Ciresi, Tomlinson introduce bill to require third parties to evaluate charter school students with special needs
Rep. Joseph Ciresi April 17, 2026 | 4:11 PM
HARRISBURG, April 17 – Legislation to strengthen fairness, transparency and accountability in how students are evaluated for special education services in charter schools was introduced on Friday by state Reps. Joe Ciresi, D-Montgomery, and Kathleen C. Tomlinson, D-Bucks.
According to the representatives, under current law, charter schools receive additional funding for students identified as needing special education services. While this funding is intended to ensure that students receive appropriate support, the Education Law Center noted in a report that the existing system can create incentives for over-identifying students with mild disabilities while underserving those with more complex or costly needs. According to reports, there are cases in which charter school operators have acknowledged using these funds to support general operations.
House Bill 2424 would address this issue by requiring an independent qualified third party – specifically, the student’s school district of residence or an intermediate unit – to perform the initial special-education evaluations for charter school students.
“Under the current system, there’s simply too much financial temptation for charter schools to over evaluate their students’ disabilities,” Ciresi said. “By eliminating the funding element from playing a role in evaluations, we will ensure that decisions about a student’s educational needs are made solely in the best interest of the child.”
“Our proposal would ensure that the way we fund our schools stay fair,” Tomlinson said. “Every child deserves a great education, and by moving these evaluations to a qualified third party, students can receive unbiased evaluations that put them on the best path for their success.”
The representatives stressed that H.B. 2424 does not reduce access to services but instead strengthens trust in the system by ensuring that all students are evaluated under the same standards, regardless of the type of school they attend.