OR HB2509

State Board of Education must adopt standards by July 1, 2026 to ensure instructional assistants are appropriately prepared and trained to support students with disabilities, in compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.)

Instructional assistants must demonstrate required knowledge, skills, and training before working with any student and before any assignment exceeding 30 days, with additional requirements for those providing direct support to students with disabilities or those with behavioral/complex medical needs

School districts must prioritize assigning the most experienced instructional assistants to the highest-needs students with disabilities and must comply with the new standards by July 1, 2028

An advisory committee must be appointed during rulemaking, including parents of students with disabilities, a special education attorney, instructional assistants, special education teachers, directors of special education from urban and rural districts, and a disability family support organization representative

School districts that fail to comply with the standards will be considered nonstandard under ORS 327.103 and must report compliance information to the Department of Education