Main Library
This library contains CADRE resources as well as State, Lead Agency and Parent Center resources. Please note that CADRE makes no endorsement of the State, Lead Agency and Parent Center resources included here, nor of any policies, procedures, processes, or documents specific to any item.
At the heart of our work as dispute resolution practitioners is a Difficult or Crucial conversation. We provide a range of interventions designed to improve peoples effectiveness during these critical encounters in hopes of improving outcomes for children. This session will explore essential dynamics of Crucial and Difficult Conversations and identify strategies for improving our effectiveness as interveners. During this sessions we will: explore the dynamics of difficult conversations; introduce frameworks for understanding and designing appropriate interventions in stuck...
To review the session handout(s), click on the icon below: Kenneth Cloke Session 4.5 - Handout.doc Presenter: Kenneth Cloke , Center for Dispute Resolution, Santa Monica, CA Every conflict we experience provides us with opportunities to practice empathy and honesty, strengthen communication skills, become more open-minded and open-hearted, and exercise wisdom, clarity, balance, and inner peace under difficult conditions. Every conflict therefore leads potentially not only to de-escalation, settlement and resolution, but to transformation and transcendence. While resolution reshapes the issues...
This presentation focuses on the processes and procedures learned by Ohio's Dispute Resolution team that arose from the COVID 19 Pandemic. Specifically, Ohio saw a 50% increase in systemic state complaints, despite a significant decrease of the total number of complaints. The complexity and size of the complaints were larger than "normal" systemic complaints the team previously investigated. However, Ohio learned some valuable lessons from investigation to corrective action that ultimately produced a more efficient process, which conserved the energy of the complaint team to preserve the...
Dr. Susan Etscheidt will begin our presentation by introducing the dispute resolution options offered in the state of Iowa. In addition to highlighting the conflict resolution continuum for special education related disputes, Dr. Etscheidt will share the state's impressive statistics for pre-appeals, hearing, and mediations. She will then highlight the issues of the last ten hearings and the implications for these hearings in relevant case law. Amber Benedict will share her master's thesis research findings on Iowa's state special education mediators exploring their perceptions on power and...
This skill-building session will focus on writing; a written final product is critical for all types of special education dispute resolution. We are among many other things professional writers. Hearing officers must write a decision, and state complaint investigators must write up the report of the investigation. In this interesting and interactive session, those in attendance will participate in the session and will learn about the common factors and the differences involved in writing up the various documents. Best practices will be explored. Implications for training will be considered...
This presentation will describe a model for advancing ADR practice in special education through research. A plan will be proposed for building a coherent and credible knowledge base to guide ADR practice, training, and advocacy.
ALJ’s (executive branch judges) may be subject to the same ethical standards as judges in the judicial branch of government. This will depend on the jurisdiction. For our purposes, we will assume that ALJ’s are subject to the same standards and will discuss judicial ethics standards based upon the ABA Model Code of Judicial conduct as well as statutory law governing disqualification of judges.
This presentation examines the differences in being neutral, without a conflict of interest, as defined by case law, research and publications, and training for special education alternative dispute resolution. Does neutrality vary across facilitation, mediation, and complaint investigations? How does the facilitator, mediator, or investigator demonstrate neutrality when contracting in multiple ADR roles, often in the same school districts? The presentation will discuss examples such as: How does a facilitator address having previously been an investigator in the same district, finding the...
Students with disabilities obviously benefit when their school IEP teams collaboratively work together to maintain trust and effective relationships that lead to consensus-based, legally compliant decisions that are focused totally on student needs and successful outcomes. To foster effective IEP teams, it is important that school districts focus on proactive training for the key school IEP team member responsible for ensuring proper process: The LEA Representative (LEA). Across the U.S., an increasing number of states and school districts are looking to their local school administrators –...
This presentation increases specific skills related to preparing for and holding the IEP meeting. By attending to the purpose, the plan, the participants, the IEP process and use of a "parking lot" technique, it combines good meeting practice (i.e. have an agenda, a time-keeper, a note-taker, defined roles) with specifics of the federally mandated IEP process, such as developing goals before determining placement.
The presenters will co-host an exploration of the leadership challenges that are impacting the delivery of special education services. As schools and districts struggle to bridge the chasm between traditional paradigms of separation of general education and special education and what is required today, the role of the leader becomes key in establishing appropriate values and creating the cultural shift that is needed. Participants will be asked to consider the implications of current trends in general and special education (i.e., inclusion, principal oversight of special educators, RTI/PBIS,...
Presenters: Judy Alderton , Project Director, IN-SOURCE, South Bend, IN Fran Fletcher , University of Delaware, Newark, DE Patricia McGinnis , ADR Coordinator, Minnesota Special Education Mediation System, Roseville, MN Eva Soeka , Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System, Milwaukee, WI The IEP Meeting is central to the provision of educational services for students and children with disabilities. When relationships between parents and schools are strained, facilitated meetings may be beneficial. To help special education planning teams reach agreements, several state education agencies...
Presenters: Judy Alderton , Project Director, IN-SOURCE, South Bend, IN Fran Fletcher , University of Delaware, Newark, DE Patricia McGinnis , ADR Coordinator, Minnesota Special Education Mediation System, Roseville, MN Eva Soeka , Wisconsin Special Education Mediation System, Milwaukee, WI The IEP Meeting is central to the provision of educational services for students and children with disabilities. When relationships between parents and schools are strained, facilitated meetings may be beneficial. To help special education planning teams reach agreements, several state education agencies...
The IEP Meeting is central to the provision of educational services for students and children with disabilities. When relationships between parents and schools are strained, facilitated meetings may be beneficial. To help special education planning teams reach agreements, several state education agencies and local education agencies provide the option of facilitated IEP meetings. Participants at this session will learn some of the benefits and challenges that are associated with implementing facilitated IEP programs.
The IEP Meeting is central to the provision of educational services for students and children with disabilities. When relationships between parents and schools are strained, facilitated meetings may be beneficial. To help special education planning teams reach agreements, several state education agencies and local education agencies provide the option of facilitated IEP meetings. Participants at this session will learn some of the benefits and challenges that are associated with implementing facilitated IEP programs.
To review the session handout(s), click on the icon below: Dixie Rider Session 3.2 - Handout.doc Dixie Rider Session 3.2 - Handout 2.doc Dixie Rider Session 3.2 - Handout 3.doc Dixie Rider Session 3.2 - Presentation.ppt Presenters: Dixie Rider , Pennsylvania Office for Dispute Resolution, Harrisburg, PA Kerry Smith , Pennsylvania Office for Dispute Resolution, Harrisburg, PA Pennsylvania piloted IEP Facilitation in 2004. Using humor and many real life examples, this presentation will examine the sometimes turbulent journey Pennsylvania took to reach its current and acceptable model, including...
Pennsylvania piloted IEP Facilitation in 2004. Using humor and many real life examples, this presentation will examine the sometimes turbulent journey Pennsylvania took to reach its current and acceptable model, including flawed program design, insufficient training programs, expanded parameters of the Facilitators role, and other glitches and pitfalls encountered along the way. Based on knowledge gained from some challenging experiences, topics to be discussed will be: the level of pre and post involvement of the Facilitator; the Facilitators ownership of the process vs. ownership of the...
To review the session handout(s), click on the icon below: Diana Autin Session 3.3 - Presentation.ppt Presenter: Diana Autin , Region I Parent TA Center, Newark, NJ Despite the legal role of parents as equal members of the IEP/IFSP team, most families enter the IEP/IFSP process with less power and resources than the professionals representing the school system. This power imbalance contributes to conflict in the IEP/IFSP process. IEP/IFSP facilitation has the potential to level the playing field between families and professionals but only if it is conducted with a thorough understanding of...
Despite the legal role of parents as equal members of the IEP/IFSP team, most families enter the IEP/IFSP process with less power and resources than the professionals representing the school system. This power imbalance contributes to conflict in the IEP/IFSP process. IEP/IFSP facilitation has the potential to level the playing field between families and professionals but only if it is conducted with a thorough understanding of the power relationships between families and school systems and knowledge of strategies to empower families in the IEP/IFSP process. This workshop will provide...
Students, families, and educators have experienced an unprecedented year and a half of teaching and learning. As students and educators return to school some aspects of the educational culture are familiar and some are very different. This presentation will challenge organizations to leverage the CADRE Continuum to review support offerings and processes; and to develop and implement procedures to innovate, support, and engage the current landscape of the provision of services for students and families. Video of 2.2 Leveraging the CADRE Continuum to Review and Rethink Offerings and Processes
This presentation will include 3 segments: Characteristics of Conflicts Between Parents and Schools and Why This Type of Conflict is Challenging to Resolve; What Promotes and What Limits Resolution; and The Three Stages of Mediation: Early Stages: Connection and Rapport- Middle Stages: Exchanging Ideas and Proposals - Final Stages: Reaching Final Consensus and the Mediation Agreement. The presenters will describe effective mediation strategies for both parents and schools as well as for lay advocates and attorneys including advocating your position, supporting productive decision-making, and...
CADRE has worked closely with States to compile and verify three years of data from the State Annual Performance Reports (APRs) and the State Performance Plan (SPP). In addition, CADRE has summarized the 03-04 APR and the 05 SPP documents specifically related to dispute resolution activity. Dick and Aimee will described the national longitudinal database, present summaries of data showing national and state trends to date in the use of IDEA dispute resolution options, and will describe some of strategies states are employing to improve dispute resolution system and practice performance.
The session will examine Section 618 and APR data submitted by states on dispute resolution activity.
This session will provide information about five overlooked and promising practices identified in recent research about parent-school conflict in special education. When used correctly, these practices can prevent and resolve disagreements effectively and amicably. Participants will walk away with knowledge about the research and steps for implementation to appropriately address conflict, build IEP team partnerships, and improve student outcomes.