What is an Educational Surrogate?
A surrogate parent is an individual appointed to represent the educational interests of a student with disabilities when that student does not have a parent or guardian who can act on his or her behalf.
Who Needs an Educational Surrogate Parent?
Greenville County School District must assign an individual to act as a surrogate parent when
- No parent (as defined by S.C. Code Ann. § 63-1-40 (2008)) can be identified;
- Greenville County School District, after reasonable efforts, cannot locate a parent;
- The child is a ward of the state under the laws of the state; or
- The child is an unaccompanied homeless youth as defined in section 725(6) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. § 11434a(6)).
What are the Responsibilities of an Educational Surrogate Parent?
A surrogate parent is expected to:
- Attend training sessions
- Become familiar with the district’s procedures for providing services to students with disabilities
- Meet the student
- Meet the student’s teacher(s) and others who work with the student
- Observe the student’s school day
- Become familiar with the student’s background, abilities, and areas of special need
- Participate in individual education program (IEP) and other educational meetings regarding the student
- Help to make decisions about the student’s education
- Give or withhold consent for actions proposed by the district, as appropriate
- Ask the school to take actions related to the student’s education
- Understand all procedural safeguards available and invoke them as appropriate
The responsibilities of a surrogate parent are limited to matters relating to the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) for a student. The following areas are specifically excluded from the purview of the surrogate parent: care, maintenance, custody, residential placement, and identification and evaluation activities not relating specifically to special education.
Who Can Be an Educational Surrogate Parent?
The following are the minimum qualifications of a surrogate for Greenville County School District:
- An individual over 18 years of age who is a citizen of the United States and a resident of South Carolina.
- A non-employee of the local school board or other public or private agency involved in the education or care of the child.
- Knowledge, skills, and experience demonstrated by successful completion of training to ensure adequate representation of the child.
- No interest that conflicts with the interest of the child whom the surrogate represents.*
What Type of Training is Required?
All surrogate parents are required to participate in an initial Surrogate Parent Program training. Training may be in person or via webinar. Additional trainings may be required as the laws and regulations involving students with disabilities change.
For more information on the Educational Surrogate Parent Program or how to become a surrogate parent, please contact:
Special Education Services of Greenville County School District
100 Blassingame Road, Greenville SC 29605
864-452-0002
* An individual would have a conflict of interest if he or she holds a position that might restrict or bias the ability to advocate for all the services required to ensure a free appropriate public education for the children represented. Individuals could also have a conflict of interest in being appointed as surrogate for a child if they are also responsible for other children who may have competing interests within the same public agencies.