Contacting an IHO

Website Content Area: 
Special Education
Book Type: 
Guide
Paragraphs: 

You may simultaneously contact several IHOs to determine their availability, but the selection of the IHO must be based on the rotational list regardless of which IHO responds first. For example:

  1. IHO 1 is not available. You leave a message for IHO 1 to return your call regarding appointment. The IHO has 24 hours to respond.
  2. IHO 2 declines appointment.
  3. IHO 3 is available and accepts appointment. You notify IHO 3 that you are waiting for a response from another IHO on your district's rotational list and will contact them with the result.
  • If IHO 1 calls and declines the appointment or does not respond with 24 hours, you contact IHO 3 to arrange the appointment. You cannot go back to IHO 2 for appointment to any impartial hearing requests your district receives after this request; in this case, after IHO 3 is appointed. The names of IHO 1, IHO 2, and IHO 3 move to the bottom of the rotational list.
  • If IHO 1 calls within 24 hours and accepts the appointment, you arrange the appointment. After being appointed, the name of IHO 1 moves to the bottom of the rotational list. You notify IHO 3 that a previous IHO has accepted appointment. IHO 2 and IHO 3 remain next on the list for appointments to future impartial hearings.

Accessing IHO Contact Information

Step 1: Click IHO Rotational List on the IHRS home screen.

Step 2: Click the Iho Id number to access the specific IHO's contact information. Contact the IHO at the top of the rotational list first, then proceed down the list in order.

Step 3: You may record or print out the contact information to refer to when contacting the IHO. Some IHOs maintain two addresses. Use the PRIMARY address first to contact the IHO.

Do not use any address that has a Y in the Inactive? field. The Y indicates the address is inactive. IHOs who have served, but have become inactive (e.g., removed themselves, deceased, etc.), remain on the list as "inactive" in case the district needs to access information regarding past cases for data analysis purposes.

 Record the following information to document IHO contacts:

  • Contact Date and Time;
  • Contact Method (i.e., Home Phone, Work Phone, Email);
  • Result Date and Time; and
  • Contact Result (i.e., accepted, declined, no response).

This information may later be recorded on the Hearing Officer Contact Data screen of the new case you have opened. You are not required to use the IHRS to maintain contact documentation. However, it is helpful in keeping an accurate case record in the event any questions arise.

Step 4: Click the Menu tab in the blue navigation bar located at either the top or bottom of the screen to return to the IHRS home page.

Entering IHO Contact Information

Step 1: Click Case Maintenance on the IHRS home screen. Open the case that needs IHO contact information entered. Entering the Case Identifier number is the most efficient way to locate the correct case.

Step 2: Click New under Hearing Officer Contact Data.

Step 3: Click List next to the IHO Identifier field. Click the Iho Id number of the IHO you want to select.

Step 4: Enter information in the appropriate fields. The Contact Time and Result Time fields must be completed using the military time format (e.g., 14:30 instead of 2:30 p.m.; 08:30 instead of 8:30 a.m.).

You may need to wait for a response before entering information into the Result Time, Result Date, and Contact Results fields. If the IHO declines appointment for a reason not listed, enter the reason for declination in the Declined Other Reason field.

Step 5: Click Save.

Step 6: Click the Case Identifier link at the top of the screen to return to Case Maintenance. The IHO contact data you entered appears under Hearing Officer Contact Data. The information is listed in order by the IHO Identifier numbers.

Entering IHO Contact Results

If you need to leave a message for the IHO, follow the steps below to enter the date and contact results after the IHO responds:

Step 1: Click Case Maintenance on the IHRS home screen. Open the case that needs IHO contact results entered.

Step 2: Scroll down to Hearing Officer Contact Data. Click the Contact Date link next to the name of the IHO whose date and contact results need to be entered.

Step 3: Enter information in the Result Time, Result Date, and Contact Result fields.

Step 4: Click Save.

Step 5: Click the Case Identifier link at the top of the screen to return to Case Maintenance. The IHO contact results data you entered appears under Hearing Officer Contact Data.