Special Education Mediation and Due Process From the Office for Dispute Resolution
The Office for Dispute Resolution, known as ODR, gives families and educational agencies ways to settle disagreements about a child's education, through mediation, facilitated meetings and due process hearings.
It covers educational disputes for children served by the early intervention system, students who are gifted or thought to be gifted, and students with disabilities or thought to have disabilities. Either a parent or an educational agency may use these options.
Mediation is a free, voluntary and confidential alternative to a formal due process hearing. It can take place at any time before or during the due process cycle. It is not required, and using it cannot delay or deny a parent or guardian the right to a due process hearing.
ODR also offers IEP and IFSP facilitation, resolution meeting facilitation, and a hearing officer settlement conference. These are voluntary options that may be used before filing for a due process hearing, in an attempt to reach a resolution.
In due process, a hearing officer decides the dispute for the parties. Mediation stays available to both sides throughout the proceedings, and the parties may settle some or all of the issues among themselves at any time.
Request forms for ODR's services are posted at odr-pa.org/request-forms, and ODR also posts a list of filing period holidays. The page does not explain the steps for filing a request, what to bring or how long a case takes.
For questions, ODR's main phone is 1-800-222-3353 in Pennsylvania and 717-901-2145 from outside of Pennsylvania. Office hours are Monday through Friday, except holidays, 8:00 to 4:00. The mailing address is Office for Dispute Resolution, 6340 Flank Drive, Harrisburg, PA 17112. ODR suggests reviewing its staff list to find the right person for a particular issue, and it offers an online form at odr-pa.org/contact for general inquiries, comments and questions. A Spanish version of the contact page is at odr-pa.org/contacte-odr.
Mediation is free. The page does not say what facilitation, a hearing officer settlement conference or a due process hearing cost, so ask when you contact ODR. The site also points parents to a ConsultLine and a family resource library, but the page does not explain what those provide.
Source: odr-pa.org, read September 18, 2026.
The details
In Office for Dispute Resolution’s words
The Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR) provides the resources for families and educational agencies to resolve educational disputes for children served by the early intervention system, students who are gifted (or thought to be gifted), and students with disabilities (or thought to have disabilities). The Office for Dispute Resolution (ODR) is committed to seek out and offer varying alternative dispute resolution activities and options for constituents. ODR understands the importance of due…
En español: la página del proveedor →
Organization
Office for Dispute Resolution
About this listing
This listing summarizes publicly available information from odr-pa.org. Last recorded review: September 18, 2026. Contact the provider to confirm eligibility, hours and availability before you go. If something here is wrong, tell us.