Moreno Valley school board votes to close special needs school despite some parents' concerns

MORENO VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- For more than two decades, Alessandro School in Moreno Valley has served as a specialized campus for students with emotional and behavioral needs.

But last week, the Moreno Valley Unified School District board voted 3-2 to close the school -- a move that has sparked concern and frustration among parents and caregivers.

Gayle Shrader, whose grandson attends Alessandro, called the campus a "safe haven" after years of behavioral challenges at a traditional elementary school in third grade.

"He has made friends here he didn't have friends at his old school," said Shrader. "His friends were his bullies because they got bullied, if they didn't join the bullies. Here, he's accepted."

The district said the decision to close Alessandro aligns with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which mandates that students with disabilities be educated in the least restrictive environment. Officials said the change will allow students to be integrated into special day classrooms located on general education campuses, with appropriate behavioral and emotional supports in place.

"All of the support services, staff -- everything we can possibly take from Alessandro, we're going to pick that right up and put it right back into the new classroom," said Jason Ramirez, executive director of the district's Special Education Local Plan Area (SELPA) during Tuesday's school board meeting.

Superintendent Alejandro Ruvalcaba said the decision also supports the state's performance indicators for special education, which discourages placements in separate schools when not necessary.

But some families argue that Alessandro already offered the inclusion and structure their children needed and fear the transition could unravel that progress.

"They are putting theses kids back on the campuses that have already sent them away because they can't deal with their problems," Shrader said.

Shrader also said parents were given minimal notice about the board's vote and only saw the transition plan for the first time during Tuesday's public meeting.

In response to Eyewitness News, the district said a meeting held during spring break with parents of Alessandro. Additionally, there was a special study session on May 7 at Alessandro, which Shrader confirmed but said parents were told about it on the day of the meeting. The district said parents were also informed that there would be a presentation to the board on May 27.

During that school board meeting, Ruvalcaba said, "based on board direction it would be inappropriate for us to present a plan to the community that hasn't been presented to the board and vetted by them first."

Even so, school board member Johanna Leiva expressed concern over the limited parent input during the process.

"I would like to hear from the parents, too. Their opinion about what is being presented, before I make a decision," Leiva said during the meeting.

Despite the concerns, the closure was approved. Shrader said she's now considering homeschooling her grandson.

"If this school is gone on this campus, he will not go," she said.

The district said it will continue working with families through Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams to ensure students receive necessary services during the transition. Supports will include behavior-trained aides, mental health services, and specialized facilities at traditional school sites.

Still, for families like Shrader's, the closure of Alessandro isn't just about moving classrooms, it's about losing the one place their child felt safe enough to thrive and be themselves among their peers.