Policy/Procedures
Personnel
The facilitator is a neutral person who assists the whole IEP team. The facilitator is not a member of the IEP team and has no personal interest in the outcome. The facilitators are selected from the current list of 22 WSEMS mediators who have received specialized training in facilitation of IEP cases.
Forms/Letter Templates
Training/Professional Development
Specialized training in facilitation of IEP cases.
Availability/Accessing Services
Facilitation is free to all participants. WSEMS will pay the facilitator with grant funds from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction. WSEMS may be contacted to schedule training for groups of parents and schools about facilitated IEPs and other types of early conflict resolution.
Either parents or school administrators or both may request facilitation by telephone, fax or mail. Parties should try and request facilitation at least two weeks prior to the scheduled IEP meeting date. Since IEP facilitation is voluntary, both the parent(s) and school representative must agree to use facilitation. If only one party requests facilitation, the Intake Coordinator will contact the other party to ask for consent to the facilitation and talk about the benefits of facilitation and how the process works. If that party does not agree, facilitation will not be used. Facilitation may be requested for any type of IEP meeting, such as an initial IEP, IEP re-evaluation, or annual IEP. The parents and/or school administrators may request facilitation for any IEPs that may benefit from more effective communication. WSEMS assigns a facilitator to IEP cases after the WSEMS Intake Coordinator talks with both the parent(s) and school district representative.