September 2025
SERC Scoop Newsletter

Which Dispute Resolution Option 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 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

Welcome to a brand-new school year! Whether you’re a teacher, service provider, administrator, or family member, we know this season brings equal parts excitement and overwhelm. New students and new schedules, and not nearly enough hours in the day! We get it, because we’re right there with you.

At SERC, our staff’s goal is to help make the hard work a little easier. One way we do this is by providing free resources and training to support effective and collaborative IEP team meetings. We encourage you to explore what programs and services are available on SERC’s website and reach out if your school or parent group would like support. SERC’s Stakeholder Training webpage has plenty of resources as well as in-person training opportunities. SERC’s Wisdom Wednesday Monthly Webinar webpage includes all of the scheduled webinars for the 2025-26 school year with registration links, as well as archived webinars from the last four years.

We are continuing to work diligently with our trusted partners to improve education for students with disabilities in the state of Oklahoma. We recognize true progress happens when agencies work together. Our collaborative relationship with the Oklahoma State Department of Education-Special Education Services (OSDE-SES) and the Oklahoma Parents Center (OPC) is built on shared core values. Because of our distinct roles, OSDE as the state education agency for special education, OPC as Oklahoma’s parent training and information center, and SERC as the state’s dispute resolution agency, we are uniquely positioned to bring different perspectives, yet remain united by the same mission: ensuring families and schools have the guidance and support they need to serve children well. The SERC staff is proud to continue working with Oklahoma families and schools, and excited to move forward in our national partnership with the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education (CADRE), as we engage in a multi-year workgroup with the OSDE-SES and the OPC.

Our workgroup is collaborating with other states across the country to develop and pilot new training materials, as well as prevention and disagreement activities for school districts, designed to strengthen parent-school partnerships and prevent conflict before it starts. As part of this endeavor, we will be working with a few pilot districts in Oklahoma to assess their systems, improve their local-level capacity in engaging with parents, and develop early dispute resolution options. We can’t wait to move forward on this initiative and provide updates on our progress along the way.

As you dive into the year ahead, remember that you’re not alone. SERC is here to walk alongside you. Reach out, we’d love to hear from you!

Dr. Allison Conch
SERC Assistant Director

SERC Training Opportunities

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, OK. The course is held 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 (OSDE). Choose from the training options below and register online for the training that fits your schedule. For more information, contact SERC’s Program Coordinator, Rob Keiter, at rob.keiter@okstate.edu.

Fall Classes Open for Registration

Monday, October 6, 2025 – Tulsa Regional

SERC Training Room (see registration form for more details)

Register for the October Facilitation training

Monday, December 8, 2025 – Tulsa Regional

SERC Training Room (see registration form for more details)

Register for the December Facilitation training

Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue

Crucial Conversations for Mastering Dialogue is a nationally recognized training designed to help people have difficult conversations they are afraid to have or equip people with the tools necessary to have effective conversations. 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 education 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 City, OK. 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 to participants for free through our partnership with the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). To register for a Crucial Conversations class, register online via SERC’s Stakeholder Training webpage or choose from the training options below. For more information, please contact Rob Keiter, SERC’s Program Coordinator, at rob.keiter@okstate.edu.

Crucial Conversations In-Person Training Agenda (PDF)

Fall Classes Open for Registration

Tuesday and Wednesday, November 11 and 12, 2025 – OKC Regional

Mid-Del Technology Center – Conference Room A, Midwest City, OK

Register for the November Crucial Conversations class

Tuesday and Wednesday, December 9 and 10, 2025 – Tulsa Regional

SERC Training Room (see registration form for more details)

Register for the December Crucial Conversations class

Please note: For Facilitation Training and Crucial Conversations classes, if by three business days prior to the session, the class does not have a minimum of ten registrants, the class will be cancelled and registrants will be notified and given an opportunity to register for another date. Both trainings are available for reimbursement through Project 613 funds.

2025-26 Wisdom Wednesday Webinars – Fall Semester

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 you can use to help navigate difficult situations.

Join SERC for a free 1.5-hour webinar series every month from 12:00 PM to 1:30 PM Central Standard Time (CST). Register today on the SERC  Wisdom Wednesday Monthly Webinars webpage. Check out our 2025-2026 Wisdom Wednesday Webinars schedule for the Fall semester!

Collaborative Communication for Effective School – Parent Partnerships

September 24, 2025 – Dr. Rob Keiter, SERC Program Coordinator

Schools and parents have an important collaborative partnership when it comes to the education of children with disabilities. This webinar will address how to communicate in a way that leads to effective collaboration between families and schools.

Register for the September 2025 Wisdom Wednesday webinar

Special Education Advocacy – What It Is and What It Isn’t

October 29, 2025 – with SERC Leadership, OSDE-SES Leadership, and OPC Leadership

Advocates play an important role in helping parents navigate the IEP process. Their participation can lead to collaborative communication or make it more difficult for the team to work together, causing additional conflict. This webinar will focus on ways advocates can provide positive support to the team, what parents can look for when selecting an advocate, what can be expected from an advocate, and how schools can work effectively with advocates.

Register for the October 2025 Wisdom Wednesday webinar

How Families and Schools Can Prepare for IEP Meetings

November 19, 2025 – with Dr. Rob Keiter, SERC Program Coordinator, and Alisa Holuby, SERC Program Manager

It’s been said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. This webinar will address how parents and school team members can prepare for IEP meetings with the goal of meaningful participation and team collaboration.

Register for the November 2025 Wisdom Wednesday webinar

Additional Resources and Guidance

The Role of AI in Supporting Students with Disabilities

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is no longer an emerging trend; it seems to be a lasting and influential tool in education. Both schools and families must recognize their role, rather than attempt to dismiss or overlook it. National organizations, including the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, have issued guidance on the responsible use of AI in schools, emphasizing the importance of human oversight and educator leadership in its implementation. In special education, AI holds promise with some considerations.

When applied ethically, transparently, and with strong safeguards for student data privacy, AI can enhance accessibility, improve individualized accommodations, and expand opportunities for students with disabilities. Examples include:

• Real-time transcription for students with hearing impairments 
• Adaptive learning platforms that adjust to a student’s pace
• AI-powered text-to-speech or language translation tools that break down barriers to learning

By embracing these innovations thoughtfully and responsibly, schools can empower educators, support parents, and provide students with disabilities greater access to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE).

Balancing Participation to Meet Student Success

It is important to recognize that IEP meetings can often be stressful for parents. To support a productive and collaborative environment, schools should ensure only the necessary team members are present, including attorneys or school resource officers (SROs), who may unintentionally create tension or foster mistrust among team members. In situations where their input is essential, it may be more appropriate for them to provide written feedback for the team’s consideration.

Additionally, parents should not be discouraged from bringing an advocate to the meeting. For many families, attending an IEP meeting alone can feel overwhelming. When used effectively, advocates can help foster collaboration, encourage constructive dialogue, and support the student’s overall progress.

Rising Trends in Due Process Requests: What the Numbers Reveal

The National Center for Dispute Resolution (CADRE) has published the 2025 National Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Dispute Resolution Data Summary. The summary shows new data highlighting a concerning trend: due process requests are on the rise across the nation, and all indications suggest this increase will continue in the coming years. Over the past three school years, the numbers have climbed significantly.

In the 2022-2023 school year, there were 34,339 due process requests. By 2023-2024, that number had jumped to 39,151, a substantial increase of nearly 5,000 cases. During the same period, state complaint filings also rose, though more modestly, with approximately 1,700 additional complaints across the nation in 2023-2024.

This data paints a clear picture: families are increasingly turning to due process as a method of dispute resolution. Unlike in previous years, parents are less likely to withdraw, dismiss, or mediate their complaints. Instead, they appear more willing to “stick it out” through the lengthy timelines and the extensive documentation that due process demands. Further, the data shows that mediation agreements related to due process have a lower agreement rate than mediations not related to due process; while mediation itself is a more collaborative resolution process.

Collaborative and early level dispute resolution options can help maintain or repair relationships, show higher agreement rates for resolution, and reach resolution in quicker time frames. Our mission continues to align with CADRE’s – to resolve disputes at the earliest stage possible. Please reach out to SERC to learn more about dispute resolution options if and when the need arises.

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

okserc@okstate.edu • okserc.org