The House on Wednesday passed Senate Bill 5263, which boosts special education funding multipliers for students in pre-K through 12th grade and eliminates the state’s 16% cap on special education funding.
That cap means that even if over 16% of a district’s student body is identified as needing special education services, that district doesn’t get any extra state funding — but it’s still required by state and federal law to provide these services.
Proponents of the cap say it’s a safeguard to prevent the misuse of public funds and over-identification of students needing special education services.
However, it’s forced many districts to shell out millions of dollars from general funds and levies to make up the difference.
In Seattle Public Schools, the funding discrepancy resulted in a $74 million gap last school year — a key factor in the district’s ongoing financial challenges.
For years, state Superintendent Chris Reykdal, school district leaders, and education advocates across the state have been pushing the Legislature to increase how much money districts can get for special education.
Progress has been made over the past several years, with the Legislature increasing the cap from 13.5% in 2017 to 15% in 2023, and now to the current 16% cap.
Public education advocates celebrated the Legislature taking another step forward this week.
“This is a positive step in not just addressing some of the immediate financial challenges of districts — but also a step towards an education funding system that is more rooted in meeting the needs of students,” said Jacob Vela, chief policy officer at the non-partisan League of Education Voters.
Vela emphasized that there is no research supporting claims that districts would over-identify students for special education services without the cap.
Instead, he argued that it has created an “arbitrary barrier” to districts getting the funding they need, making it more difficult for them to actually meet the needs of their students.
Jana Parker, president of the Seattle Special Education PTSA, shared her thoughts on the proposed removal of the cap, stating it is “long overdue.”
For years, she said, the cap has hurt kids and prevented financially strapped schools from adequately serving students.
“When you have high caseloads, whether it’s a special education teacher or a case manager or evaluators, then we see how the quality of work and supports go down,” Parker said.
“And that hugely impacts our kids and their access to services.”
Parker also pointed out that funding constraints have limited districts’ capacity to evaluate students for special education services.
This limitation particularly affects low-income families who cannot afford private evaluations or do not have time to advocate for their child’s services while juggling multiple jobs.
“We’ve been living in a system that feels like survival of the fittest — where access to services depends on how loud or resourced you are,” she commented, adding, “and that’s not equity.”
While Parker welcomes the funding boost, she believes greater changes are needed in special education to ensure that students receive the services they need, regardless of their location or their district’s financial situation.
She expressed hope that districts use this opportunity to lower caseloads, expand inclusionary practices, bolster mental health and behavioral supports, and increase paraprofessional assistance.
“Funding alone isn’t enough,” Parker stated. “We need to really change how the system works.”
The bill is not yet set in stone, as it requires inclusion in the state’s final budget to move forward.
image source from：https://www.kuow.org/stories/long-overdue-wa-lawmakers-may-remove-cap-on-special-education-funding
