5 Key Details

IEP Facilitator

• An IEP facilitator can help alleviate tension between parents and other IEP team members.
• An optional early resolution process where an impartial facilitator assists the IEP team with communication and problem solving.
• Sometimes teams just need a third party to feel heard and understood. It is nothing against any team member. Sometimes personalities have a hard time meshing and getting along.

Mediation

• Sometimes relationships between IEP team members can become strained which then leads to disagreements between parents and school personnel. Mediation can be a vital tool to help IEP teams solve disagreements and come to a mutual agreement about services.
• Research is clear that when parents and schools work together, children have better educational outcomes.
• Mediation is a voluntary process that brings people together with a mediator, who helps them communicate with each other and resolve their disagreements.

Resolution Meetings

• This is a meeting that takes place after a parent files a due process complaint/hearing request but before a due process hearing takes place.
• These meetings are very important and if successful can reach an agreement between both parties that prevents a due process hearing.

Written State Complaints

• A written document used to communicate that a public agency (e.g., school district) has not followed the IDEA, and to request an investigation.
• This is an important step that any person or organization can file when their is a concern about a child or particular issue that affects children system-wide.

Due Process Hearing

• A process used to resolve a formal complaint made by a parent or public agency (e.g., school district), who are together referred to as “the parties.”
• It is used to resolved conflicts that haven't been resolved with IEP Facilitators, Mediation, and/or Resolution Meetings.
• It is important that educators follow all steps in the IDEA law for evaluations, IEP meetings, and IEP development. This can help minimize parental/team disagreements and prevent a due process hearing.