Facilitation

Facilitation is a voluntary process that can be used when parties in an IEP, IFSP or other meeting agree that the presence of a neutral third party would facilitate communication and problem solving. It is most often used when there is a history of contentious interactions between the family and school, the participants anticipate that they will be unable to reach agreement on critical issues, or when a meeting is expected to be particularly complex and controversial. Facilitators often serve as special education mediators in their state and have received additional training beyond that which they received to become mediators. Additionally, many school districts have specially trained staff members to serve in their own schools, districts or regions, or to assist in others, to more effectively facilitate problematic IEP meetings. 

IEP Facilitation - Louisiana

IEP facilitation is a new dispute resolution method developed by the Louisiana Department of Education. This option is available to parents and school districts when they both agree that it would be valuable to have a neutral person, such as an IEP Facilitator, present at an IEP meeting to assist them in discussing issues regarding your child's IEP.

Facilitated Individualized Education Program - Wisconsin

Facilitation is a voluntary process during which a neutral facilitator helps IEP team members communicate effectively and efficiently at IEP team meetings.

Facilitated IEP Team Meeting - Massachusetts

IEP team meeting facilitation is a voluntary process, at no cost to the parties, that can be used when the parties to an IEP meeting agree that the presence of a neutral third party would assist them in communicating and in the successful drafting of an IEP for a student.

IEP Facilitation - Pennsylvania

IEP facilitation is a voluntary process that can be used when all parties to an IEP meeting agree that the presence of a neutral third party would help facilitate communication and the successful drafting of the student’s IEP. 

Facilitation - Ohio

IEP facilitation is all about the student and helping the IEP team overcome the pressure and anxiety often associated with a contentious meeting. The facilitator makes sure that the focus of the team remains on the best interests of the student. The facilitator’s primary goal is to assist team members in the thoughtful, productive construction of a quality individualized educational program.

Facilitated IEP Meetings - North Carolina

When parents or school representatives are apprehensive about the next IEP meeting, or it is a complex meeting with numerous participants, or communication between home and school is becoming tense, an impartial facilitator can be requested to assist the IEP team members in communicating more effectively, keeping the focus on student outcomes, and developing compliant IEPs.

Facilitated IEP Meetings - New Mexico

The Facilitated Individualized Education Program is designed for parents and school districts in order to resolve a dispute. The role of an IEP Facilitator is to ensure that the IEP Team does their best thinking, interacts respectfully, the perspectives of all participants are heard, and the IEP team focuses on future action.

Facilitated IEP/IFSP Meetings - Minnesota

A facilitated IEP meeting is an IEP team meeting that includes an impartial facilitator who promotes effective communication and assists an IEP team in developing an acceptable IEP. The facilitator keeps the team focused on the proper development of the IEP while addressing conflicts that arise.

Complaint Assistance IEP Meeting - New Mexico

A Complaint Assistance IEP (CAIEP) meeting is an IEP meeting that is facilitated by the representative of the public agency who directs special education programs within the public agency, and who has decision-making authority on behalf of such agency. This special type of IEP meeting is intended to provide parents with an opportunity to discuss disputed IEP-related matters, and to provide the public agency with an opportunity to address and resolve their concerns.

IEP/IFSP Facilitation: Practical Insights and Programmatic Considerations

This document briefly summarizes practical insights and promising practices for IEP/IFSP facilitation, collected from a broad review of facilitation and special education literature. Among the highlight are strategies that can be used prior to and during a meeting as well as considerations for those...
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