District of Columbia2025Active
B26-0735
Special Education for Young Adults in D.C. Corrections Temporary Amendment Act of 2026
Last scannedAug 25, 2026, 4:28 AM
In one sentence
This bill temporarily requires the District Department of Corrections to provide special education services to young adults with disabilities held in its secure facilities during two specific school years.
What it does
- Designates the Department of Corrections as the agency responsible for providing a free appropriate public education (FAPE) under federal and local law.
- Requires this service be provided specifically during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years.
- Mandates that individuals with disabilities aged 18 through their end of eligibility receive education while detained in secure facilities.
- Amends existing laws to add this new duty as a temporary measure.
Who it affects
- Individuals with disabilities who are at least 18 years old and held in D.C. Department of Corrections custody.
- The District of Columbia Department of Corrections, which must provide the education services.
- Students eligible for special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) while detained.
Limits and unknowns
- The act only applies during school years 2025-2026 and 2026-2027.
- The entire law expires automatically after it has been in effect for 225 days.
Plain language
Terms to know
- FAPE
- Free Appropriate Public Education, a legal requirement to provide specialized instruction and support at no cost to students with disabilities under IDEA and District law.
- IDEA
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the federal law that guarantees special education services for eligible children and young adults.
Official record
Sources
Official summary
Special Education for Young Adults in the Custody of the Department of Corrections Temporary Amendment Act of 2026
Official activity
Bill history
- Under Council Review