The SDE offers the IEP team a neutral thrid party to encourage communication, participation, and problem solving by all team members.
System Oversight, Infrastructure and Organization: 

Personnel

A trained facilitator is appointed by the SDE Disptue Resolution Coordinator. The facilitator will assist in developing the topics for discussion, set the agenda, insure active participation, and guide the IEP team toward a successful conclusion.

Forms/Letter Templates

ID-6 Initial Facilitation Email.pdf

PDF icon Download ID-6 Initial Facilitation Email.pdf (242.09 KB)
Practitioner Standards & Professional Development: 

Practitioner Qualifications

Facilitators work for the SDE on a contract basis

Training/Professional Development

Facilitators attend in-house trainings, IDEA trainings, online trainings (including webinars), special education law conferences. In addition, facilitators have LRP Sped Connections subscriptions, are provided with legal updates from the dispute resolution office, copies of IDEA, Idaho Manual, and Idaho Education Rule, and have access a libray of LRP publications and other resources in the SDE office.  

Other activities include:

  • Mentoring program for new and/or tentative facilitators
  • Lunch and learn meetings (regional)
  • Developing a community of facilitators so they can comfortably access peer expertise (allow billable time)

Miscellaneous

Contractual Requirements:

  • Complete facilitations
  • Provide summary report within 15 days
  • Submit evaluation contact list for surveys
  • Disclose conflicts of interest to DR and parties
  • Adhere to deadlines
  • Meet continuing education requirements, including SDE sponsored trainings.
  • Terms of payment: $65/hour for actual services; $35/hour for travel and training
     
Public Awareness & Outreach Activities: 

Availability/Accessing Services:

Faciliation is available from the SDE at no cost. Both parties must agree to participate. Either the parent or the district can request facilitation, but shold give the SDE a reasonable amount of time to appoint a facilitator. A faciliated IEP team meetings is scheduled by the district and the parent at a mutually agreed upon time and place.

Evaluation & Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI): 

EVALUATION

The parties will be asked by the SDE to evaluate the facilitation 

Faciliation Evaluation - Completed by IEP Team Members via emailed Survey Monkey link.
Topics:

  • Demographics
  • Facilitation process
  • Facilitator skills
  • Future relationships
  • Projections of effectiveness
  • Satisfaction with state office

Faciliatator's Summary Evaluation - Completed by each Facilitator and returned with billing materials.
Topics:

  • Major Issues
  • Agreement/Non-agreement
  • Level of conflict
  • Relational dynamics present
  • Self-evaluation of skills
  • Evaluation of DR Office
  • Identify any training needs


Each Facilitator is provided a link to review his or her evaluations once the billing has been received.
Facilitator evaluations are read by the DR Coordinator and filed both in the case file and in Facilitator’s personnel file.

Combined Facilitator Self-Eval&Summary Form

PDF icon Download Combined Facilitator Self-Eval&Summary Form.pdf (270.51 KB)

ID-11 Contact Information for Survey Followup

PDF icon Download ID-11 Contact Information for Survey Followup.pdf (82.38 KB)

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