[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6361571,"mediaKeyId","2170561-2f53ae821481f5f2dcd2b31741f88f87","parentId",2170561,"title","House Bill 1357 offered as narrower option to raise multipliers and fund inclusionary practice pilots","audioSeconds",1063,"startMs",2163000,"endMs",3226000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170561-2f53ae821481f5f2dcd2b31741f88f87&start=2163&end=3226","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170561-2f53ae821481f5f2dcd2b31741f88f87/thumbnail_2163000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6361571/Washington/House-Bill-1357-offered-as-narrower-option-to-raise-multipliers-and-fund-inclusionary-practice-pilots","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361571-962d3496b473a4f5e2fa7563054b36c4/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151314&Signature=co~mZIm9JEwlfpPA2AZW1-M84nVbFGPrHldif-c1Z8CrEIBk6n1IqEEarYQOJph8xrNOSijROanodHZFZD4v8d1c5V-gEexq68Z500H9Ubjw3AWR2PuLijLKQPRAIBLWEP07pbCIHZrN6weiQlC-uMakNyQe4egk2XhmQs-pgpo1899qz8SU0NYeePPPiKoEhYr5D6LeESSrDMXt9~ToGBl01vA7gPYfyH37p7f7TdfpiNlrbjnbB28sAYtWXDBl~IK2IXVsA~9BsbcxU6aqtuhDR-kVFMP8D-8Nc~f7AiTaBbbc6TYrQgQo5f3vKbBNQiKTwaR7-q1e5rCW0mZMfg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Capital Budget","date","2025-01-30T00:00:00Z","article","Olympia — Representative Monica Stonier presented House Bill 1357 to the Appropriations Committee as a policy option that focuses primarily on the excess-cost multiplier and on supporting inclusionary practices in classrooms.

\"This bill is an opportunity for us to not just increase funding in a way that makes sense,\" Stonier said, framing 1357 as a narrower \"dial\" the committee could turn now while broader proposals remain under consideration.

Supporters at the public hearing described the bill as a constructive step but urged larger changes. \"The proposed adjustments to the multipliers in this bill are an important step,\" Jeff Snell, superintendent of Vancouver Public Schools, said, while many district leaders asked the committee to raise the multipliers further and to consider additional funding for early-intervention services.

Julie Salvi of the Washington Education Association said her group \"fully support[s] the funding and the comprehensive investments in House Bill 1310\" but had signed \"other\" testimony on HB 1357 because it represents another approach to increasing resources for students with disabilities. Several witnesses asked the committee to include a multiplier for early-intervention services (ages 0–3) so that funding across the early-childhood special-education continuum is more equitable. Mike Stewart of Boyer Children's Clinic urged inclusion of the early-years multiplier, citing state data showing many early-intervention exits reduce later special-education needs.

The bill would also pilot centers of excellence or regional supports to expand inclusionary practices. \"Providing additional resources to school leaders to lead the way can help us reimagine what's possible and recognize the benefit to everyone when all students truly know they belong,\" Snell said.

District finance officers and superintendents acknowledged fiscal constraints but highlighted that HB 1357, in its current form, would not close the full funding gaps districts reported. Martin Turney of Issaquah said the draft bill as written would yield an estimated $1,100,000 for his district — about 10% of Issaquah's typical annual gap — and urged the committee to increase multipliers further. Several superintendents and school-board members also reiterated requests to remove the arbitrary enrollment cap and lower the safety-net threshold as complementary steps.

Public testimony closed with the committee taking no immediate action on HB 1357. Representative Macri and committee staff noted the hearing record will inform budget negotiations as the session proceeds.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Capital Budget - 1/30/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","Representative Monica Stonier introduced House Bill 1357 as an alternative focusing on increasing the excess-cost multiplier and creating centers of excellence for inclusionary practices; superintendents and advocacy groups urged larger multiplier increases and inclusion of early-intervention funding.","taxTitle","Capital Budget, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20255,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6361576,"Testifiers urge full funding, cap removal in House Bill 1310 to close special-education gaps",2190,80000,2270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2170561-2f53ae821481f5f2dcd2b31741f88f87&start=80&end=2270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2170561-2f53ae821481f5f2dcd2b31741f88f87/thumbnail_80000.jpg","/articles/6361576/Washington/Testifiers-urge-full-funding-cap-removal-in-House-Bill-1310-to-close-special-education-gaps","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6361576-977afedfd466b622dbb129d2680db05c/orig.mp4?Expires=1771151314&Signature=SrA6E~HYDM0S9dwVE73YU0uJn4-eCLyEKlcZePR7NV-GmYe2uwJTnIfFmaOE0JgYcWISEohyuzDm1yeI6mFvl77Ytec5RoFL8d0jw3xNzyWfg4C5C3sT0i0C9qcBaydM7nqkkc61GziYA8ID8X8ltDby0Zs4IPpHEDsG6VGw6u6ZLGrFkHLHq3jiizb6FkK-DwlAIK2-~Gso71OoE~YGmp8Jjr6b681M1~TzCT3kStXX~hk6zMQSJZz9ZVNrdg4DTGAs3zpwnRgPhASLCWDlROwKJmTGTcekCTpj0qY8AJARxt4mO80LcQ0l4kgnYrUzQiX2lQBnotKcf6Z8DAo7Mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Olympia — Dozens of educators, district leaders and disability advocates testified in support of House Bill 1310 on the grounds that current state funding falls short of the costs of special-education services.

\"This is our agency request legislation on special education,\" said Misha Chernisky, speaking on behalf of the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). She told the committee HB 1310 would change the three core mechanisms the state uses to pay for special education: the cap on funded enrollment, the excess-cost multipliers and the safety-net threshold.

The bill would, among other changes, remove an enrollment cap that limits how many students districts can receive special-education funding for, raise the tiered multipliers that increase per-student funding for higher-need students, and lower the safety-net threshold so districts receive aid sooner for very high-cost individual students. \"If a student services in that year cost maybe $50,000 the school district is only eligible for that $10,000 difference in safety net funding. So bringing this down to around $27,000 would open up a lot more funding for the services that are there,\" Chernisky said.

Why it matters: Witnesses described large and growing local shortfalls that they say force districts to use local levy dollars meant for enrichment to pay for legally required special-education services. \"Our own school board president has noted that in Renton School District, we're cutting $15,000,000 from this year to next. $12,000,000 of that is because of special education,\" Juliana Daubel, president of the Renton Education Association, told the committee. \"We cannot afford more cuts.\"

District financial officers and superintendents gave specific deficit figures to illustrate the scope of the shortfall. Martin Turney, chief of finance and operations for Issaquah School District, said Issaquah faced a cumulative five-year shortfall of $53,100,000 and that the bill's quarterly reimbursement provision for out-of-district high-cost placements would improve cash flow. Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Brent Jones said the district's statewide special-education funding deficit has been about $74,000,000 a year and noted Seattle already slightly exceeds the current 16% enrollment cap. Other districts reported similar gaps: Highline $70,300,000 since 2019–20; North Shore $68,600,000 since 2022; Kent more than $85,000,000 over five years; Federal Way a roughly $6,000,000 gap in 2023–24; Olympia subsidized an estimated $6,300,000 out of local levy last year.

Advocates and parent groups also urged passage. \"This bill lifts up inclusion. It addresses disproportionality, and it builds a state IEP tool,\" Ramona Hatchendorf of The Arc of King County said. Angela Steck, president of the Washington State PTA, supported the bill but asked the committee to add funding or a proviso for statewide training in inclusionary practices and preservice coursework for educators.

Multiple testifiers pointed to prior reviews and legal context. Witnesses referenced the 2012 McCleary decision and a JLARC (Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee) report that identified three funding \"dials\" — cap, multipliers and safety net — that HB 1310 would address. Several speakers said the bill includes OSPI-authorized statewide activities they consider critical to sustain inclusion efforts.

What proponents asked the committee to do: Testimony repeatedly requested (1) eliminate or raise the capped enrollment percentage, (2) increase multipliers for higher-need students, (3) lower the safety-net threshold so more costs qualify for extra state aid, and (4) fund inclusionary-practice training statewide. Several district leaders also urged a move to quarterly reimbursements for high-cost out-of-state placements to improve cash flow.

What the hearing did not decide: The public hearing was for testimony only; the committee did not vote on HB 1310 during the session. Representative Monica Stonier and others presented companion or alternative bills later in the hearing, but no formal amendments or committee-directed actions on HB 1310 were recorded at the public hearing.

\"We need you to act because this is an ethical issue,\" Juliana Daubel said, summarizing many testifiers' framing that inadequate funding denies some students access to basic education. The public hearing on the measure concluded with committee staff noting the record would remain open as the House deliberates budget and policy decisions.","Educators, school leaders and advocacy groups told the Washington House Appropriations Committee that House Bill 1310 is needed to close growing special-education funding shortfalls by removing the enrollment cap, increasing multipliers and lowering the safety-net threshold.","actionData","errors"]

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House Bill 1357 offered as narrower option to raise multipliers and fund inclusionary practice pilots

Testifiers urge full funding, cap removal in House Bill 1310 to close special-education gaps