UALR William H.
Bowen School of Law
Clinical Programs
Arkansas Special
Education Mediation Project
The Arkansas Special Education Mediation Project is one of several projects
in the Bowen School of Law Clinical Programs. This project
uses practicing, trained professional mediators. They are familiar
with the laws and policies affecting educational services for children
with disabilities. Their goal is to help parties more quickly find
effective solutions to the problems confronting them. Funding for this
program is provided by a grant from the Arkansas Department of Education,
Special Education Unit.
What is Special Education
Mediation?
Meeting the individual needs of a student with disabilities is a challenge.
Sometimes the result does not satisfy everyone. This can lead to an impasse
between parents and the school. Mediation is an informal, yet structured,
process that brings together parents and educators to work with each other
to resolve disagreements about a child’s special education needs.
Special education mediation is voluntary and confidential. A neutral party,
the mediator, helps parents and school districts to focus on the best
interests of the student, identify issues, discuss viewpoints, generate
options, and create solutions agreeable to all. The mediator does not make
a decision for the parties as a judge or a due process hearing officer do.
The Parents Guide to Mediation provides
more detail about the mediation process.
What is a Mediator?
A mediator is an open-minded third person who guides a conversation between
the various participants to make sure that it runs smoothly. A mediator
helps the parties find their own solution. A mediator is not a judge.
A mediator does not decide how the parties will work out their problem.
A mediator will not give legal, financial, or professional advice.
Mediation
Forms
Parental Request for Mediation
School Request for Mediation
Agreement to Mediate
Contact
Information
The project director is Kelly Browe
Olson, Assistant Professor and Director of Clinical Programs.
Professor Olson teaches in the Mediation Clinic and in the areas of Alternative
Dispute Resolution, Children and the Law, and Family Law. Nancy
Mathews is the Bowen School of Law Mediator/Instructor for the project.
Terry Harrison, Mediation Office
Administrator, schedules the mediations.
Arkansas Special Education
Mediation Project
UALR Bowen School of Law
1201 McMath Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72202-5142
Phone: (501) 324-9939
Fax: (501) 324-9911
E-mail: SpEdMeD8@ualr.edu
Toll free: 1-866-273-3959
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Revised 4/28/2006 |