• Responsibilities of a surrogate parent to the student
• LEA’s responsibility to provide training regarding disabilities
• Laws applicable to surrogate parents’ responsibilities
• Continuum of program placements and opportunities
•
Term of appointment
•
Termination of the agreement
• Confidentiality of student information
Step 5: Training of Potential Surrogate Parents
Because it is the responsibility of the SELPA or LEA to appoint persons who have “knowledge and skills tha t ensure adequate representation of the child” ( Title 34, Code of Federal Regulations, Section 300.519[d][2][iii] ), these entities are encouraged to provide effective screening, training, and consultation on an as-needed basis for potential surrogate parents. (For a directory of SELPAs, see appendix C.) Training and ongoing consultation with potential surrogate parents may include familiarization with the following items:
• The educational needs of the student to be represented
• The local programs and related services available in the SELPA or LEA
• Procedural safeguards to ensure that the student’s needs are met and IEP services are delivered
• Time commitments of surrogate parents
Additional Procedures
It is suggested that the following procedures be considered:
• Matching the student’s needs to the most appropriate volunteer applying to be a potential surrogate parent
• Introducing the student and the potential surrogate parent
• Obtaining a written agreement with the surrogate parent to serve the specific student in the IEP process and to maintain the student’s and the family’s rights to confidentiality • Informing all involved persons and agencies responsible for the residential care and education of the student of the surrogate parent’s appointment It is also suggested that appointments be reviewed annually to determine whether the status of the parent of the child still warrants the appointment. Caseloads for surrogate parents vary nationally depending on the complexity or severity of the individual cases and the availability of surrogate parents. Other local considerations may be the driving distances between the special education programs of the represented students.
Chapter 4 – Procedural Safeguards, Charter SELPA
Page 63
As of 11/18/2016
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