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Dispute Resolution

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. With parental agreement, a public agency can provide a parent an electronic copy of the procedural safeguards notice (e.g., through email) instead of a paper copy.


Helpful Resources 


Contact Us

Brandon Edelman, Esq.
Supervisor, Dispute Resolution
Email Brandon
303-704-9138

Ashley Schubert, Esq.
Senior State Complaints Officer
Email Ashley
720-788-0576

Rachel Dore, Esq.
Senior State Complaints Officer
Email Rachel
720-951-8457

Nick Podsiadlik, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Nick
720-916-5266

Nick Butler, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Nick
720-402-0333

Lee Sosebee, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Lee
720-926-7945

Tiera Brown, Esq.
State Complaints Officer
Email Tiera

Gloria Alaniz
Dispute Resolution Paralegal & Coordinator
Email Gloria
720-584-4673

CiCi Lyman
Program Support
Email CiCi
720-760-0421


Exceptional Student Services Unit, 1560 Broadway, Suite 1100, Denver, CO 80202 | Phone: 303-866-6694, Fax: 303-866-6767


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If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.