San Mateo Union High School District plans to move the Bay Academy classrooms that operate at Burlingame High School to Mills and Hillsdale next school year, parents say. Families of about 25 students say they were notified by phone during spring break on April 1 that their students would be relocated. The timing, paired with what families describe as sparse follow-up information, has sparked a flurry of emails and vows of pointed public comment at the district board meeting on April 16.
District frames move as program consolidation
District officials say the move is meant to pull the program together, not blow it up. The change, they argue, is intended to strengthen program coherence, increase access to services and give students more course and vocational options across larger Bay Academy sites. Bay Academy is the district program for students with intensive educational support needs and, per the district, is housed at Burlingame, Hillsdale and Mills campuses. According to the San Mateo Union High School District, Bay Academy emphasizes life and social skills, functional academics and work-oriented experiences alongside access to general-education electives.
Parents say the change was abrupt and damaging
Parents told reporters they first learned of the relocation through phone messages left over spring break and that they were not consulted before the decision was made. “Basically, with a simple phone call, my son’s future that we had planned for him is destroyed,” one parent said in an interview with the San Mateo Daily Journal. Other families argued that moving special-needs students away from their neighborhood campus would cost them peer friendships, Best Buddies relationships and the daily routines they worked months to build.
Board meeting and district assurances
Superintendent Randall Booker told the San Mateo Daily Journal the relocation was planned in February as a student-centric decision aimed at creating more robust, connected program sites and that teachers and instructional aides are generally moving alongside students. Many parents, alumni and community members sent emails to the district raising concerns, and several planned to speak during the Board of Trustees meeting on April 16. Board President Teri Chavez told the San Mateo Daily Journal she looks forward to hearing community concerns and exploring alternatives where possible.
What the law says
Federal and state special-education rules require districts to provide parents with notice of procedural safeguards and to involve families in decisions that affect placement and services. The California Department of Education notes that the Notice of Procedural Safeguards must be provided at key points and outlines options, including IEP meetings, mediation and state complaints, when parents disagree with district actions. Parents in Burlingame say they are weighing their options as they press the district for clearer timelines and individualized transition plans.
Next steps for families and the district
Parents say they want detailed transition plans that spell out transportation, continuity of staff, access to electives and the supports their students rely on. The district says it will continue outreach to affected families. Families who remain concerned can request an IEP meeting, review the district’s prior written notices and contact the district special-education office or the CDE Procedural Safeguards unit for guidance. Trustees have limited ability to respond during public comment, but several parents said they will keep pushing for alternatives or compromises at upcoming meetings.
