The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to examine the preparation of special education teachers to manage conflict in IEP meetings. For the purposes of this study, conflict is defined where an advocate and/or lawyer were present at an IEP meeting. Twenty special educators were interviewed who have been in conflict-laden IEP…

Millions of children with disabilities have benefited from the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (United States Department of Education [USDOE], 2010). However, the law has also been a source of frequent litigation and conflict between schools and parents (Mueller, 2015; Pudelski, 2016). This study was initiated to examine the…

Decades of research identify the need to improve the individualized education program (IEP) meeting process. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of parents, advocates, educators, and facilitators who have utilized an emerging alternative IEP procedure known as a facilitated IEP (FIEP) meeting. This new process is used as an…

This article presents some conflict-related issues that school leaders encounter in resolving disagreements and misunderstandings between parents of students with disabilities and school representatives. Two examples of special education service disagreements are employed to illustrate how a trained and impartial education liaison representative…

Because parents face barriers in advocating for their children within the special education system, some families request help from a special education advocate. In this study, we evaluated the perceptions of caregivers who requested advocacy support to understand why, for whom, when, and where the advocacy services were needed; how the advocate…

This guide is meant to help parents, schools, and community members use the Kansas Special Education Process Handbook. The parent guide to the Kansas Special Education Process Handbook was written by the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE). It is a start for learning about special education requirements. It is recommended to use this guide…

Increasing evidence shows that punitive discipline is ineffective and detrimental. Using empowerment theory and the opportunity-to-learn conceptual framework, this literature review seeks to broaden school personnel's knowledge of alternative discipline interventions. Searching ERIC and JSTOR databases, we looked for English language, North…

Parents who are knowledgeable of special education are more likely to engage in their child's education. Parents seek information about special education from a number of sources including State Departments of Education (SDEs). However, little is known about the web-based special education resources SDEs provide to parents. We sought to address…

The originators of special education law anticipated disputes and provided due process hearings as a means to settle the disputes. However, due process proved to be unfair, costly (financially and emotionally), and destructive to school-family relationships. Years later, lawmakers offered mandated mediation along with resolution meetings in…

Alternative Individualized Education Program (IEP) dispute resolution models should respond to limitations of current options. An experimental IEP dispute resolution program provides parents and schools with an evidence-supported neutral perspective on what is needed for free and appropriate education (FAPE) and least restrictive environment…

To help families navigate these processes, this tool is intended to introduce students and families to their rights in common scenarios, promote educational equity for students with disabilities, describe potential recourse or remedies for educational discrimination, and provide resources to enhance equity within schools. Families' rights and…

Parents who are knowledgeable of special education are more likely to engage in their child's education. Parents seek information about special education from a number of sources including State Departments of Education (SDEs). However, little is known about the web-based special education resources SDEs provide to parents. We sought to address…

A principal has many responsibilities; high on this list includes the need to be educated in current special education requirements to serve students with disabilities. The purpose of this study was to explore the amount of special education legal knowledge that secondary principals in Ohio possess. Demographic information, perceived special…

To help special education planning teams reach agreements, the Minnesota Department of Education, Compliance and Assistance, Alternative Dispute Resolution Services provide the option of facilitated IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings. This option is available for IEP, IIIP (Individual Interagency Intervention Plan), and IFSP…

Of the three formal dispute resolution procedures provided by the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act of 2004(IDEA), due process hearings are the most costly in terms of time, fiscal resources, and impact on relationships between school personnel and parents. This study examined 258 due process hearings held over the past 8 years in…