The Virgin Islands Department of Education’s State Office of Special Education (SOSE) is offering free, basic mediation skills training to individuals who want to serve as mediators as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). The deadline to sign up is Oct. 18.
Training sessions will be offered at the following locations and dates:
Buccaneer Hotel, St. Croix: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., October 21 – 23
Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority, St. Thomas: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., October 24 – 26
The course content includes information specific to mediation in special education disputes. It will certify and qualify mediators to serve on the State Office of Special Education roster, and it will assist parents and schools in resolving disputes involving students with disabilities.
Attendance for the full 20 hours of training is mandatory to receive a certificate – no exceptions.
In order to qualify to serve as a special education mediator, registrants
must be impartial must possess knowledge of issues surrounding students with disabilities and have a basic understanding of the Individuals with Disabilities Act; may not be an employee of the SEA or the LEA that is involved in the education or care of the child; and must not have a personal or professional interest that conflicts with the person’s objectivity.
Professionals interested in becoming special education mediators must possess up to five years of relevant work experience in law or a law-related field (i.e. paralegal studies), social work, counseling, therapy or education. The course is not intended as an introduction to these subjects.
To register, contact Elouise Mack at elouise.mack@vide.vi or call 774-0100, ext. 8800 or 8047.
