E2SSB 5263 — Concerning special education funding.

What this bill does

Increases special education excess cost multipliers to 1.32 for kindergarten through age 21 students, pre-kindergarten students, and Early Support for Infants and Toddlers program students. Directs the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to use the greater of the school district's basic education allocation (BEA) or the state average BEA for purposes of calculating excess cost allocations. Removes the 16 percent special education enrollment funding limit. Revises the special education safety net, including reducing the threshold for high-need individuals to access the safety net to 1.75 times the average per pupil expenditure. Allows the Superintendent of Public Instruction to reserve up to 0.005 of excess cost allocations to use for certain statewide special education activities. Requires changes to accounting methodologies for the proration and allocation of special education students' general apportionment allocations for special education. Directs the creation of a statewide online system for individualized education programs.

From the Washington State Legislature's nonpartisan staff bill analysis. Read the full analysis ↗

Floor votes

• House — Final Passage as Amended by the House · April 16, 2025
  97 yea · 0 nay · 1 not voting
• House — Final Passage as Amended by the House · April 24, 2025
  95 yea · 0 nay · 3 not voting
• Senate — Final Passage as Amended by the House · April 25, 2025
  48 yea · 0 nay
• Senate — 3rd Reading & Final Passage · March 12, 2025
  48 yea · 0 nay · 1 not voting

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