A strike in the San Diego Unified School District, which stemmed from a lack of support for teachers and their students with disabilities requiring specialized education, was canceled. Scheduled for Feb. 26, schools were in session, as the district promised to provide the support needed.
On Jan. 8, Fabi Bagula, the district superintendent, announced on the SDUSD website that schools within the district would be closed the day of the strike, but the missed day would be made up on March 9, which was a scheduled off-day.
“Families should begin to find alternative arrangements for their children for February 26th,” the announcement said. “There will be no classroom instruction, and before/after school programs won’t be operating.”
Gina Caparell, a teacher at Grant K-8, a school within the SDUSD, participated in a strike in 1996 due to not receiving a desired raise. Caparell said that compared to that strike, this one felt more like a demonstration, rather than a hope of a new negotiated contract.
According to Caparell, the contract says there is a limit to how many students with IEPs (Individualized Education Program), who need accommodations to help them succeed in the general education curriculum, can be in a classroom compared to the number of specialized teachers. A student with an IEP could receive services like a specialized academic instructor and assistive technology.
“We’re telling [the SDUSD] they need to abide by the contract that is already there, and they’re not doing — they’re not following through. They’re not abiding by it,” Caparell said.
Caparell said a reason for the strike was that teachers weren’t receiving compensation for the unfairness they reported after receiving more students in their classrooms without more teacher assistance, which was supposed to happen, according to their contract.
“When kids test in and get IEPs, that is a legal document, and they are supposed to get services,” Caparell said.
For example, having a group of eight students with IEPs in a classroom with only one teacher aide and one teacher, a smaller ratio doesn’t necessarily mean the needs of the students with IEPs are being met, Caparell said.
“And when you are overloaded with IEPs, you have more meetings; you have more paperwork; you have more of everything,” Caparell said.
Anne Anthony, a teacher at Grant K-8 and the elected San Diego Education Association representative at Grant K-8, said that the strike meant bringing more attention to the lack of support for students with IEPs.
“In our current environment where money and power make decisions, override our laws, kidnap and deport citizens and non-citizens alike, this strike is a tangible reminder of what democracy looks like,” Anthony said in an email interview.
Bella Harvey, a PLNU alumna, graduated in the spring of 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies for elementary education. She said that through her field work, she noticed a need for more teacher aides in schools to help support students with disabilities.
“I think this is an important issue because special education teachers work very hard and have a role that requires greater responsibility, specialized expertise, and emotional labor than many other teaching positions,” Harvey said in an email interview.
On Feb. 13, another announcement was posted on the SDUSD website, stating that an agreement was reached that schools within the district would be in session on Feb. 26 and the district would provide better support, along with more time for case management and collaboration with families for students with IEPs.
“These agreements will help us develop more stable, supportive learning environments where every student thrives, and are an important step towards the development of a robust continuum of services for each and every child,” the announcement read. “We are grateful for our educators’ continued service to our students, families, and school communities.”
Adee Tulcan 
Grace Chaves