Between Fall 2008 and Summer 2010, the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE) analyzed state special education dispute resolution systems and their components, with the objective of identifying particularly effective systems and creating a resource that other states could draw on when considering improvement activities. Four states with exemplary systems and practices were identified (IA, OK, PA and WI), profiles were developed and a database of resources from these state systems was created. Analysis of common features across these systems identified a number of elements as being fundamental to their success, including the following, which are discussed in this brief report: (1) Oversight Guided by a Clear and Integrated Vision of the System; (2) A Continuum of Dispute Resolution Options and Practices; (3) Standards, Training and Technical Assistance; (4) Public Awareness, Outreach and Stakeholder Involvement; and (5) Collection, Analysis and Reporting of Evaluation Data for Continuous Quality Improvement.