Participants in this session will learn how Washington DC, a large urban jurisdiction with a large charter school sector and the country’s highest ratio of lawyers to the general population, is moving toward less adversarial, more student-led and family-friendly dispute resolution options. Panelists representing both government and community organizations will discuss the new programs and the challenges faced by our community as we move to less adversarial processes, strive to maintain accountability, and coordinate across a complex, urban landscape. Questions we will explore include: How do these early dispute resolution programs fit together? What is the appropriate role for attorneys and advocates? What are the concerns and questions of families and other stakeholders about these new programs? What impacts are these changes making in special education dispute resolution?

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