State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education (Page 256 of 277) in pdf

State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 256

Arkansas Department of Education Special Education Unit

Part B State Performance Plan

development training for ADE-SEU staff, Hearing Officers, and LEA staff on the policies, procedures, and

practices of resolution sessions. The ADE-SEU will initiate an update to the existing data entry application

for dispute resolution tracking to meet DRS and federal reporting requirements. The DRS will participate in

meetings and trainings conducted by CADRE and other organizations to ensure the State’s systems are

adequate. In addition, the ADE-SEU, in conjunction with partner organizations, will develop training for use

with parents and schools on building positive parent and school partnerships.

A Compliance Specialist will be hired for the Dispute Resolution Section to work with schools, parents,

mediators, and Due Process Complaint Hearing Officers concerning Complaint Investigations and Due

Process Complaint Hearings.

Training for all State Agency Special Education Area Supervisors, Hearing Officers, an

FFY 2008

attorney representing the Arkansas Attorney General’s office, and mediators from the University of

Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law Special Education Mediation Project will be held at the Arkansas

Department of Education in October of 2008. Dr. Perry Zirkel, Professor of Education and Law, Lehigh

University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania will present a one day workshop on Special Education Case Law

under the IDEA.

The SEU will send two Hearing Officers and two staff members to the 30

Annual LRP National Institute

in Las Vegas, Nevada. One Hearing Officer will be sent to Seattle, Washington for the Seventh National

Academy for Administrative Law Judges and Hearing Officials.

The Dispute Resolution Section (DRS) utilizes the Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special

Education (CADRE) as a resource for this Section and for the State Hearing Officers. CADRE provides

technical assistance to the State Hearing Officers on Special Education Issues.

The Dispute Resolution Section subscribes to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Law Report,

published by LRP, for the ADE-SEU office, Attorney General’s office and the due process complaint

Hearing Officers.

The information technology team of the Grants/Data Management Section continues to work with DRS on

the development and implementation of the DRS hearing tracking system to be incorporated into the data

warehouse.

Arkansas’ new investigation tracking system will be finalized, incorporated into the special education data

warehouse and fully operational by June 2009.

The ADE-SEU will continue to disseminate information and provide training relative to

FFY 2009

conducting Resolution Sessions as part of the dispute resolution system.

The DRS will provide professional development training for ADE-SEU staff, Hearing Officers, and LEA

staff on the policies, procedures, and practices of resolution sessions.

The ADE-SEU will fully implement the updated data entry application for dispute resolution tracking to

meet DRS and federal reporting requirements.

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State Performance Plan 2005-2012 - Part B - Arkansas Department Of Education Page 256