An Analysis of Factors That Contribute to Parent—School Conflict in Special Education

Abstract

Understanding factors that escalate conflict, and understanding how conflicts are perceived, particularly by parents, is necessary in developing appropriate response strategies. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that escalate and deescalate parent-school conflict from the perspectives of parents of children with disabilities, school administrators, and mediators. Data from 44 telephone interviews were transcribed and then analyzed. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze data. Eight categories of factors that escalate parent-school conflict in special education were identified: discrepant views of a child or a child's needs, knowledge, service delivery, reciprocal power, constraints, valuation, communication, and trust. Implications for preventing and handling conflict are discussed.