Special education in Washington

What Washington calls special education, how long each step takes, who to call, free help, paying for services, and how the state scores.

Special education in Washington

Special education is called

Special Education

The IEP meeting

IEP team meeting

Eligibility team

Evaluation group

Evaluation timeline

35 school days. 35 school days from written consent (WAC 392-172A-03005); check for recent legislative change

IEP timeline

IEP within 30 calendar days of eligibility

Transition planning starts

16 (being checked)

Rights transfer to the student at

Developmental delay category

3 to 9 (child count)

Dyslexia law

yes: RCW 28A.320.260: K-2 screening for weaknesses associated with dyslexia

Find your district and schools

341 districts and charter districts. 103 special education schools and 17 public charter schools.

Get your Hall Pass Schools in Washington Services for children in Washington (on Disability Atlas)

The state office and your options when you disagree

State special education office

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), Special Education (360) 725-6075

Procedural safeguards (your rights notice)

Read the state's notice

Mediation

Ask for mediation

State complaint

File a state complaint

Due process

Ask for a due process hearing

Ombudsman

Washington State Governor's Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO)

Free help for families

Parent centers

Open Doors for Multicultural Families
Community Parent Resource Center (CPRC), Kent
(253) 216-4479
PAVE
Parent Training and Information Center (PTI), Tacoma
(253) 565-2266

Disability rights agency

Disability Rights Washington
Protection and Advocacy Agency, Seattle
(206) 324-1521

Advocacy groups in Washington

Paying for it

Medicaid for children

Apple Health for Kids

CHIP

Apple Health for Kids

Apply

Apply for coverage

Medicaid for children with disabilities, whatever the family's income

no (KFF 2026)

Schools bill Medicaid for health services

Autism insurance law

yes. covered through mental health parity per NCSL; ASHA lists Washington as requiring coverage

Scholarship or ESA for students with disabilities

none

How school, Medicaid and insurance fit together

How Washington scores

First edition. These grades are new (November 2026) and the weights may still change. Texas graduation data is being confirmed with the state.

State of Schools

C-

Rank 41 of 51

State of Support

A-

Rank 6 of 51

Combined

B-

Rank 12 of 51

Pillar	Grade
Following the law	D
Learning together	C-
Results	C-
School funding	D+
Family protections	A-
Options and transition	D+

IDEA determination 2026: Needs Assistance (2 or more years). How we grade.

Sources for this page are listed in the SPED Atlas research tables (state terms, state help, paying for it). Items marked "being checked" are waiting on a primary source.

Last reviewed: November 2026. Rules, programs and phone numbers change. Check with the office named on this page. Report outdated or wrong information.