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WashingtonSB 52532025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Extending special education services to students with disabilities until the end of the school year in which the student turns 22.

Sponsored By: Adrian Cortes (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Longer schooling for vision and hearing disabilities

Washington's state schools for students with vision or hearing disabilities provide free services to qualifying state residents starting at age three. Services last through the end of the school year in which the student turns 22. Students qualify with blindness, vision loss, deafness, or hearing loss, including other disabilities when vision or hearing is the main service need. An otherwise-qualified student who misses the usual admission requirements may stay for more training with the superintendent's approval after consulting faculty. The superintendent must find the student suitable for further training and the facilities adequate for the student's care, education, and training.

Special education lasts through age 22

Beginning July 27, 2025, Washington districts must provide an appropriate education to students eligible for special education starting at age three. Services continue through the end of the school year in which the student turns 22. This extends access to basic education, public schools, and residential-school education for students with disabilities. Extended services cannot reduce or replace other services the student qualifies for. They also supplement, rather than replace, existing funding.

Longer transition support for students with disabilities

Beginning July 27, 2025, Washington's state education office must coordinate transition services through agreements with social-service agencies, counties, and other agencies. For students with individualized education programs, coordination starts when transition planning is educationally and developmentally appropriate. It lasts until graduation or the end of the school year in which the student turns 22, whichever comes first. Agreements must protect education-plan decisions and focus on helping students become self-sufficient. Transition plans must be part of the student's education plan, use assessments of needs, strengths, preferences, and interests, and set measurable education, training, or work goals. Plans must be updated as students age and match their high school and beyond plans. Services address skills and supports for those goals and may include instruction, community experiences, work, daily living skills, and job-skill assessments. Three years before expected graduation, the office must share lists of potentially eligible students with service agencies, subject to consent and privacy protections. Using available Education Data Center information, it must track outcomes within one year after graduation and report annually using existing resources. Tracking covers integrated jobs paying at least minimum or competitive wages, education or training leading to integrated work, wages, hours, benefits, living arrangements, and self-sufficiency. It also covers reasons and efforts when an outcome has not occurred within one year.

Older students retain school transfer rights

Existing school-transfer appeal rights now cover students with qualifying disabilities from age 21 through the school year they turn 22. Through that appeal process, the state superintendent can order a district to release a student or accept a nonresident transfer. For an appeal seeking release, the proposed new district must be willing to accept the student. For these older students allowed to enroll outside their home district, or treated as residents for attendance, attendance credit follows enrollment. The state uses that credit for school funding and other purposes; it is not a household payment.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Adrian Cortes

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Claire Wilson

    Democratic • Senate

  • Deborah Krishnadasan

    Democratic • Senate

  • Javier Valdez

    Democratic • Senate

  • Marko Liias

    Democratic • Senate

  • Mike Chapman

    Democratic • Senate

  • Noel Frame

    Democratic • Senate

  • Sharon Shewmake

    Democratic • Senate

  • Steve Conway

    Democratic • Senate

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

  • Yasmin Trudeau

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 188 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/18/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 47 • No: 0 • Other: 2

House vote • 4/12/2025

Final Passage as Amended by the House

Yes: 93 • No: 1 • Other: 4

Senate vote • 3/6/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 48 • No: 0 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    5/13/2025Senate

  2. Chapter 256, 2025 Laws.

    5/13/2025Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    5/13/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/23/2025legislature

  5. Speaker signed.

    4/22/2025legislature

  6. President signed.

    4/19/2025legislature

  7. Passed final passage; yeas, 47; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 2.

    4/18/2025Senate

  8. Senate concurred in House amendments.

    4/18/2025House

  9. Third reading, passed; yeas, 93; nays, 1; absent, 0; excused, 4.

    4/12/2025Senate

  10. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/12/2025Senate

  11. Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.

    4/12/2025Senate

  12. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    4/11/2025Senate

  13. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    4/8/2025Senate

  14. APP - Executive action taken by committee.

    4/4/2025Senate

  15. APP - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).

    4/4/2025Senate

  16. Referred to Appropriations.

    3/21/2025Senate

  17. ED - Majority; do pass.

    3/20/2025Senate

  18. ED - Executive action taken by committee.

    3/20/2025Senate

  19. First reading, referred to Education.

    3/8/2025Senate

  20. Third reading, passed; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 1.

    3/6/2025Senate

  21. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/6/2025Senate

  22. 1st substitute bill substituted.

    3/6/2025Senate

  23. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    3/3/2025Senate

  24. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    2/28/2025Senate

  25. WM - Majority; do pass 1st substitute bill proposed by Early Learning & K-12 Education.

    2/27/2025Senate

Bill Text

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