We highly recommend you read the attached link from a report written by CADRE. The 2024 Trends in Dispute Resolution report indicates a significant rise in written state complaints and mediation requests under IDEA for the 2022-23 school year, with a notable shift towards early conflict resolution strategies to reduce reliance on adversarial processes.

The 2024 Trends in Dispute Resolution report analyzes data from SY2022-23 under IDEA, highlighting national trends in resolving disagreements related to special education. Key findings include a notable increase in written state complaints (WSC), with filings rising by 32% over the previous year and 62.4% of complaints resulting in findings. However, compliance with the 60-day timeline for investigations has declined slightly.

Mediation requests reached a decade-high of 11,973, with California accounting for 38%. Mediation agreements not tied to due process had higher success rates (71.5%) compared to those related to due process (33.4%). Nationally, due process complaints (DPCs) rose by 4.5%, excluding New York’s data, where 65.6% of DPCs were filed. Most complaints were resolved without a hearing (73.8%), and fully adjudicated cases represented only 6.5% of the total.

The report underscores a significant shift toward early conflict resolution strategies, such as IEP facilitation and non-adversarial mediation, which are cost-effective and foster positive educator-family relationships. Over the past decade, dispute resolution activities increased by 52.7%. These trends demonstrate progress in resolving IDEA disputes efficiently and effectively.

https://www.cadreworks.org/files/2024-trends-dispute-resolution-data-sy2022-23-fy2023-final-accessiblepdf