NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA SPECIAL EDUCATION COOPERATIVE

NORTH CENTRAL INDIANA SPECIAL EDUCATION COOPERATIVE Programs and Services Policy 7.2.5. EDUCATIONAL SURROGATE PARENT The school corporation shall ensure that a pool of educational surrogate parents is available through the North Central Indiana Special Education Cooperative so that an education surrogate parent may be appointed, when necessary, to protect the rights of students with disabilities. An educational surrogate parent shall be appointed when the student’s parent(s) are unknown; when the whereabouts of the parent(s) is unknown; when, after reasonable efforts, the student’s parent(s) cannot be located; or when the student is a ward of the State of Indiana; or for an unaccompanied homeless youth. The school must make reasonable efforts to assign an ESP within 30 days of the date the school determines an ESP is needed. The educational surrogate parent may represent the student in all matters relating to the identification, evaluation, educational placement, and provision of a free appropriate public education.

Any person assigned as an educational surrogate parent shall not be an employee of a public or private agency involved in the education or care of the student, or have any interest that conflicts with the student. The educational surrogate parent shall match the student’s cultural and linguistic background to the extent possible and shall possess the knowledge and skills necessary to adequately represent the student. Legal Reference: 20 U.S.C. 1415(b)(1)(B); IC 20-1-1-6; 34 CFR 300.514; IC 20-1-6-2.1; 511 IAC 7-9-1 IDEIA – December 2004