Dispute Resolution

While both staff and parent(s)/guardian(s) approach program development for special education students with the student’s best interests in mind, sometimes differences of opinion occur.

Please bring your questions or concerns first to the student's special education and/or general education teacher. Request an IEP team meeting to address the questions and concerns.

If you feel your questions or concerns have not been met at your IEP team meeting please follow the below chart to find resolution:

1. If questions or concerns are not met, contact the school principal.
2. If questions or concerns are not met, contact the Director of Special Education.
3. If questions or concerns are not met, contact the Superintendent.
4. If questions or concerns are not met, visit the OSPI Dispute Resolution page.

Implementing Agreements and Completing Corrective Actions in Citizen Complaints and Due Process Decisions

• The following dispute resolution options are recognized under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Mediation Agreements; Resolution Agreements; Citizen Complaints; and, Due Process Hearings. Implementation of decisions issued in a citizen complaint or a due process hearing are reviewed by OSPI. Allegations that a district has not implemented a resolution or mediation agreement may also be raised in a citizen complaint. Failure to implement due process hearing and citizen complaint decisions can result in further corrective actions or other sanctions, which can include fund withholding. Districts should have internal systems in place to address implementation of agreements and decisions. The following are suggested ways to make sure that a district is addressing implementation of dispute resolution options:

• Review the agreement and determine who needs to be informed of the agreement and any actions that are needed. This can include both special education and general education staff with responsibility for implementing the IEP.
• Make sure that all dates for implementation are calendared when there is more than one activity to be completed.
• Follow-up with documentation to the parent regarding step(s) taken to implement the agreement and completed activities.
• If needed, review the events that led to the request for mediation or request for hearing that resulted in an agreement. If there are steps that the district can take to address any of the procedural issues, consider follow-up written guidance, or staff training that can prevent the same issues from recurring for other students.

Citizen Complaints: 

• Review the decision. If there are corrective actions in the decision, they will address any student specific corrective actions and/or any district specific actions that are designed to prevent the violations from recurring.
• Inform any staff of the complaint decision and any steps that are needed to complete the corrective actions. This can include both special education and general education staff with responsibility for implementing the IEP.
• Make sure that any required corrective actions are calendared and completed before the dates for implementation and documentation required for OSPI.
• Make sure that corrective actions are being implemented. If there is a legitimate need for an extension, notify OSPI of the request and the reasons, to see if an extension for one or more corrective actions can be granted.
• Provide documentation of corrective actions to the OSPI contact person within required timelines.
• Implement any student specific and district specific required actions.
• Provide all final documentation to OSPI.

Due Process Hearing Decisions:

• Review the decision and determine who needs to be informed of the decision and actions that are needed as part of the order. This can include both special education and general education staff with responsibility for implementing the IEP.
• In addition to any student specific actions, review the conclusions to determine whether there are procedural violations, because the district must also take steps to address these procedural violations to prevent the same issues from recurring for other students.
• Implement the order. Make sure the steps outlined in the order are calendared and completed before the dates required for implementation in the due process decision.
• Provide staff training, written guidance, or take other steps to address procedural violations noted in the decision.
• Document steps taken to implement the decision.
• Address both student specific and district systemic actions taken to address the decision in the iGrants form package 267-Federal IDEA B application.