MTSS Integrated Conference 2026, New Details and Travel Grants Available!
Join educators from across Washington at the 2026 MTSS Integrated Conference in the newly remodeled Wenatchee Convention Center! This year’s theme – Aligning for Impact: Inclusive Systems That Work – brings together leaders, teachers, specialists, and support teams for two powerful days of learning, collaboration, and inspiration.
Kick off the experience with our July 28th Pre-conference, featuring role-specific learning for Special Education Directors, School Psychologists, and Threat Assessment teams. The July 29th & 30th Conference will be filled with dynamic keynote speakers, including Priya Parker, and Nidhi Sachdeva, who will spark meaningful reflection on leadership, systems, and gathering with purpose. Register and find the conference schedule here: MTSS Integrated Conference - NCESD.
To ensure equitable access, we are offering $500 District Travel Access Grants, funded by our generous sponsors. These grants help offset travel, lodging, or registration costs, enabling district teams across Washington to participate.
For more information, view the attached flyer. To submit an application, complete the travel grant form.
Statewide IEP Project Request for Proposal (RFP) Launched!
The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) in Washington is developing a statewide IEP system.
OSPI has launched the Request for Proposal (RFP-2026-20) and it will be due June 30, 2026, at 12 pm. This RFP is available on OSPI's procurement website and at the Department of Enterprise Services, Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) Procurement website. We encourage interested parties to review all procurement documents as well as the webpage and listed resources as they prepare for the RFP. A pre-bid conference will be held May 14, 2026, at 2 pm.
The Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) Meeting
May 12–13, 2026 | Wenatchee, WA | Hybrid
The Washington State Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) will conduct a hybrid meeting May 12–13, 8:30 am–4:30 pm. The in-person location is the North Central Educational Service District, and registration is required for both in-person and virtual attendance at the SEAC meeting and the community forum. During registration, you can request interpreter accommodations if needed. Captioning will be provided during the SEAC meeting. You will receive additional information and instructions for the meeting up registration. The meeting is open to members of the public interested in Washington special education services. The agenda will be posted the week prior to the meeting.
Public Comment will begin at 11:30 am on Tuesday, May 12. Public Comment is scheduled for 30 minutes. Each Public Comment will be restricted to three minutes and only allowed during this designated timeframe. If you want to email your comment to be read at the meeting, please send it to the SEAC email address no later than the close of business on May 8. The agenda will move forward to the next item once interested parties have had a chance to comment. The SEAC is not required to respond to comments and generally does not.
SEAC Community Forum – Hybrid
The SEAC, in partnership with The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, is hosting a hybrid community forum to share about the role of SEAC and host a discussion about special education. Please join us!
May 12, 2026 | Noon–1 pm (Virtual Lunch & Learn)
-OR-
5:30–7 pm (In-Person)
North Central Educational Service District
430 Olds Station Road
Wenatchee, WA 98801
Legislative Session
During the 2025–26 legislative session Governor Ferguson signed ESHB 2557 into law, which addresses special education evaluation timelines and eligibility determination meetings. ESHB 2557 goes into effect on June 11, 2026. OSPI has received multiple inquiries regarding the legislation. OSPI shares this Question-and-Answer (Q&A) document, current as of April 7, 2026, for districts, parents/guardians, and IEP teams to support team decision making during the 2025–26 school year and beyond. As additional information is known, we will update this document with additional guidance.
ESHB 1795 addresses restraint and isolation and is effective as session law on June 11, 2026. OSPI Special Education is collaborating with Student Engagement and Special Programs for rulemaking and guidance. We anticipate that guidance will be released in the coming months and will be shared widely.
If you have questions about anything legislature-related, please contact OSPI Special Education with the subject line "Legislative Session".
CR-102 Rulemaking Update: Proposed Rules Now Available for Review and Public Comment
The OSPI Special Education Division filed a CR-102 Proposed Rule Making on April 21, 2026, to continue the next steps of the rulemaking process. This filing includes the text of proposed rule changes available for public comment. Two (2) public hearings will be virtually held via Zoom for this particular rulemaking. Please register separately for each hearing if you wish to attend one or more.
Written comments are due by 5 pm on June 3, 2026, to scott.raub@k12.wa.us or speced@k12.wa.us with the subject line “Attn: Rulemaking.”
A full list of new/existing rules included and affected by the proposal is included on the CR-102 Proposed Rule Making. For more information, including the initial filing by the OSPI Special Education Division related to this rulemaking activity, please visit the OSPI Rulemaking web page.
Notice of Public Comment Period for Annual State Application of Fiscal Year 2026 of the IDEA Federal Grant
The annual OSPI application for federal IDEA funds has been posted and will be available for public review for 60 days and public comment for a period of 30 days, prior to final submission to the US Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs by May 20, 2026.
The public comment period will be open from April 6, 2026, through May 8, 2026. Since the public meetings have already been held, comments may also be submitted in writing to speced@k12.wa.us.
For an overview of the Federal IDEA 2026 Application, please watch this video with Assistant Superintendent of Special Education, Dr. Tania May.
Click here for this month’s Program Improvement updates on the following topics:
- Upcoming Changes to the Annual IDEA Determinations and the Correction of Non-Compliance (EGMS Form Package 442)
- OSPI Special Education Data, Fiscal, and Program Office Hours
Click here for this month’s Fiscal & Data updates on the following topics:
- FP 267 Carryover
- Safety Net Updates
Click here for this month’s ECSE updates on the following topics:
- ECSE Office Hours
- Haring Center Inclusion Workshop: Using Visuals to Promote Active Engagement
- International Early Childhood Inclusion Institute
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