IEP: Facilitated Meetings

For children in schools who have special education needs, a successful partnership between parents and school professionals is critical. When dealing with an issue as significant as a child’s education, it’s easy to understand why the IEP process can at times be frustrating. Amid the potential conflicts, the goal shared by all of the participants – doing what’s best for the child – can be overshadowed. However, there is a growing alternative in a number of states: to involve a skilled facilitator in IEP meetings with the sole purpose of maintaining a collaborative environment. In this course, we’ll explore definitions and purpose, dispute resolution alternatives, how facilitation works, and when facilitation fails.