Issues which arise between parents of students with disabilities and school personnel are often challenging and emotional. Although everyone wants the best education program for each student, not everyone always agrees on what is best. Unfortunately, the formal processes most often used to resolve special education disputes can add to the complexity of the situation. These adversarial processes can also damage the relationship between parents and school personnel, who must work together now and in the future for the benefit of the child.
Mediation can resolve many of these disputes at a lower cost, in less time and in a manner that often promotes better working relationships between parties. Everyone benefits, including parents, schools and the child. The Michigan Special Education Mediation Program provides parents and schools with Special Education Dispute Resolution services FREE of charge in every county throughout Michigan.
Types of Issues that Special Education Mediation Can Address:
ELIGIBILITY for special education programs/services - whether the student's characteristics meet the criteria for being a student with a disability.
EVALUATION - whether the parents and the school agree on the results of the school's evaluation and/or whether an independent evaluation should be conducted.
TYPE or AMOUNT of special education services proposed for the student whether the programs/services are appropriate to meet the educational needs of the student.
CONCERNS about how special education services are or are not being provided.
COMMUNICATION or RELATIONSHIPS that are in need of improvement.
When might it be helpful to request special education mediation?
Parents or school personnel feel apprehensive about an upcoming meeting.
Participants want to focus on the issues at the meeting rather than concentrating on running a meeting smoothly.
Communication among the parents and school personnel begins to become strained.
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"Thank you for being so attentive and polite as we worked through our differences with our school district." -- Parent
"The process was helpful to all involved. The mediation created a more cooperative setting and a more calm setting." - School Principal
"The facilitators were excellent. Both are clearly invested in this process. Both have great people skills, and understanding of school and parent's perspectives." - Independent Consulting Psychologist
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Families and schools can directly contact The Dispute Resolution Center through our online form or by calling our office in Washtenaw County at 734-222-3745 or in Livingston County at 517-546-6007.
For more information on the use of mediation/facilitation in special education matters, please see the following:
Consortium for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education
