The original principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act offer strengths and possibilities for fostering professional and family collaboration and partnerships. In spite of persistent challenges, opportunities exist for special education leaders to enhance stakeholder involvement and ensure that parents play a key…

Alternative Individualized Education Program (IEP) dispute resolution models should respond to limitations of current options. An experimental IEP dispute resolution program provides parents and schools with an evidence-supported neutral perspective on what is needed for free and appropriate education (FAPE) and least restrictive environment…

The paper is an outgrowth of a Utah task force composed of school personnel and parents examining conflict in the individualized education program (IEP) process for handicapped children. An introductory section examines the history of parent-school relations, reviews the steps in the IEP process, and describes such conflict resolution strategies…