The bill seeks to improve special education funding in Washington State by removing the enrollment cap for students receiving special education services and lowering the threshold for accessing special education safety net funds. It increases tiered funding multipliers for school districts and emphasizes that funding for special education should not require local contributions. The bill also mandates the superintendent of public instruction to engage in statewide activities to support special education, including data review to prevent disproportionate identification of students and providing technical assistance to districts.

Key amendments include a change in the funding allocation methodology to ensure state funding is based on a uniform percentage rather than individual district percentages. The bill establishes annual reporting on the impact of the enrollment cap removal and outlines criteria for safety net awards for districts with high-cost special education needs. It amends eligibility criteria for safety net awards, lowering the threshold for high-need students from 2.3 times to 1.5 times the average per-pupil expenditure, and introduces a new section that specifies the act will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Original Bill: 28A.150.390, 28A.150.560, 28A.150.392