My family has directly benefited from the SDC Autism Program at John Kelley and neighboring schools for over 15 years. My eldest sons thrived through this program, and now my youngest, who is 4, is also successfully navigating it. But the Coachella Valley Unified School District plans to dismantle this vital resource due to a budget oversight. Their proposal is to place my young child, along with others, in classrooms with much older students, which is detrimental to their developmental needs.

For years, our specialized program has fostered an environment where children with autism can learn and grow at the pace that suits them. The current setup allows personalized attention, social interaction with peers at a similar developmental stage, and a curriculum tailored to their specific learning needs. In these classrooms, teachers understand autism's challenges and know how to address them effectively, which has greatly supported our children's success.

Director of Special Education, Robert Nichols, is soon leaving the district, and with his departure, it seems there's an abrupt push to restructure our program. But this program is too precious for swift decisions without true consideration of what it means for our children. The current approach should be preserved, not hastily altered, potentially setting back decades of dedicated work and successful outcomes.

This disruption not only threatens our children's educational progress but also disregards the well-being of families who have relied on this program. Autism programs are not mere line items in a budget to be altered without considering the profound impacts on young lives. We must hold the administration accountable for their fiscal errors without our children paying the price.

It's crucial to voice our community's concerns now, to halt any changes until there's a proper assessment of the current program's merits and the full implications of restructuring. Our district should be focusing on reinforcing what works – not dismantling it.

Please join me in urging the Coachella Valley Unified School District to preserve our SDC Autism Program as it stands and to explore the issue with a lens of empathy, dedication, and responsibility. Sign this petition to demand that our program remains untouched, allowing our children to continue thriving in an environment tailored to their unique needs.