Special
Education Mediation Option
Mediation
may be an option when circumstances just aren't going
the way you want for your special needs child and you're
at your wits-end trying to make a change.
What
is Mediation?
Mediation is a process in which trained mediators assist
people in conflict to communicate and to make voluntary,
informed choices to find a mutually acceptable resolution
to their dispute. The mediators strive to be impartial,
neutral and unbiased. The Nebraska mediation model is
interest-based & facilitative, focusing on the participants'
needs in order to find workable, lasting, self-enforcing
solutions. Mediation ethics derive from the mediator's
respect for each participant's uniqueness, personal
& cultural values, dignity, competence & right to self-determination.
When?
Mediation can take place anytime: before or instead
of filing a lawsuit; before or after a complaint or
petition is filed; or after a case has been heard or
dismissed.
A parent who had been through many levels of due process
and litigation suggested a checklist which is featured
at the Nebraska
Special Education Mediation Website. Many people
feel it is better to mediate early before situations
get polarized and contentious; before relationships
are irreparably harmed; before too much negativity,
anger, frustration, or despair result. How much is "too
much"? That's for you and your colleagues interested
in a particular student to decide. Families and educators
are equal partners in this process. So, for one it may
be "too much" at salary negotiation time and for another
it may be "too much" at retesting time. It's O.K. to
admit another approach is needed. It's even recommended
that families and schools work together - creatively
and collaboratively.
How
do I get started?
Call an approved mediation center. The Intake Coordinator
will answer questions and help you decide if you want
to mediate. A map and a list of mediation centers is
also at the Nebraska
Special Education Mediation Site. There are six
mediation sites within Nebraska.
For
more information, see the Nebraska Special Education
Mediation Site at http://www.education.ne.gov/sped/mediation.html.
| For
disability information, online support groups, and
much more, please visit the www.Answers4Families.org
website, formerly the Nebraska Network for Children
and Families (NNCF) |
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