Education (Special Education)

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2557: Providing parental access to special education evaluation reports.

HB 2557 requires Washington school districts to provide parents of children in special education with written evaluation reports at least five school days before eligibility meetings, ensuring they can review the reports and prepare questions in advance. The bill sets a 35-school-day timeline for completing evaluations and delivering reports, with meetings scheduled no sooner than five days after report delivery. It mandates reports be provided in accessible written or electronic formats (not just during meetings) and allows parents to voluntarily waive the five-day review period in writing. Failure to provide reports on time without a waiver constitutes a procedural violation that could be considered in disputes over parental participation rights. The law directly affects parents, school districts, and the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, which must update guidance and rules to implement these requirements.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires schools to provide parents special education evaluation reports 5 days before meetings, enhancing parental involvement and access to educational decisions in K-12 special education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 23, 2026

SB 5969: Fulfilling high school and beyond plan requirements with individualized education program transition plans.

SB 5969 integrates high school transition planning with special education transition planning for students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). It requires Washington schools to use a single statewide online system for both IEPs and high school and beyond plans, eliminating duplicate paperwork. The system must include features like translation services, accessibility compliance, secure data sharing, and alignment with grade-level standards. This directly affects students with IEPs, school districts, and educators who will use the unified platform for planning, reducing administrative burden while ensuring transition plans meet both special education and career goals.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIntegrates IEP and transition planning into one system, reducing paperwork and improving accessibility for special education students - directly enhancing educational access and support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Special Education

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 29, 2026

SB 6125: Providing enrollment stabilization funding.

SB 6125 provides enrollment stabilization funding to Washington school districts, charter schools, and tribal schools if their state funding for the 2026-27 or 2027-28 school years drops below what it would have been using 2025-26 enrollment data. The bill requires the state superintendent to calculate and pay the difference (the "stabilization amount") when current funding falls short of projected funding based on prior enrollment. This funding covers all state education allocations, including general funding, special education, learning assistance, and career programs, but cannot be used to replace basic education funding. The program expires on July 1, 2028.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides stabilization funding to schools when state funding falls short, ensuring continued education budget stability and preventing defunding of public services.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationStabilizes school funding by compensating districts for enrollment-based shortfalls, ensuring consistent state education allocations without defunding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding Special Education

Track

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2534: Promoting educational stability for children of military families.

HB 2534 (Promoting educational stability for children of military families) helps military-connected children enroll in Washington schools more smoothly when their families relocate due to military orders. It allows schools to accept enrollment applications before the child arrives in Washington, using military orders as proof of relocation (e.g., transfers to WA or bordering states, deployments), and requires parents to provide documentation within 90 days. The bill ensures schools transfer special education plans (like IEPs or 504 plans) from previous states and provide comparable services without delay. This directly affects military families moving to Washington and public school districts handling their enrollments.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationStreamlines enrollment for military-connected students, improving access to K-12 education during relocations without barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 6268: Maintaining an online record of special education complaint decisions.

SB 6268 requires Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction to maintain a free, public online record of all final decisions from special education complaints. This record must be accessible to anyone online for 20 years after a complaint is resolved, including historical decisions if available. The bill directly affects parents, students with disabilities, and school districts by increasing transparency around special education dispute outcomes. It ensures that final complaint decisions - covering issues like service access or program eligibility - are publicly available without cost, supporting informed decisions and accountability.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases transparency in special education dispute outcomes, protecting students with disabilities and enhancing accountability in educational access per topic description.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 6277: Promoting educational stability for children of military families.

SB 6277 modifies Washington state school enrollment rules to help children of military families maintain educational stability during relocations. It allows schools to conditionally enroll students before arrival using temporary military housing addresses (like on-base lodging or leased housing) as proof of residency, and requires schools to accept special education plans from prior schools without delay. The law applies to students moving due to active duty orders, military exigencies, or transfers to military installations within Washington or bordering states. Schools must finalize enrollment once military orders and residency proof are provided, ensuring continuity for students with individualized education programs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves enrollment barriers for military children by allowing conditional enrollment with temporary addresses and ensuring special education plan acceptance, directly enhancing educational access and stability.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 15, 2026

SB 5858: Providing pupil transportation safety net funding for special passengers.

SB 5858 creates a new state funding program to cover extra transportation costs for school districts serving students with specific needs. It provides reimbursements for documented excess costs beyond regular transportation funding when serving three groups: students requiring transportation as part of their special education plan, homeless students under federal law, and foster youth. Districts must report these excess costs and the specific services causing them, and funding comes from state appropriations - not basic education funds. Charter and tribal schools are also eligible for these reimbursements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates new state funding program for school transportation costs, increasing government spending on public services for vulnerable students.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state funding for transportation costs serving special education, homeless, and foster youth students, directly advancing educational access and support for vulnerable populations.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationFunds school transportation costs for special needs students, homeless youth, and foster youth through state reimbursement program, directly advancing transportation services for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Funding School Transportation Special Education Transportation Funding

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1140: Establishing empowerED scholarships using educational savings accounts.

HB 1140 would create the empowerED scholarship program, allowing families to use state-funded educational savings accounts for options like private schools, homeschooling, or charter schools instead of being restricted to neighborhood public schools. It prioritizes students with special education needs, low-income families, and those in underperforming public schools. The bill shifts education funding from schools to families, requiring state funds to follow enrolled students to their chosen educational setting. This aims to address concerns about public school performance, safety, and accessibility by introducing competition into the education system.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill redirects state funds to families for school choice (private/homeschool/charter), prioritizing underserved groups and expanding educational access beyond public schools, aligning with support indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice School Funding Special Education

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1528: Improving individualized education plans for special education.

HB 1528 requires Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction to create a free, statewide online system for managing individualized education plans (IEPs) for students with disabilities. The system must provide a uniform platform for schools, ensure compliance with federal and state special education laws, and include features like secure access, privacy protections, translation services, and tools to align IEP goals with grade-level standards. It mandates that the system support family engagement with progress data, incorporate evidence-based practices, and meet accessibility standards. The bill also requires statewide training for educators, administrators, and families to implement the system effectively.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates a free statewide system to improve IEP management for students with disabilities, enhancing educational access and compliance with special education laws.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyMandates privacy protections and secure access in a statewide online IEP system, directly aligning with data privacy safeguards in technology policy.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

Track

signed · Washington · Senate May 19, 2025

SB 5263: Concerning special education funding.

Senate Bill 5263 modifies how special education programs are funded in Washington state, directly affecting local school districts and students with disabilities. The bill increases the state's funding multipliers used to calculate excess costs for special education students, including a higher multiplier for younger students and a new single multiplier for older students, while also removing a previous enrollment cap on these allocations. Additionally, it revises the criteria for "safety net" funding, removing a provision that considered extraordinary costs related to community demographics, and continues to focus on high-cost needs for individual students. This bill was signed by the Governor on May 19, 2025, and becomes effective on July 27, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases state funding multipliers for special education, removes enrollment caps, and adds higher funding for younger students with disabilities, directly advancing educational access and resources.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education