Senate adopts tighter timelines for special-education evaluations amid concerns about equity

The Senate passed House Bill 3,718 after adopting floor amendments that clarify timelines for special-education evaluations and interim scholarship eligibility under the Lindsey Nicole Henry program. The bill requires school districts to schedule a meeting to review existing data within 15 school days of a parent’s written request and complete an evaluation within 45 days, aligning with federal expectations, sponsor Senator Daniels said.

Debate was extended. Senator Hicks argued the changes could fast-track students out of public schools and leave understaffed districts scrambling; she said the Legislature previously altered program parameters and that staffing shortages make expeditious timelines difficult. Daniels and other supporters said the bill is a corrective, not a fast-track, and stressed that the 45-day federal timeline remains and that the changes are intended to prevent rare instances where families waited months and missed scholarship opportunities.

An amendment provides that if a district fails to make an eligibility determination within the statutory time, the student shall be deemed eligible for a baseline scholarship payment while the evaluation completes; the floor debated the fiscal implications and equity concerns before the bill passed 33–13.

Advocates in the gallery and members on both sides described the bill as addressing specific timeline bottlenecks; opponents urged further investment in school staffing rather than legislative workarounds.