Special Education Mediation (Virginia Department of Education, VDOE)

Description:

A neutral, impartial, trained mediator may be sought voluntarily by parents and school staff to assist in their negotiations with each other. That assistance to convene and conduct a meeting to clarify issues, focus on the needs of a child, and to explore and evaluate possible solutions in a confidential setting is mediation.

Mediators are trained neutrals, skilled in helping people to hear and understand each other and to work jointly to find solutions to difficult issues in special education. Mediators do not take the role of anyone's advocate, but support and assist everyone in the negotiation process.