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Panel backs bill requiring IEPs to include individualized emergency accommodations and guidance for schools
Summary
House Bill 1806, amended to exempt private day/residential placements, would require individualized education programs to document emergency accommodations; the subcommittee reported the substitute 8–0 after broad support from disability advocates and school administrators.
The K-12 Education Subcommittee unanimously voted to report House Bill 1806, a bill that would require each individualized education program (IEP) for a public‑school student with a disability to include, when appropriate, individualized accommodations and supports for emergency evacuations and other emergency situations.
Substitute and scope: The substitute adopted by the committee clarifies that the requirement does not apply to students placed in private day or residential school settings pursuant to an IEP, and it directs the Virginia Department of Education to provide guidance to IEP teams and Section 504 committees on incorporating emergency protocols into individual plans. The substitute also makes clear any supports would be implemented with parental consent at a convened IEP meeting.
Why proponents support it: Advocates, educators and parents told the panel that students with disabilities are disproportionately affected by emergencies — for reasons that include mobility, sensory triggers and communication needs — and that including emergency protocols in the IEP would create a written plan that follows the student and clarifies staff responsibilities. Witnesses included representatives of Autism Societies, the Arc of Virginia, the Virginia Association of Centers for Independent Living, the Disability Law Center of Virginia and current/former educators.
Administrative concerns and support: The Virginia Council of Administrators of Special Education said it objected to the original version (which would have required specific content for all IEPs) but supports the amended substitute because it asks IEP teams to consider emergency needs without imposing an onerous, one‑size‑fits‑all mandate. The substitute requires guidance from VDOE to support IEP teams’ deliberations.
Committee action: The subcommittee voted 8–0 to report the substitute. Supporters emphasized parental consent and IEP-team decision-making; opponents did not present in person.
Ending: Backers said the substitute strikes a balance between ensuring students with disabilities have documented emergency accommodations and avoiding undue paperwork or inflexibility in specialized private settings; the bill advances to the next stage with unanimous subcommittee approval.
