To the Granite School District Board of Education and District Leadership:
We are parents and community members writing with urgent concerns about planned reductions to special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and essential services. These supports make school accessible for students with disabilities and ensure meaningful progress. Reducing them causes immediate harm to students, teachers, and school communities and creates potential legal liability for the district.
We are especially concerned that these cuts stem from an administrative undercount of roughly 1,000 special education students. Because the students were not accurately reported, the district failed to draw down the federal funds required to serve them. Students with disabilities should not bear the consequences of administrative errors.
The planned reductions also risk violating federal law. Administrators have stated that Granite can still meet its obligations under FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) with fewer staff and fewer resources. Yet FAPE requires that each student receive the exact minutes of special education and related services outlined in their IEP. Cutting staff jeopardizes the district’s ability to meet these legally mandated minutes.
Before making cuts of this scale, the district must conduct a full audit of current IEPs, including required service minutes, available providers, and the time special education teachers need for oversight and case management. Without this data, it is unclear whether Granite can meet its legal obligations, creating a significant risk of costly compensatory services in the future.
We also urge the district to exhaust all other options to address the budget shortfall. This includes working with the Utah State Board of Education to seek reimbursement for the 1,000 unreported students. Additionally, Granite holds a substantial balance in the Public Treasurer’s Investment Fund—approximately $352 million as of June 30, 2024. The district should evaluate whether a portion of these reserves can stabilize the special education budget rather than shifting the burden onto children and educators.
We respectfully ask the Board to ensure responsible stewardship of public funds, restore special education staffing and services, use available reserves to protect essential supports, and base decisions on accurate IEP‑driven data. We also request transparency about how this situation occurred and how it will be prevented in the future. Most importantly, we urge the district to resolve this well before the 2026–2027 school year so students, families, and staff can begin the year with stability and confidence.
Our children deserve consistent access to the services that allow them to learn, grow, and succeed. We ask you to act swiftly and responsibly to ensure Granite School District remains a place where every student is supported.
Sincerely,
Parents and Community Members of Granite School District
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
June 20, 2026
Reached 250 supporters
June 17, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
June 17, 2026
323 Comments
Early intervention ends at age 3, then the responsibility shifts to the school district, who care for children into adulthood. This support is necessary to integrate our children—ALL of our children—into society
I tutor reading to special ed students and they need more support, not support taken away. Child first and always!
My child is in the special education programs. It is absurd that they want to cut staff personally working with the children when the Granite superintendent is making $255,000+ annually. More focus needs to be placed on our children in these programs in order to ensure a better future instead of trying to save a dime cutting the staff who does the heavy lifting in schools. These children should not be left behind.
My son has benefitted from this program, and I want future students and current students not yet identified as needing special education to have this available to them.
Special education deserves enough priority to avoid budget cuts.
We have a child in preschool who may need these types of services and once they are cut they will never come back..,
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZscgXwETLw/
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To the Granite School District Board of Education and District Leadership:
We are parents and community members writing with urgent concerns about planned reductions to special education teachers, paraprofessionals, and essential services. These supports make school accessible for students with disabilities and ensure meaningful progress. Reducing them causes immediate harm to students, teachers, and school communities and creates potential legal liability for the district.
We are especially concerned that these cuts stem from an administrative undercount of roughly 1,000 special education students. Because the students were not accurately reported, the district failed to draw down the federal funds required to serve them. Students with disabilities should not bear the consequences of administrative errors.
The planned reductions also risk violating federal law. Administrators have stated that Granite can still meet its obligations under FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education) with fewer staff and fewer resources. Yet FAPE requires that each student receive the exact minutes of special education and related services outlined in their IEP. Cutting staff jeopardizes the district’s ability to meet these legally mandated minutes.
Before making cuts of this scale, the district must conduct a full audit of current IEPs, including required service minutes, available providers, and the time special education teachers need for oversight and case management. Without this data, it is unclear whether Granite can meet its legal obligations, creating a significant risk of costly compensatory services in the future.
We also urge the district to exhaust all other options to address the budget shortfall. This includes working with the Utah State Board of Education to seek reimbursement for the 1,000 unreported students. Additionally, Granite holds a substantial balance in the Public Treasurer’s Investment Fund—approximately $352 million as of June 30, 2024. The district should evaluate whether a portion of these reserves can stabilize the special education budget rather than shifting the burden onto children and educators.
We respectfully ask the Board to ensure responsible stewardship of public funds, restore special education staffing and services, use available reserves to protect essential supports, and base decisions on accurate IEP‑driven data. We also request transparency about how this situation occurred and how it will be prevented in the future. Most importantly, we urge the district to resolve this well before the 2026–2027 school year so students, families, and staff can begin the year with stability and confidence.
Our children deserve consistent access to the services that allow them to learn, grow, and succeed. We ask you to act swiftly and responsibly to ensure Granite School District remains a place where every student is supported.
Sincerely,
Parents and Community Members of Granite School District
Updates
Reached 500 supporters
June 20, 2026
Reached 250 supporters
June 17, 2026
Reached 100 supporters
June 17, 2026
323 Comments
I worked in the education system. I know firsthand how overworked and under appreciated sp ed personnel are. I also have grandchildren currently receiving sp ed services.
Early intervention ends at age 3, then the responsibility shifts to the school district, who care for children into adulthood. This support is necessary to integrate our children—ALL of our children—into society
I tutor reading to special ed students and they need more support, not support taken away. Child first and always!
My child is in the special education programs. It is absurd that they want to cut staff personally working with the children when the Granite superintendent is making $255,000+ annually. More focus needs to be placed on our children in these programs in order to ensure a better future instead of trying to save a dime cutting the staff who does the heavy lifting in schools. These children should not be left behind.
My son has benefitted from this program, and I want future students and current students not yet identified as needing special education to have this available to them.
Special education deserves enough priority to avoid budget cuts.
We have a child in preschool who may need these types of services and once they are cut they will never come back..,
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZscgXwETLw/
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I worked in the education system. I know firsthand how overworked and under appreciated sp ed personnel are. I also have grandchildren currently receiving sp ed services.