Si recién comienza en su rol de liderazgo y coordinación de resolución de disputas (DR) de intervención temprana o no, es posible que el contenido de este conjunto de recursos en línea le resulte especialmente útil para administrar los procesos obligatorios de DR según IDEA Parte C e implementar otras prácticas de prevención y resolución temprana dentro del Espectro continuo de CADRE.
Conozca los aspectos básicos
Entender la Parte C de IDEA, incluyendo su propósito y sus disposiciones, es de suma importancia para cualquier persona que ocupe un puesto de coordinación o liderazgo de resolución de disputas de intervención temprana. Visite los sitios web Acerca de IDEA (About IDEA) y Áreas temáticas (Topic Areas) de la OSEP para obtener más información.
Aunque la mayoría de los estados tienen poca o ninguna actividad formal de resolución de disputas, IDEA exige que cada estado establezca, implemente y mantenga garantías procesales en relación con la mediación, las quejas por escrito al estado y las quejas sobre el debido proceso. Aunque los estados deben cumplir los requisitos federales según IDEA, hay variaciones en cómo los estados cumplen dichos requisitos. Para ayudar a los estados a implementar sistemas eficaces y eficientes de resolución de disputas de intervención temprana que se alineen con la IDEA, CADRE ha desarrollado o seleccionado un grupo de recursos para cada uno de los procesos obligatorios, incluyendo manuales personalizables, enlaces a los recursos de la OSEP de uso frecuente y mucho más.
Prácticas opcionales de prevención & resolución temprana
CADRE recomienda enfáticamente que los estados tengan infraestructuras disponibles para apoyar la prevención y resolución temprana de disputas de intervención temprana. Una infraestructura sólida incluye políticas y procedimientos bien definidos, asignación adecuada de recursos, personal y proveedores capacitados, y mecanismos de acceso y prestación de servicios, y más.
Para obtener más información, visite:
- Espectro continuo de CADRE
- Cómo colaborar bien: Prácticas centradas en la familia para ayudar a que los profesionales y las familias trabajen juntos (Playing Nicely Together: Family-Centered Practices to Help Practitioners and Families Work Together)
- Serie de seminarios web “Cómo captar la participación de las familias y crear colaboraciones de confianza para mejorar los resultados de los niños y las familias” (Engaging Families and Creating Trusting Partnerships to Improve Child and Family Outcomes) (centros ECTA y DASY)
- Herramientas de mejora de las prácticas para el trabajo en equipo y la colaboración (Practice Improvement Tools for Teaming and Collaboration) (ECTA)
Collect and Report Required Dispute Resolution Data
Each Lead Agency is required to report dispute resolution data as part of the Annual Mandatory Collection of Elementary and Secondary Education Data. There are two submissions that require specific dispute resolution data:
First is the IDEA Part C Dispute Resolution Survey, commonly referred to as 618 data. This survey provides the U.S. Department of Education information on the counts of occurrences for the following:
- Written, signed complaints
- Mediation requests
- Due process complaints
The data collected using this survey is required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 618. The data are also used for monitoring the programs and activities under IDEA and reported by the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)’s Annual Report to Congress on the Implementation of IDEA. The IDEA Part C Dispute Resolution Survey covers an entire year of counts. For example, the SY 2020-21 data collection reporting year is defined as July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The window to submit the survey data is October - November.
Second is the reporting requirement that mandates States to submit data through EDFacts to complete their State Performance Plans (SPP) and Annual Performance Reports (APR). While the submissions require data from a variety of sources, there are indicators focused on dispute resolution, specifically C9 (percentage of hearing requests resolved through resolution session settlement agreements) for States that have adopted Part B procedures, and C10, (percentage of mediations held that resulted in mediation agreements). The data used to calculate these percentages are collected under Section 618 of the IDEA Part C Dispute Resolution Survey. The federal APR Tool will be open from January - February.
For information on EDFacts and EMAPS for dispute resolution reporting, see The U.S. Department of Education: The EDFacts Initiative.
Find Out About Your State Specific Procedures and Activity
It’s important to have a good grasp of how your DR system functions, what’s working well, as well as where there are opportunities for improvement. The CADRE Part C Dispute Resolution System Self-assessment Tool can help guide your assessment process. The intent of the assessment is two-fold: (1) to provide a baseline for describing where your State dispute resolution system is now, and (2) to help individuals involved in DR system improvement efforts to begin thinking in a common framework.
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CADRE’s Dispute Resolution System Self-assessment Tool (Accessible version coming soon!)
For more information on how to assess, plan for, and operationalize the required IDEA processes as well as other early resolution options, visit CADRE’s Improving Your System suite of online resources or contact CADRE for technical assistance at cadre@directionservice.org.
Ensure Policies and Procedures Align with IDEA and State Regulations
States also need to ensure that their DR policies and procedures align with IDEA and State Regulations. To assist you with this responsibility, CADRE has curated the following OSEP resources:
- IDEA Part C Regulations
- Analysis of Comments and Changes to IDEA Regulations
- Questions and Answers on IDEA Part B Dispute Resolution Procedures
- OSEP Part C Self-Assessment: Dispute Resolution
- OSEP Policy Documents, Letters, Memos, and FAQs
Check your state specific regulations to ensure they are consistent with the federal regulations.
Learn More
Visit CADRE's About Us page to learn more. Contact CADRE for individual technical assistance at cadre@directionservice.org.
Create Your Professional Learning Network
Learn how other states are implementing administrative requirements. Share your knowledge and expertise with others.
- Post, respond, and view queries on CADRE’s secure listserv
- Attend CADRE’s National Symposia
- Participate in CADRE and ECTA’s early intervention dispute resolution learning community
- Connect with an experienced DR Coordinator
- Connect with your Part B counterpart
CADRE would like to thank the following stakeholders for their valuable input during the creation of the Early Intervention Dispute Resolution Manuals:
- Monica Paris, Program Consultant for the Division of Children’s Medical Services, Bureau of Early Steps and Newborn Screening, Florida Department of Health
- Melaine Shepard, Human Services Program Specialist for the Idaho Infant Toddler Program, Department of Health and Welfare
- Elisabeth Teller, Connecticut Birth to Three System, Office of Early Childhood
- Sharon Walsh, Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center (ECTA)