitional kindergartners had three students last year, which she found easier to prevent student triggers that escalated to severe behavioral outbursts. This year, that class size doubled to six. She said students become distressed without enough one-on-one time, and their behavior can trigger other students.
“Now hours are spent putting out fires,” she said. “It’s been a full school year and we’re still seeing a lot of these behaviors — hitting their heads with their fists, etc. — that these kids did not have last year.”
Jennifer Gravem, spokesperson for the Santa Clara County Office of Education, said the cuts reflect continuously declining enrollment in special education — from 930 students to 706 — over the last three years. The office of education delivers services as a contracted provider, but student placement decisions are made by district‑led Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams.
As enrollment declines and some school districts elect to operate special education programs directly, Gravem said the office of education has to adjust.
“No student will be placed in an inappropriate or noncompliant educational setting,” Gravem told San José Spotlight. “Students will continue to receive services consistent with their IEPs, whether delivered by (the office of education) or by their home districts. Services are aligned to district demand and student enrollment, not reduced arbitrarily.”
Board President Victoria Chon declined to comment.
The Santa Clara County Office of Education is looking to close some preschool classes. File photo.
Special education programs
Special education is the largest fee-for-service program the office of education provides to 31 school districts across the county. It offers instructional programs divided into early education from birth to age 3, preschool, elementary, secondary and post-senior levels.
Michelle Oliver has been with the office of education since the late 1990s as an early childhood and special education teacher, and is now an intervention teacher. She got a layoff notice this year and plans to retire.
Oliver said she differs with her unionized colleagues and thinks some children should be served by their local school district. But she’s concerned about where preschool classes are being closed — and said some have already moved to the agency’s office building at Ridder Park Drive in San Jose. The preschool classes up for closure next year are at Anne Darling Elementary School and Marlatt Early Learning Center.
“I know there’s optics to it — it’s been beautifully remodeled as an early learning center — but these kids are going to school in an office building,” Oliver told San José Spotlight. “It doesn’t matter how pretty it is, there’s no playground and there’s no chance for inclusion. They’re going to keep those classes open and close the classes on normal school sites with continuity and access to peers. It makes no sense whatsoever.”
Officials did not respond to concerns about preschool classes moving to the Ridder Park location.
Riju Krishna, president of the Association of County Educators, said teachers always knew there would be additional cuts after last year’s layoffs, but the severity was unexpected.
Hundreds of teachers, parents and students have consistently shown up to protest cuts at Santa Clara County Board of Education meetings. Some union members — who asked for anonymity over fears of retaliation — are questioning the possibility of a strike. The Association of County Educators, which represents 257 teachers, has been working without a contract since last summer.
Krishna declined to say whether a strike is on the table.
“My hope is that (the office of education) will negotiate with us in good faith,” she told San José Spotlight.
Contact Brandon Pho at [email protected] or @brandonphooo on X.