Reviewed by Dr. Elizabeth Long, Ph.D. — Director of Special Education, 32 years in public education.
Under IDEA, options include mediation, a formal state complaint to your state's department of education, or a due process hearing. Section 504 disputes can also be raised through a district's internal 504 grievance procedure or a complaint to the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
“The procedures must ensure that the mediation process—
(i) Is voluntary on the part of the parties;
(ii) Is not used to deny or delay a parent's right to a hearing on the parent's due process complaint, or to deny any other rights afforded under Part B of the Act;”
This section is educational support, not legal advice. Special education rules can depend on your state and your child's facts. Talk with your IEP or 504 team, and with counsel when you need legal advice.
Dr. Long's Assistant answers your specific questions in plain language — built from Dr. Long's expertise, plus state and federal law read at the source — never the open internet.
Get started →This is educational information, not legal advice. IDEA, Section 504, FERPA, and state rules may differ by situation.
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