Kitsap County Parent Advocacy

01/16/2026

Do you know someone who helps others thrive? Nominate them today and help us lift up their story! 🌟

Next Month is Kitsap Parent Leadership Month! 💜

We’re honoring parents and caregivers whose leadership strengthens families, communities, and systems across Kitsap County.

Nominations are open through January 25th.

📅 Celebrate with us at:
• A community event at The Village Event Center on Saturday, February 7th
• A sponsored movie night at the Admiral Theatre on Friday, February 27th

Scan the QR code or visit www.kitsapstrong.org
to nominate.

01/16/2026

Help Shape the New DSHS Website!

DSHS is currently redesigning its website to make services easier to find, and we need your help to get it right. We are conducting a usability test called a website tree test to see how easy it is for users to find specific information within our proposed menu structure.

How to participate: Please click the link below to participate in the online activity.

You will be asked to complete a series of tasks to find specific services or information and offer feedback on the navigation. By participating, you will also be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card.

Link: Website Usability Testing
https://anthrotech.optimalworkshop.com/treejack/b25670be9c812616873c99ab9e362fe9?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

Deadline: Please complete the activity by Jan. 20, 2026.

This activity is entirely online and can be done at your convenience. Thank you for helping ensure our community and partners’ voices and insights are included in this process.

01/16/2026

Check Our Our Menu of Services
Are you hungry for information about Community First Choice services? Step into the CFC Café! Our new video series shows how CFC services can help you live more independently. We’ll release a new video each month, so be sure to check back for more of our CFC menu.



Community First Choice Video Playlist

Community First Choice, or CFC for short, offers a variety of services to assist children and adults with disabilities with everyday activities, such as: per...

01/15/2026

The Governor's proposed budget includes eligibility changes to DDCS Waivers and personal care. It would make it harder to access these services by making it harder to become eligible. These changes wouldn't be implemented until 2028.

Let's all call our legislators, so they know not to include this in the final budget!

Washington State Legislature – "District Finder".
https://app.leg.wa.gov/districtfinder

01/12/2026

Special Education Eligibility Changes in Washington State by 2028–2029

By the 2028–29 school year, Washington will no longer use the severe discrepancy methodology to determine special education eligibility under a Specific Learning Disability (SLD). Instead, every
school district will use a more effective and timely approach based on instructional data—so
students get help earlier and fewer fall through the cracks, especially students of color and
multilingual learners who may have a learning disability.

Why This Matters

This change matters because the discrepancy model is a wait-to-fail system. Students must struggle for years before a large enough achievement gap appears on test scores. This delays services, contributes to inequities, and does not reflect how students actually learn.

Shifting to an instructional, data-based model aligns eligibility decisions with what we know works: strong core instruction, targeted interventions, and ongoing progress monitoring.

What This Means for Districts

Since 2019, OSPI has supported districts through a multi-year transition plan that includes:
• Updated SLD guidance and rules
• Practical decision-making tools for evaluation teams
• Professional learning aligned with a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS)
• Technical assistance and regional support
• Accessible resources for families and educators

What This Means for Students and Families

This shift ensures students receive support based on their learning needs—not just their test scores.

Families will see:
• Earlier identification when students struggle
• More instructional support before and during evaluation
• Decisions that are based on ongoing classroom learning, not a single test
• Clearer communication about a child’s progress and need

This change prioritizes educational access and reduces long-standing inequities in eligibility decisions.

What's Next?

OSPI will continue releasing updated guidance, templates, professional learning, and decision tools throughout the 2025-26 and 2026-27 school years. Districts are already beginning phased implementation by updating policies and procedures, preparing staff through professional learning, and aligning evaluation practices. Full implementation of Response to Intervention for eligibility under a Specific Learning Disability is required by the 2028-29 school year. OSPI will provide continued transition support statewide.

This is not just a compliance change it is a shift toward earlier intervention, stronger instruction, and more accurate decisions for students. Our goal is simple: students should not have to fail before they get help.

https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/WAOSPI/2025/11/10/file_attachments/3456792/SLD-to-RTI-by-2028-29.pdf

How Can I Learn More?

OSPI's Special Education Resource Library, under the subsection titled Specific Learning Disability, offers tools to support district implementation, including eligibility guidance, professional learning modules, evaluation forms, decision-making tools, and family-friendly materials. There are also fact sheets to support district leaders, school principals, special education staff, general education staff, and families. https://ospi.k12.wa.us/student-success/special-education/special-education-resource-library

Specific Learning Disability
1. Special Education Eligibility Changes in Washington State by 2028–29:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2025-11/sld-rti-2028-29.pdf
2. Specific Learning Disabilities: Recommendations for Evaluation Policy and Practice:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2022-12/SLD-Report-DRAFT.pdf
3. Phasing Out Severe Discrepancy for Identification of SLD: Implementation Timeline:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2022-12/Phasing-Out-Severe-Discrepancy-SLD.pdf
4. Identification of Students with Specific Learning Disabilities - State of Washington Severe Discrepancy Tables:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2022-12/sld_guide.pdf
5. SLD FAQ Document:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2022-12/sld_faq.pdf
6. SLD Fact Sheets for Superintendents and District Administrators:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-07/sld-fact-sheet-superintendents-administrators.pdf
- Principals:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-07/sld-fact-sheet-principals.pdf
- School Staff:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-07/sld-fact-sheet-school-staff.pdf
- Higher Education Partners:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-07/sld-fact-sheet-higher-education.pdf
- Parents and Families:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-07/sld-fact-sheet-families.pdf
7. Specific Learning Disability Technical Assistance Paper (SLD TAP) Drafts
- SLD TAP #1: Inadequate Achievement:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-09/guidance-special-education-sld-tap-1.pdf
- SLD TAP #2: Insufficient Progress:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-09/guidance-special-education-sld-tap-2.pdf
- SLD TAP #3: Ruling Out Alternative Primary Factors:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-09/guidance-special-education-sld-tap-3.pdf
- SLD TAP #4: Ruling out Inadequate Instruction:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-09/guidance-special-education-sld-tap-4.pdf
- SLD TAP #5: Observation of Students Suspected of Having a SLD:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-09/guidance-special-education-sld-tap-5.pdf
- SLD TAP #6: Conducting Comprehensive Evaluations for SLD Eligibility:https://ospi.k12.wa.us/sites/default/files/2024-09/guidance-special-education-sld-tap-6.pdf

OSEP has already issued important guidance. RTI can not be used to deny or delay an evaluation if a student is suspected or known to have a disability. Schools will still be required to conduct a comprehensive evaluation to determine if the student needs specially designed instruction.

OSEP Memorandum 11-07 (January 21, 2011): Clarifies that RTI cannot be used to delay or deny evaluation.https://sites.ed.gov/idea/files/osep11-07rtimemo.pdf

OSEP Memorandum 16-07 (April 29, 2016): Specifically addresses that RTI cannot delay evaluations for preschool children.https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/OSEP-Memo-RTI-Cannot-Be-Used-to-Delay-Deny-an-Evaluation-for-Preschool-2016.pdf

For questions or additional support, please contact OSPI Special Education at speced@k12.wa.us

01/10/2026

👀 For anyone curious about what’s going into the old GameStop store location near McDonald’s and the old Bartell’s off Olympic!

I’ve got the scoop! 🍦✨ I just ran into the owners there.

A brand new, old-fashioned ice cream & candy shop is moving in and it’s going to be AMAZING...

🍨 Half of the store will be an old-fashioned ice cream shop with over 24 hand scooped flavors – ALL Gluten & Dairy Free, crafty sundaes, Dairy Free soft-serve, delicious shakes, ice cream cakes and pies, and more.
🍬 The other half of the store will be a full candy shop, featuring over 250 varieties of nostalgic favorites, gummies, sours, chocolates, Jelly Belly's, taffy, licorice – Regular & Sugar-free options.
🌾 PLUS, they’ll have delicious Gluten Free waffle cones, baked goodies and other treats to satisfy our taste buds.

And the best part?
The entire store will be proudly and completely staffed by members of our Special Needs community. 💛
I heard that we’ll walk in with a smile and leave with our heart full,
and maybe a tiny stomach ache from the sugar, which just means memories were made 😉

Get ready for Couple of Scoops! 🍦💕 I heard they plan on opening May 1st 😊

👉 www.coupleofscoops.com

01/09/2026

Community Summit will be a one day Virtual Summit this year. Mark your calendars for June 3, 2026. Keep informed by following on facebook or on Instatgram

01/08/2026

Come join Sealk12 on January 13th at 11am for a training on Community Complaints. You will walk away with another piece of the Procedural Safeguards that are given to you at each meeting.

See you Tuesday!!

01/07/2026

Families has provided a great hand out with a one pager of resources that are some of my first to reach for when talking with families.

01/06/2026

Join Ivanova as she discusses Client Rights in this Video Series.
GovDelivery is way to sign up for these video series and other DSHS bulletins.

Ivanova Smith hosts a new series of videos about the rights of people who receive services from the Developmental Disabilities Community Services division. I...

01/06/2026

ABCs of Legislative Advocacy 2026 with Cathy Murahashi from The Arc of Washington State.
Register by visiting The Arc of Snohomish or scanning the QR code.

Tuesday, January 13, 2026
6:30PM - 8:00PM