SHB 1357
In CommitteeHouse
Special education funding
Providing special education funding and support for inclusionary practices.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
HB 1357 overhauls Washington’s special education funding by updating how schools are reimbursed for serving students with disabilities, especially those in general education settings, and creates a new grant program to support inclusive practices in up to 25 pilot schools. It also revises funding for early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
- Updates how school districts are funded for special education using an 'excess cost' model, with higher multipliers for students placed in general education settings (e.g., 1.18 for students in general ed ≥80% of time, 1.09 for <80%).
- Adds a new 4-year pilot grant program for up to 25 schools to become 'centers of excellence' for inclusive practices, providing funding to bring special education funding multipliers to 1.5 per student at those schools.
- Requires selected pilot schools to demonstrate leadership commitment, staff training plans, data on inclusion success, and sustainability strategies.
- Adjusts early intervention funding for children ages birth to 3 to use the same multiplier as special education for K–12 (currently 1.18), based on enrollment and state funding formulas.
- Mandates annual reporting to the legislature starting December 1, 2026, on pilot grant outcomes, including staff training and student progress.
Who is affected
- Public school districts and their staff — School districts receive updated funding formulas for special education based on student enrollment and placement in general education settings, with new pilot grants available to support inclusive practices.
- Infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth to age 3) — Students with disabilities ages 0–3 receive early intervention services through state-run programs, with funding tied to enrollment and service delivery.
- Families of students with disabilities — Families of students with disabilities benefit from improved access to inclusive education and early support services, potentially reducing out-of-pocket costs for services.
- State education agencies — The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction and Department of Early Learning (now part of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction) must implement new grant programs and reporting requirements.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (5)
The pilot grant program provides a 1.5 multiplier for special education students at selected schools—significantly above the current 1.18 multiplier for students in general education ≥80% of the time—creating a strong financial incentive for schools to expand inclusive practices and potentially improve outcomes for students with disabilities in those schools.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(1)Mandating training in inclusionary practices for *all* school staff—including classified staff—ensures broader capacity building and reduces reliance on individual “champions,” making inclusion more systemic and sustainable rather than dependent on a few motivated individuals.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(b)Updating early intervention funding to use the same multiplier as K–12 special education (1.18) aligns funding with current service delivery models and increases predictability for providers, potentially expanding access to timely services for infants and toddlers with disabilities.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 3(2)(a)Annual reporting to the legislature starting in 2026 creates accountability and transparency around pilot outcomes, enabling evidence-based adjustments to the program and potentially informing broader policy reforms if successful.
EducationPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)Requiring pilot schools to submit data on existing inclusion success or improvements incentivizes measurable progress and may encourage schools to adopt data-driven practices, though the requirement does not guarantee equitable implementation across districts.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(2)(c)
Potential Concerns (5)
The pilot grant program caps participation at 25 schools, limiting access to only a small fraction of Washington’s ~1,800 public schools—effectively excluding most districts and schools from the 1.5 multiplier benefit, and creating a two-tiered system where only select schools receive enhanced funding while others remain under the standard excess-cost formula.
Business & EmploymentLean industryRef: Sec. 2(1)The 1.5 multiplier is only available to pilot schools for four years and only for students already identified as receiving special education services—meaning the benefit is temporary, narrow in scope, and does not address systemic underfunding across the broader K–12 system or for students not yet identified as needing services.
EducationIndustryRef: Sec. 2(1)The requirement that pilot schools demonstrate “commitment to, and understanding of, universal design for learning” may disproportionately exclude smaller, rural, or under-resourced schools that lack dedicated staff or training infrastructure to meet this standard, reinforcing existing inequities in access to inclusive education.
EducationIndustryRef: Sec. 2(2)(a)(iv)The bill explicitly states that pilot grant funding is “not part of the state’s statutory program of basic education,” which weakens its long-term legal standing and makes it vulnerable to future budget cuts or reinterpretation, reducing predictability and sustainability for participating schools.
EducationIndustryRef: Sec. 2(4)While early intervention funding for birth–3-year-olds is updated to use the same multiplier as K–12 special education (1.18), the formula still ties funding to statewide average per-pupil allocations rather than actual cost of services—potentially underfunding high-need infants and toddlers who require intensive, specialized support.
EducationIndustryRef: Sec. 3(2)(a)
Who Is Most Affected
Public school districts with high concentrations of students with disabilities in general education settings may benefit from increased per-pupil funding, but those not selected as pilot schools will not receive the enhanced 1.5 multiplier—potentially widening resource gaps between districts or schools.
Families of infants and toddlers with disabilities may benefit from more consistent early intervention services due to updated funding alignment, but those in rural or under-resourced areas may still face access barriers due to provider shortages or lack of infrastructure.
Families of students with disabilities in pilot schools may see improved inclusion and support, but families in non-pilot schools may see little change—potentially increasing inequity in access to inclusive education across the state.
OSPI and early learning agencies gain new responsibilities and reporting obligations, which may strain staff resources without additional staffing or technical assistance funding—though successful implementation could elevate their role in leading inclusive education innovation.