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Committee hears bill extending special-education services through end of school year when students turn 22
Summary
House Bill 1257 would extend special-education eligibility so students with disabilities can receive services through the end of the school year in which they turn 22 or until graduation, aligning state practice with recent federal court findings.
House Bill 1257 would extend state special-education provisions so that students with disabilities may receive special education and related services through the end of the school year in which they turn 22, or until high school graduation, whichever occurs first.
Megan Wardacki, committee counsel, summarized federal and state background. She noted that the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) sets age ranges for a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) and that Washington’s statutes and rules had generally limited state-provided FAPE through the school year in which a student turns 21. Wardacki told the committee a recent federal class-action decision found Washington’s prior practice inconsistent with IDEA in light of the state’s adult education policies.
Representative Gerry Pollet, the bill’s sponsor, said the bill aligns statutory language with the court’s decision and prevents students from being cut off in the middle of a school year. "It seems manifestly unfair… we should extend the services until the end of the school year," Pollet told the committee. He also asked that the bill be read not to reduce or supplant other transition services.
OSPI’s Assistant Superintendent of Special Education, Tanya May, testified in support and said the agency sought an amendment clarifying that extending services to the end of the school year does not reduce or supplant other transition services. OSPI said the change also helps districts with budgeting, staffing and planning and that cross-agency updates to transition planning would be required by October 30, 2026.
Parents, providers and advocacy organizations — including Communities In Schools, Sherwood Community Services, and individuals who recounted personal experience — voiced support. Richard Pope, a parent, said his daughter would have benefited from a full school-year extension rather than being removed mid-year. Service providers urged the committee to adopt technical amendments to avoid unintended consequences.
Committee members discussed fiscal-note differences from last year’s estimate; staff noted potential reasons including the period used for averages and recent changes in district caps on eligibility. The committee kept HB 1257 open for further consideration.
