1. Exceptional Lives
  2. Massachusetts Guides
  3. Special Education Services
  4. Solving a problem with the school
  5. The hearing process

Attend a pre-hearing conference

If none of the other options resolved your dispute, then tell your hearing officer to go ahead with the due process hearing.

Usually, the first step is a pre-hearing conference. The hearing officer will get everyone together to clarify what the problem is, talk about scheduling the hearing, and try to see if there are other resolution options before the hearing.

Here's what you can do:

  1. You or the school can ask the hearing officer for a pre-hearing conference

  2. The BSEA will tell you the date and time of your conference

  3. Your lawyer can come with you(if you have one)

  4. At the conference, the hearing officer will ask a few questions to see if the matter is ready for the formal hearing. You may talk about these things:

    1. Clarifying the issues

    2. Areas where you agree and disagree

    3. Ideas for solutions

    4. Timing for exchanging information and documents

    5. Details for the hearing: scheduling, length, and getting an interpreter if needed

 

Sources: Division of Administrative Law Appeals (Bureau of Special Education Appeals), MA DESE