This information guide was designed to assist in resolving special education disputes, as well as to provide dispute resolution options for parents or school district staff when communications are difficult or there is a dispute that cannot be resolved. Mediation is a voluntary process that (1) brings people together to resolve their…

Conflict between parents of children with disabilities and school district members has been an ongoing issue for decades. Special education administrators are often designated to address conflict with the intent to find an amicable resolution. Otherwise, conflict can lead to due process hearings that move valuable time and money away from general…

The purpose of this study was to understand the ways in which three parents of students with disabilities and three public school campus administrators negotiated dilemmas through discourse during Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meetings in a South Texas public school district. The participants in this study included the stakeholders in ARD…

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the degree to which trust-building variables exist between public school districts and parents of 3- to 8-year-old children with autism during the initial placement process in the perception of special education administration. Additional purposes of the study were to identify barriers and…

Parent-teacher conferences have been used by school districts across the country to report student progress since the 1930s. A review of the literature revealed that there are many benefits to be gained from conferences. Some of these benefits include: the sharing of information (by parents and teachers) to further the child's academic and social…

The conflict-resolution technique of interpersonal negotiation involves five steps: (1) state your positive intentions; (2) define, analyze, and discuss the problem; (3) summarize progress; (4) explore alternative solutions; and (5) set a time for follow-up. (MLF)

Maintaining that the development of a detailed communication plan well in advance of school collective bargaining negotiations will be a critical ingredient in the success of school districts' bargaining efforts, this handbook concentrates on communication before, during, and after the bargaining process, rather than on explicit bargaining…