Nearly one of every 10 students in Bellevue has a disability requiring special education. But state and federal funding covers only two-thirds of the cost of meeting the special needs of Bellevue children.

As an education attorney working with parents throughout the Seattle area, and as a Bellevue resident, I support the Educational Programs and Operations levy on the Feb. 11 ballot as an essential source of special education funding. Bellevue’s most vulnerable children need support from local voters to maintain and improve the special instruction and services that are required for their success.

Voting “yes” on the levy will help fund special as well as general education programs, benefiting all children, including those who need extra help.

Katherine George, Bellevue