TARGET: Wake County Board of Education

Wake County Public School System is planning to cut approximately 130 Special Education (SPED) teachers from our schools. We, the students, parents, and community members of Wake County, are calling on the Board of Education to reverse this decision immediately.

SPED teachers do not simply fill a position — they are essential supports for thousands of students with learning differences, physical disabilities, and developmental needs. These educators build trust with students who often struggle to connect with the traditional school environment. Cutting them is not a budget solution. It is an abandonment of our most vulnerable students.

The argument that Wake County "cannot afford" these teachers does not hold up when students' legal rights and educational access are on the line. Under federal law, students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) are entitled to appropriate support. Removing the teachers who deliver that support puts the district in direct conflict with those obligations.

We are asking the Wake County Board of Education to:

Immediately halt all planned SPED teacher cuts
Hold a public forum where students, parents, and educators can speak directly to the board
Present a transparent alternative budget plan that does not come at the expense of special education
Prioritize the needs of students with disabilities in all future budget decisions
These students deserve advocates. These teachers deserve job security. And this community deserves better from its school board.

Sign this petition. Share it. Make noise. The board needs to hear from all of us.

#WakeUpWCPSS