Introduction to 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.
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 English version of the dispute resolution chart (PDF)
- View the Spanish version of the dispute resolution chart (PDF)
Director’s Letter
As we step into summer, I’m filled with appreciation for the continued growth, collaboration, and momentum we’ve experienced this year. This quarter has brought exciting transitions, meaningful partnerships, and continued opportunities to serve families and educators of Oklahoma.
After 14 years in our previous space, our agency has officially settled into our new office at 5314 S. Yale Ave. #206, in Tulsa. The move gave us the opportunity to reflect on our journey, clear out the old, and create a fresh start. Now, three months in, we’re fully unpacked and truly feeling at home. If you’re in the Tulsa area, or just passing through, we’d love for you to stop by and visit us!
With new space comes new energy, and I’m thrilled to introduce the newest member of our team! Alisa Holuby joined us on May 1 as SERC’s Program Manager. Alisa brings over a decade of experience in special education, having served in the roles of paraprofessional, special education teacher, and director of special services. Her background, insight, and passion for supporting families and schools are already making a positive impact. In her role, she’ll be working closely with me to lead training efforts, strengthen partnerships, and expand access to early dispute resolution tools and resources across the state.
I’m also pleased to share that Oklahoma has been selected as one of just ten states to participate in a national workgroup led by CADRE (The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education). This multi-year initiative, in partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education-Special Education Services (OSDE-SES), and the Oklahoma Parents Center (OPC), will focus on strengthening local dispute resolution practices and supporting healthy parent-school relationships. Over the summer, we’ll be connecting with districts across the state to begin planning for pilot participation in the 2025-2026 school year. We’re excited to continue this important work alongside our trusted partners.
As we look back on this past school year, I am proud of the meaningful progress we’ve made together. SERC has provided nearly 50 external trainings, over 60 IEP facilitations, and more than 20 mediations; and those numbers don’t include the many internal trainings and strategic collaborations with our partner organizations. These efforts reflect our commitment to early, preventative, and accessible dispute resolution for all. It’s an honor to do this work, and we remain as dedicated as ever to supporting schools and families across Oklahoma.
Thank you for reading, and for all you do to support students with disabilities. Please enjoy this quarter’s newsletter, don’t hesitate to reach out if we can support you, and have a safe and restful summer.
Dr. Allison Conch
SERC Assistant Director
SERC Training Opportunities
We’ve had a great year of stakeholder training at SERC! We are now looking forward to new classes scheduled to begin in September 2025. These include Facilitation Training, Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue, and our Wisdom Wednesday Webinars.
Facilitation Training
SERC offers Facilitation Training as a one-day training to district personnel, including administrators and special education directors/staff, as well as parent agencies. 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 for facilitating meetings, including difficult meetings! It will also benefit 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. Fall 2025 course dates, locations, and registration links are listed on our Stakeholder Training page.
Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue
SERC offers Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue as a two-day training to district personnel, including administrators and special education directors/staff, as well as parent agencies. Crucial Conversations is a nationally recognized training that helps people have difficult conversations that they are afraid to have or that aren’t going well. And 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
The training is offered in person with regional classes in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. 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. Fall 2025 course dates, locations, and registration links are listed on our Stakeholder Training page.
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 and be informed about IDEA, special education in Oklahoma, and other relevant topics.
Join us for this free 1.5-hour webinar series every month from 12 pm to 1:30 pm CST. View individual webinars and register on our Wisdom Wednesday Webinar page.
Upcoming webinar topics include:
- Collaborative Communication for Effective School-Parent Partnerships
- Special Education Advocacy: What It Is and What It Isn’t
- How Families and Schools Can Prepare for IEP Meetings
- Community Resources for Students with Disabilities
- Summer Resources and Activities for Students with Disabilities
- How SoonerStart Serves Students from Birth to Three
- Transition Skills, Activities, and Requirements (Ages 14-Graduation)
For more information about training provided by SERC, contact Rob Keiter, SERC Program Coordinator, at rob.keiter@okstate.edu.
House Bill 1393 and the OAAP/Alternate Diploma
HB 1393 was signed into law on May 9, 2025. This bill requires an additional parental consent for students to work on alternate achievement standards towards an alternate diploma, and participate in the OAAP state assessment. We published resources and guidance in our March 2025 SERC Scoop from the Oklahoma State Department of Education on the OAAP assessment and alternate diploma pathway, including the required checklist for districts to use in determining eligibility, an additional guidance rubric to consider in answering the questions on the checklist, and the state’s definition of the most significant cognitive disabilities that qualify for the alternate assessment. Take a look at the bill and the attached resources to gain a deep understanding of the new requirements and the supporting documentation to help families and schools work together in making appropriate decisions for student needs. Since the passing of HB 1393, the OSDE-SES has since redesigned and released the checklist as a parental consent form in the IEP process to meet the requirements of this bill. As always, reach out to SERC if you have questions or require assistance!
OSEP Guidance on Transition
The amount of students with disabilities going on to attend a post secondary institution has grown from 6% in the 1995-1996 academic year to 21% in the 2019-2020 school year. That is immense growth for undergraduate students with disabilities! With that growth comes the need for a coordination of services between the State Educational Agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and vocational rehabilitation (VR) agencies. These departments collaborating and working together gives students the support they need to be able to pursue a higher education. Check out this resource on Transition services for PostSecondary Access from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP).
Upcoming Summer Learning Opportunities
If you’re in search of summer learning, consider the options included here!
OSEP Afirm Modules on Autism for Paras
Through their technical assistance centers, OSEP funds University of North Carolina’s Child Development Institute’s Professional Development Center. They have plenty of hands-on and self-paced modules on their site, and the one linked here is targeted to paraprofessional learning to improve their support and assistance in providing education to students on the autism spectrum.
OSDE SPED Conference
The first annual Oklahoma SPED Conference will be held in Oklahoma City from July 21-23! This is an opportunity for public school employees to network, connect, and learn alongside statewide special education professionals. There will be lots of professional development on compliance and procedural requirements the first two days, with multiple breakout sessions on day three. SERC will be there as a vendor and presenter, so come see us!
OSDE SPARK Conference
The first annual Special Education Professional Advancement and Refinement of Knowledge (SPARK) Conference through the OSDE, is set for July 28 – August 1, with a combination of virtual learning and in-person professional development in OKC. This endeavor is intended to provide support to early-career SPED staff with five years or less experience. It will include learning at the conference, as well as asynchronous modules and monthly communities of practice. Check it out and/or send your staff who meet this criteria and could benefit from the support!
OPC Statewide
The Oklahoma Parents Center, the state’s parent training and information center, is set to host the OPC 16th Annual Statewide Conference entitled “Finding Your Village – A Journey of Connection and Understanding in Special Education” on June 23, 2025 in OKC! The keynote speaker will be Geneva Jones, an attorney and expert in education law, as well as a parent of a child with a disability. Allison will be co-presenting in a breakout session with Shea Stark from the OSDE-SES. SERC will also be hosting a booth for the conference, so come by and see us!
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.
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
5314 S. Yale Ave
Suite #206
Tulsa, OK 74135