A neutral third person works with opposing sides of a dispute to help reach an agreement or settlement

Description

Mediators are third parties that can help opposing sides of an argument or dispute by facilitating discussions and working with the parties to come to a decision. The mediation service called Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) is used for resolving special education conflicts.

If problems cannot be resolved by meeting with educators in your district, the Department of Education offers:

• Mediation - impartial mediator works with families and education teams
• Facilitated team meetings - impartial facilitator leads a team meeting to promote effective communication and assist in developing an Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
• Helps parents, school and agency personnel work together to resolve disagreements about a student's special education needs

Features

• Area Served by County
  • Statewide

• Payment
  • Free / no cost to everyone

• Specialization
  • Children and/or youth with disabilities
  • Disabilities
  • Family

Eligibility

If you have held more than one meeting and problems have not been resolved, consider mediation and consulting with advocates who are trained in special education processes.

Application Instructions

Call if you have questions about starting the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process or download the request for mediation form.

Fee

There is no fee for mediation or plan facilitation.