What is SERC?
The Special Education Resolution Center (SERC) has been collaborating with the Oklahoma State Department of Education for nearly 20 years to help families and school districts resolve conflicts at the earliest stage possible. SERC provides services for children from birth to age 3 in SoonerStart and for students ages 3 through 21 in public schools.
The Oklahoma State University Department of Wellness – Sponsored Programs (DOWSP) is the lead agency for SERC.
What does SERC provide to schools, SoonerStart, and families at no cost?
- Training on communication and collaboration skills to help prevent conflict.
- An IEP Facilitator to manage conflict during contentious IEP meetings.
- A mediator to guide a structured process in which parents and personnel can resolve specific issues related to special education.
- A Due Process Hearing Officer at an administrative hearing to resolve, what could not be resolved at an earlier stage. During the resolution time of the process, SERC can provide a facilitator to help the parties discuss the hearing issues in a safe and structured setting and try to resolve them if possible.
Table of Contents
- What is SERC
- What Does SERC Provide to Schools, SoonerStart, and Families at no cost?
- 2024-2025 Wisdom Wednesday Webinars
- OSEP Discipline Guidance
- New Guidance on FBAs to Support Student Learning
- “Demystifying IEP Facilitation” – Wisdom Wednesday Webinar
- Follow SERC on Social Media
- SERC’s Facilitation Training – Registration Open
- Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue – Spring 2025 Classes Added
- Which Dispute Resolution Option is Best for You?
- Contact SERC
Get the SERC Scoop!
2024-2025 Wisdom Wednesday Webinars
Working together and through conflict to support students with disabilities can be challenging for parents and schools. Learn helpful information, tips, and techniques from the experts that can help you navigate through difficult situations.
Join us for this free 1.5-hour webinar series every month from 12 pm to 1:30 pm CST. Register today on our Wisdom Wednesday Webinars webpage.
OSEP Discipline Guidance
As part of SERC’s mission to resolve and prevent disputes as early as possible, we receive many calls from both schools and parents about a variety of needs. One issue stands out among the rest—behavior and discipline! Now that we’re past the first quarter of the school year, it’s a great time to review the latest discipline guidelines from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). Read the article from the U.S. Department of Education and check out four resources to help support students with disabilities and prevent discriminatory discipline under Section 504 or IDEA. As always, feel free to reach out to SERC for support, guidance, or any services we offer!
New Guidance on FBAs to Support Student Learning
Exclusionary discipline is still a big topic in schools, especially when it comes to student behavior. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) have shared new guidance on functional behavior assessments (FBAs). The FBA guidance gives teachers and families helpful tools, resources, and information to support FBAs and behavior plans for all students, whether they have a disability or not.
Stay up to date on the guidance by reading the FBA letter and guidance on the U.S. Department of Education website.
“Demystifying IEP Facilitation” – Wisdom Wednesday Webinar
October 23, 2024
With Dr. Rob Keiter, SERC Program Coordinator
Is IEP Facilitation a mystery to you? Do you wonder what happens in a facilitated IEP meeting? This webinar will explore the who, what, when, where, and how of IEP Facilitation. Participants attending this webinar will come away with a better understanding of what IEP Facilitation is all about and how to prepare for success when participating in a facilitated IEP meeting.
Visit the Wisdom Wednesday Webinar archive webpage for the YouTube recording, transcript, and PowerPoint slides.
Follow SERC on Social Media
If you haven’t followed us on Instagram and Facebook, you’re missing out! Do you want to stay up to date on the most recent goings-on at the organization, including interviews with our service providers and a glimpse into the day-to-day lives at SERC? Do you want tips and tricks on bridging communication gaps and education for families and parents on dispute resolution? Surely you would benefit from updates on other special education news and happenings in the community that might affect YOU!
Give us a follow on Facebook and Instagram.
SERC’s Facilitation Training – Registration Open!
SERC offers a one-day training to districts on facilitating meetings. The training provides an overview of facilitation, including facilitator qualities and skills, key functions of a facilitator, the facilitator’s role before, during, and after a meeting, along with a toolbox of practical facilitator strategies and techniques to use during a meeting. This training provides helpful resources to those who want to sharpen their skills and tools when facilitating difficult meetings, along with benefiting districts wanting to develop in-house facilitators for IEP meetings.
The training is offered in-person with regional classes in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The course is from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm. This training is available at no cost to those attending through our partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education. Registration is made online. Course dates and locations with registration links are below. For more information, contact SERC’s Program Coordinator, Rob Keiter at rob.keiter@okstate.edu.
View a sample Facilitator Training agenda, and register for a training today on our Stakeholder Training webpage.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue – Spring 2025 Classes Added
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is a nationally recognized training that helps people have difficult conversations that they are afraid to have or aren’t going well. The focus of the training is not just about communication – it’s about helping people get the results they want and need.
Crucial Conversations can help you in your conversations with:
- School administrators
- Special Education Directors and staff
- School Staff and personnel including general ed teachers
- Service resource providers
- IEP team members
- Parents and their advocates
- Organizations and family support personnel that work with children with disabilities
Right now, we offer in-person regional classes in Tulsa and Oklahoma. The course is taught over two days from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm each day. Attendance is required on both days.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is available at no cost to participants through our partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). Registration is made online. For more information, please contact Rob Keiter at rob.keiter@okstate.edu.
To learn more about Crucial Conversations and register for training, visit the Stakeholder Training webpage.
Which Dispute Resolution Process is Best for You?
You may be wondering which dispute resolution process would be the best for you when dealing with special education-related disputes. This dispute chart will help you understand the differences between the three processes offered in Oklahoma. Each of these processes is offered at no cost to schools or parents. Please contact us with any questions related to our dispute resolution processes. We can help you decide which process will work the best for your situation.
View the Spanish version of the dispute resolution chart (PDF).
View the English version of the dispute resolution chart (PDF).
Contact SERC
For more information about any of the content in this newsletter, please reach out to SERC Assistant Director, Dr. Allison Fennell-Conch.
Phone: 918-270-1849 or 888-267-0028 (toll-free)
Email: allison.conch@okstate.edu
Special Education Resolution Center
9726 E. 42nd Street, Suite 203
Tulsa, OK 74146
okserc@okstate.edu • okserc.org