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Stop Capping Special Education

Tell legislators to establish a state education funding system that provides sufficient resources for every student with a disability by lifting the 13.5% cap on funded enrollment.

Students from Summit Atlas Public School

We believe that every student with a disability should receive the resources and funding necessary to meet their individual learning needs and be provided equitable access to Washington’s program of basic education. In order to provide these resources, every local education agency (school districts, charter public schools, and tribal compact schools) must have equitable access to state funding.

The 13.5% funded enrollment cap, which limits how many students can generate state special education funding for a local education agency (LEA), impacts more than 130 LEAs across Washington. The state will only provide state special education funding for up to 13.5% of a district’s total student enrollment.

There are more than 4,000 students across these LEAs who don’t generate any state special education funding because their district has an enrollment of more than 13.5% of students in the program of special education. However, LEAs are still required by federal and state law to provide an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) to each of these students so they can meaningfully access their education.

Without funding generated by these students, LEAs are greatly limited in their ability to provide the critical supports and services identified in a student’s IEP. For districts over the cap, they must still provide all the series and supports to fulfill all the student IEPs despite having fewer resources per student to fulfill IEPs than comparable districts under the funded enrollment cap.

We must ensure that all students eligible to receive special education services have access to the resources needed to fulfill their individualized education program (IEP) and fully access their education.

The House of Representatives will be taking action on Senate Bill 6117, which will increase funding for special education but does not include any changes to the funding cap. Please take action and ask representatives to amend SB 6117 to lift the cap.

Use this form to urge all members of the Washington state House of Representatives to lift the funding cap on special education enrollment.

For more information, read our issue brief on Special Education Funding.

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Stop Capping Special Education

All members of the Washington state House of Representatives

Subject: Fund ALL Washington students who require special education services

Message:

Please amend SSB 6117 to lift the 13.5% cap on funded enrollment of students receiving special education services. The 13.5% funded enrollment cap, which limits how many students can generate state special education funding for a local education agency (LEA), impacts more than 130 LEAs across Washington. There are more than 4,000 students across these LEAs who don’t generate any state special education funding. However, LEAs are still required by federal and state law to provide an Individualized Educational Program (IEP) to each of these students so they can meaningfully access their education. Without funding generated by these students, LEAs are greatly limited in their ability to provide the critical supports and services identified in a student’s IEP. The cap is particularly impactful for small LEAs or those with low property values, as they are more likely to have higher than 13.5% of their student body needing services, and less access to local levy funds or other sources to fill the gap. These LEAs are also not necessarily eligible for Safety Net funding, as being over 13.5% enrollment alone is not sufficient to qualify for these funds. Lifting the 13.5% cap is a targeted and equitable way to provide these LEAs with the resources they need to help students thrive. We urge you to eliminate the 13.5% cap on funded enrollment of students receiving special education services. This is a clear inequity in the education funding system that is a particular disadvantage for students in small or low-property value LEAs, by limiting their ability to access the supports they need to access their basic education. Thank you for all you do for Washington students.

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