What is Education for All?

Washington State House Bill 90 – Education for All, was the first U.S. law to grant public education to people with disabilities. Before HB 90 was passed in 1971, children with disabilities were either kept at home or placed in institutions.

Why Does it Matter?
Before Education for All, the common belief was that people with disabilities could not learn, and children with disabilities were barred from schools. Education for All directly inspired national law now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Learn more about IDEA

Who Wrote the Law?
HB 90 was authored by the four Seattle mothers who founded Northwest Center: Janet Taggart and the late Katie Dolan, Evelyn Chapman, and Cecile Lindquist, with assistance from then-law students Bill Dussault and the late George Edensword-Breck. It was signed into law by Governor Dan Evans on May 25,1971.

​Read the full story 
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What’s Happening Today?
We still have a long way to go toward recognizing the promise of Education for All.
IDEA is not fully funded, although the Biden administration is taking a “first step.” There is a disparity in educational access between students with and without disabilities, prompting a federal investigation. These concerns increase for disabled members of the BIPOC community. 

Washington State:

143,000
In Washington, approximately 143,000 students receive special education and related services.
Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

50% More
Washington special needs students are disciplined more than twice as often as general education peers. KING 5

45%
In Washington state, 45% of students with intellectual disabilities are not regularly included in classrooms with peers.
National Council on Disability

44 out of 50
Washington ranks 44 out of 50 states for inclusion of people with disabilities. National Council on Disability
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Nationwide:

7 million
There are 7 million students who receive special education and related services in the U.S. National Center for Education Statistics

15.3%
Nationally, IDEA funds only 15.3% of special education, although it is intended to fund 40%. EdNote

13%
People with mental or physical disabilities are 13% more likely to be arrested as juveniles or young adults. Reuters

50%
In the U.S., more than half of Black people with disabilities will be arrested by the time they reach their late 20s. Reuters

The Birthplace of Inclusion

Washington state is the birthplace of inclusive education. Northwest Center was founded by  four Seattle moms to provide a place for kids of all abilities to learn. Our founders went on to write House Bill 90 – Education for All, the first law in the nation to grant kids with disabilities access to public schools. This led directly to nationwide disability rights laws. Pictured: Washington Governor Dan Evans signs HB90 into law on May 25, 1971. With him are the bill’s authors: NWC founders Janet Taggart, Cecile Lindquist, Evelyn Chapman, and Katie Dolan, and UW law students Bill Dussault and George Edensword-Breck.

​Janet Taggart
Taggart’s daughter Naida, who passed away in 2018, inspired her to work on behalf of all children. Not only was Naida barred from attending local schools as a child, but she was also turned away from Sunday school and doctors’ offices—Taggart tells that story at the link below. For decades, Taggart made countless trips to the Statehouse, called legislators, wrote to newspapers and school officials, and even campaigned once for district representative. She remains focused on civil rights for people with disabilities.

​Cecile Lindquist
Lindquist joined the fight for disability rights when her cousin Tommy, who had Down syndrome, was turned away from school in the early 1960s. Lindquist worked in inclusive education for the duration of her career, serving 30 years at the Experimental Education Unit (EEU), founded in 1967 as part of the College of Education and the Center for Human Development and Disability at the University of Washington. She continued working on behalf of disability rights for her entire life until she passed away in 2019. 

Evelyn Chapman
​​Chapman, who passed away in 2016, helped found Northwest Center so her son Coolidge could go to school. Her tenacity in fighting for disability rights was legendary—here’s one example: Infuriated when NWC’s first director rejected kids deemed “too difficult to serve,” Chapman broke into the director’s office, got the NWC board members’ contact information, and lobbied them to oust the director. (She succeeded.) Read more at the link below.

​Katie Dolan
Before she became a fierce advocate for kids with disabilities like her son, Dolan was a Seattle icon as a model, actress, and host of the shows “Women’s World” and “Eye on Seattle” on KIRO-TV. Dolan and Janet Taggart formed The Troubleshooters (now Disability Rights Washington) to ensure that people with disabilities received deserved benefits and services, inspiring legislation to establish Protection and Advocacy agencies in every state. Dolan passed away in 2006.

William “Bill” Dussault
As a law student, Dussault was one of the originating authors of Education for All. Dussault received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Washington School of Law in 1972. Today, he is actively involved with numerous state and national groups concerned with legal issues impacting persons with disabilities. He maintains a private practice in Seattle with an emphasis on the rights of persons with disabilities.
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George Edensword-Breck
Edensword-Breck graduated from Stanford University and later attended the University of Washington School of Law, where as a student he cowrote House Bill 90 – Education for All. Edensword-Breck started his own private practice in 1983, and practiced law in Seattle and Bainbridge Island He specialized in estate planning, trusts, and guardianships, with a special interest in disability planning. He passed away in 2019.

Education for All:
​A Civil Rights Milestone—and So Much Further to Go

Education for All:
​A Civil Rights Milestone—and So Much Further to Go
May 25, 2021 Panel

Meet the Panelists
Meet our panel of advocates, educators, and professionals dedicated to equity, justice, and inclusion for those within the disability community.

Former Washington Governor Dan Evans signed HB90 into law in 1971. Post-governorship, he served as a Washington State senator and founded his own consulting firm, Daniel J. Evans Associates, which he runs to this day.

NWC founder and House Bill 90 author Janet Taggart also helped write national disability education legislation. Her disability advocacy continues to this day through writing and publishing articles and letters to the editor in local publications.

House Bill 90 author William “Bill” Dussault, a UW law student in 1971, went on to specialize in disability law. He maintains a private practice in Seattle with a focus on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Jae Kim is the Information and Resource Coordinator at the Arc of King County. As a social worker who has a developmental disability, she advocates for people with disabilities and supports them to lead successful lives.

As Outreach & Advocacy Coordinator for the Arc of King County, Mullen focuses on bridging the education gap for people who are members of the disability community and traditionally marginalized groups.

Not only is Simonitch a Speech-Language Pathologist with Seattle Public Schools, but she is also the parent of a child with special needs, Kyle, who attended NWC Kids Early Learning.

As director of a nonprofit that addresses the needs of children denied access to local education programs due to disabilities, Fannin is a passionate advocate for inclusive education.

Lemus is the Pre-K Lead Teacher for Northwest Center Kids Early Learning. In her 18 years with Northwest Center, she has specialized in teaching pre-school age children of all abilities.

Martin is an Infant/Toddler Lead Teacher for Northwest Center Kids Early Learning. She has worked closely with children of all abilities aged birth to 5 in her 17 years with Northwest Center.

As Chief People Officer of Northwest Center, Miller is responsible for the full spectrum of Human Resources, including compensation and benefits administration, recruiting and employee relations. A passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, she founded the Northwest Center Equity Committee in 2015.

Gene Boes joined Northwest Center as CEO in 2018, after serving on the Northwest Center Board of Directors for three years. Gene and his wife June are parents of two adult children: son Andrew and daughter Tori. Tori, who has autism, is also a client of Northwest Center Employment Services.

Laura joined Northwest Center in 2013 as the Director of one of our Early Learning programs and was promoted to her role as Vice President of Northwest Center Kids in 2016. She leads a talented team of nearly 100 teachers, therapists, and support staff to serve over 600 children annually.

How to Get Involved:

Attend a Northwest Center Event
From educational summits to kids activities to gala nights out, click to learn about the latest upcoming events.
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Make Your Early Childhood Center Inclusive
Click to learn how our IMPACT trainings and consultations can make your preschool or early learning program welcoming to kids of all abilities.
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See the Education for All Documentary         
The story of the remarkable women and men behind the writing, passage, and legacy of Education for All is the subject of a soon-to-be-released documentary film produced by Jerry Millhon of nonprofit Thriving Communities and filmmaker Hannah Guggenheim. Sign up to be alerted of the film’s release.
>VISIT THRIVING COMMUNITIES