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Dispute Resolution
COVID-19 and Special Education
View information for educators and parents to support students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dispute Resolution Options
The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) offers three options under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act for resolving disputes related to special education: mediation, state complaints, and due process complaints. Click on a button below for more information on each option.
Compare Dispute Resolution Options
Parent and Child Rights in Special Education
The Procedural Safeguards Notice explains the rights of a parent of a student with a disability and the procedures that protect those rights under state and federal special education law, including the Exceptional Children's Educational Act (ECEA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
ECEA and IDEA require that a school district, a board of cooperative educational services (BOCES), or a State Operated Program provide the Procedural Safeguards Notice to parents at least once per year and on the following occasions: upon initial referral or on request for evaluation; upon receipt of the first state complaint and upon receipt of the first due process complaint in a school year; upon a disciplinary change of placement; or upon parent request.
Dispute Resolution Office Operations during COVID-19
The CDE's top priority is the health and safety of all students, educators and communities in Colorado. During this time of unprecedented national emergency caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, access to CDE's Office of Dispute Resolution—located at 1560 Broadway in Denver—has been restricted from guests and visitors.
For this reason, the CDE is not presently accepting hand-delivered state or due process complaints. The CDE is still accepting complaints by mail at:
Dispute Resolution Office
Colorado Department of Education
Exceptional Student Services Unit
1560 Broadway, Suite 1100
Denver, Colorado 80202
If you have any questions about this, or if you are unable to mail a state or due process complaint, please contact us.
Office of Special Education Programs and Office for Civil Rights COVID-19 Resources
Helpful Resources
- Questions and Answers on IDEA Part B Dispute Resolution Procedure (Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services) (PDF)
- 2nd Edition of the OSEP Glossary of Spanish Translations of Common IDEA Terms (SPAN Parent Advocacy Network) (PDF)
- Working Together Series - Free Interactive Courses to Promote Effective Collaboration between Parents and Schools (The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Education) (External Link)
Contact Us
Brandon Edelman, Esq.
Supervisor, Dispute Resolution
Email Brandon Edelman
303-866-6876
Ashley Schubert, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Ashley Schubert
303-866-6311
Lindsey Watson, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Lindsey Watson
303-866-6619
Ross Meyers, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Ross Meyers
303-866-3801
Jennifer Woods
Dispute Resolution Paralegal & Coordinator
Email Jennifer Woods
303-866-6889
CiCi Lyman
Program Support
Email CiCi Lyman
303-866-4797
Exceptional Student Services Unit, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80202 | Phone: 303-866-6694, Fax: 303-866-6767
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