Juneau School District violated special education program requirements, state investigation finds
- Mark Sabbatini
- 3 hours ago
- 4 min read
Complaint filed by parent after autistic son goes missing from playground, supervised by a substitute teacher without required qualifications
By Mark Sabbatini
Juneau Independent
The Juneau School District violated state and federal laws by failing to properly supervise an autistic student who went missing from a playground last December, according to a report published last week by the state, which has previously found other deficiencies with the district’s student services programs.
The March 11 report by the Alaska Department of Education and Early Development also found the district acted illegally by having a substitute teacher without required credentials fill in for a licensed special education teacher who took a leave of absence last November. The findings come after the department found late last year the district failed to properly provide occupational therapy services to some students during the 2024-25 school year.
The parent filing the more recent complaint, Christine Johnson, said in an interview Wednesday she hasn’t allowed her 4-year-old son to return to the preschool program he was at when the playground incident occurred. She said there are underlying issues with the district’s special education services, and she has struggled getting administrators and school board members to respond to them without intervention by the state.
"I think that more than the individual specific case I think we're trying to illustrate that there's been a lack of action after a serious safety incident on the district and the school board's side of trying to put systems into place and ensure that student safety is the priority," she said.
Kristin Bartlett, the district’s chief of staff, stated in an email to the Juneau Independent on Wednesday that federal confidentiality laws prevent discussion of specific students and cases.
"The district views every report as an opportunity for growth and improvement," she wrote. "For several years, the district had not had a consistent director of student services and has been working hard to strengthen systems, supports, and accountability for all schools, teachers, and staff in the district and to ensure compliance systemwide."
School district leaders have been struggling with budget and personnel shortfalls in recent years, with special needs programs among areas of particular concern. Of 76 vacancies listed at the district’s jobs website on Wednesday, special education is the dominant category with 25 open positions — although most are for the coming school year that begins in August.
District administrators last May announced a restructuring of their special education program to address overcrowding and safety concerns.
Britteny Cioni-Haywood, president of the Juneau Board of Education, stated in an email Wednesday to the Juneau Independent that "the goal is to have 100% compliance, but that doesn't always happen and this report is the outcome when it doesn't happen."
"I trust the district will work within the structure of the process to make the needed corrective actions," she added.
The state’s report was issued the same week that Jason DeCamillis submitted his resignation as the district’s student services director, whose duties include overseeing the special education program. He told KTOO this week he is resigning as of June 30 to “pursue other professional opportunities.” He did not directly respond to inquiries from the Juneau Independent on Wednesday about whether his departure has any connection to the state’s special education findings, with Bartlett addressing the question in her response.
"Before painting with a very broad brush, it’s important to note that the district has almost 900 special education students and four complaint investigations this school year (approximately 0.4%)," she wrote. "Dr. DeCamillis is the first Director of Student Services to stay in the position for more than a year in over five years. He has a highly in-demand skill set, and his departure is a personal professional decision."
Johnson’s son was among the students in the district eligible for special education and related services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). As part of his enrollment, an individualized education program (IEP) was developed in April 2025 that “requires special education trained staff and supervision in a ratio of 1 adult to 3 children (no more than three intensive students in a group) throughout his school day," according to the state education department report.
In November 2025 a special education teacher assigned to the student’s classroom began a leave of absence, with a substitute teacher without a special education license filling in for a period of 19 school days leading up to early December, according to the report.
"On December 2, 2025, the student eloped from the playground area at dismissal time and was found outside the fenced playground area after several minutes of searching by parent and staff," the report states. "The paraeducator who knew the student had been called away to work with another student and it was unclear who was assigned to supervise the student at dismissal time."
An investigator subsequently determined there was "no documentation available regarding which adults were assigned to supervise each of the students," according to the report.
Johnson said while her son was only missing for minutes, the danger he was exposed to was greatly heightened due to his disability.
"Part of the seriousness of it is that he doesn't have communication skills, he doesn't answer to his name and he has no awareness of safety," she said.
A list of seven corrective actions the district needs to take, including submitting supervision plans for special education students as well as "compensatory education services" that will be provided to Johnson’s son, are also detailed. The first actions need to be completed by April 15 of this year and the compensatory service completed by June 15, 2027.
Meanwhile the state’s report also notes a long-term special education teacher was hired on Feb. 9. Johnson said she plans to keep her son out of the district’s program until the scheduled return of a regular staff member from medical leave in April since that "is ultimately this situation that got us here in the first place."
"I mean life is normal, where he's going to hang out with me and his little sister, and we're going to do all the things we have since he's been out of school. We’ve put him back into private therapy so that he doesn't fall behind, but that's at our expense and on our time. And then I think he's just going to live the life of a 4-year-old and hang out."
• Contact Mark Sabbatini at editor@juneauindependent.com or (907) 957-2306.
