Special Education Mediation Guide

Federal and state laws require that all schools advise parents of their right to mediation in addition, or as
an alternative, to an impartial hearing for resolving disputes about Special Education. The New York
State Education Department has a contract with the New York State Dispute Resolution Association
(NYSDRA) to provide Special Education mediation through a network of Community Mediation Centers.
Every county in New York has a Community Mediation Center as mandated by judiciary law. This
manual provides guidelines for the implementation of Special Education Mediation in New York City.