Surrogate Parent Training

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Surrogate Parent TrainingGet in The Game

• Miami-Dade County Public Schools
• Division of Special Education
• Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources
  System-South

Updated July 2013
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Welcome To The Surrogate Parent Program
It TakesYou
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Introductions

• How did you get here?
• Name
• How did you hear about the Surrogate Parent
  Program
• Yes I am ready to serve! (activity/cheering)

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Agenda

• Introduction to the surrogate parent program
• Overview of exceptionalities
• ESE in Florida
• ESE evaluation, identification, and eligibility
  and the provision of a free appropriate public
  education
• Impact of xxxxxs
• IEP process
• Procedural Safeguards
• Confidentiality of student records (including the
  provisions of the Family Educational Rights and
  Privacy Act)
• Information and assistance available to surrogate
  parents

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• It is a curious reality that societys most
  vulnerable youth, those who have suffered abuse
  or neglect and have never known consistent,
  permanent, nurturing adult relationships, are
  asked to be self sufficient at a time when other
  youth are still receiving parental support in
  college or are experimenting with their first
  jobs from within the safe confines of a family.
• Wendy Whiting Blome

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Volunteer Program

• No compensation. Gratification through duty call
  to serve.

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• A drivers license or appropriate photo
  identification card
• Wait until they receive notice from the school to
  begin services
• Complete the registration and background check
  process.
• Report any criminal proceedings, including those,
  which may occur after a background check , to
  school authorities immediately

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• Must sign in and out at a designated location I
• Serve as a positive role model. MUST ALWAYS use
  appropriate language discuss age (6)
• MUJST keep CONFIDENTIAL any information about a
  student or any school-related incident. If there
  a a safety concern or an emergency issue, it must
  immediately be communicated to someone in
  authority

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Definition of Parent

• A natural, adoptive, or foster parent of child
  (unless a foster parent is prohibited by State
  law from serving as a parent) or

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Definition of Parent

• A guardian (but not the state if the child is a
  ward of the state)

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Definition of Parent

• An individual acting in the place of a natural or
  adoptive parent (including a grandparent,
  stepparent, or other relative) with whom the
  child lives, or an individual who is legally
  responsible for the childs welfare or

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Definition of Parent

• An individual assigned to be a surrogate parent.

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• All of us in Child Welfare, including Judges,
  need to realize that if education is important
  and valued for our children at home, it is more
  important for our children in careIf we expect
  them to be productive members of society we need
  to partner together and share responsibility for
  giving them the right tools to do so. Family
  Court Judge

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What Exactly Is a Surrogate Parent?
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Surrogate Parent

• A person who acts in the interests of an
  exceptional student in the ESE process, and

A hero!
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Surrogate Parent

• Someone appointed to act in the place of a parent
  in safeguarding a childs rights in the special
  education decision-making process

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When Is A Surrogate Parent Needed?
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When

1. After diligent inquiry the parent is unknown or
   cannot be located (including unaccompanied
   homeless children) or
2. The child is a ward of the state or the court
   (such as children who live in group foster care
   youth in juvenile justice facilities) and
3. When the child is an exceptional student or is
   suspected of being an exceptional student.

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What Qualifications Must a Potential Surrogate
Parent Have?
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Minimum Qualifications

• A surrogate parent must
• be a U.S. Citizen and a resident of Florida and
  above the age of 18
• be a non-employee of the school board or other
  public agency involved in the care or education
  of the child

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Minimum Qualifications

• Have the knowledge, skills and experience after
  successfully completing training to ensure
  adequate representation of the child and
• have no interest that conflicts with the best
  interests of the child
• Clearance through M-DCPS
• NOTE
• DCF workers and representatives from the Juvenile
  Justice system may NOT sign as a parent for
  educational purposes. A surrogate parent may not
  be an employee of any agency involved in the care
  or education of the child.

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• Youth living in our foster care system have the
  potential to triumph over difficult childhoods
  and become the community leaders of our future.
  They may invent the next Microsoft in someones
  garage, find the cure for a terminal disease, or
  serve In the highest courts in our land- but non
  of this will be possible if they are at risk for
  educational failure. Youth in foster care
  deserve the best start in life that we can
  provide . To do less would be to turn our backs
  on the future and the young people who ask only
  for a chance to achieve their potential. Miriam
  Krinsky

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What Are the Responsibilities and Limitations of
a Surrogate Parent?
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Impact of abuse/neglect to learn

• Academics
• Higher rates of absenteeism
• Higher rates of diciplinary referrals
• Perform below grade level
• More that ½ retained at least one year
• Perform significantly lower on standard
  achievement tests like FACT, specifically reading
  and math
• Higher rates of depression
• Low scores in adaptive functioning assessments

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• It is assumed that the responsibility for
  changing the unacceptably low educational
  performance of these students is a shared one.

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• Excess number of studies report that groups
  responsible for supporting these children do not
  work in unified ways.

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• How can you Help Us If You dont Know Who We
  Are?
• How can you help? You may ask, easy for some
  and for others a harder task. There are so many
  ways to start. But first you can help by helping
  straight from the heart. How can you help when
  you dont know my needs? How can you help when
  you don't know me? Too many papers that seem like
  a foreign language Fro Free Money for School
  for a FAFSA application in exchange with. But
  once again how can I complete an application if
  it seems like a whole new language? Sometimes
  you need a guiding light to see the dark path
  ahead. But whit if you walk in blinded with no
  helping had? So many foster youth wan a higher
  education and a future worth looking forward to.
  But the sad part is not making it because youre
  not aware that an application deadline is due.
  Im not asking for sympathy or all your time.
  Just an interpreter there before I sign the
  dotted line. But to the first questions
  mentionedHow can you help me? With support
  toward a successful future that is meant to be
  achieved
• By Tramisha Poindexter, Youth from Foster Care
  (CA)

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Responsibilities

• Represents the child in all matters relating to
  the identification, evaluation, and placement of
  the child in the special education (SPED)
  program and
• Participate in the ESE process
• Give consent for ESE services (or refuse to give
  consent)
• Make sure the students education needs are met

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Responsibilities

• Represents the child in all matters relating to
  the provision of a free appropriate public
  education (FAPE).
• Make sure the students rights are protected

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Limitations

• A surrogate parent
• Shall NOT extend to the care, maintenance,
  custody, residential placement, or any other area
  not specifically related to the education of the
  child, or to the identification or evaluation of
  the child that does not relate specifically to
  special education.

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What Rights Does a Surrogate Parent Have?
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Surrogate Parents Rights

• Same as a natural parent (for educational
  purposes only) including the right to
• Receive notice of meetings
• Give or deny consent for evaluation,
  reevaluation, initial placement

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Surrogate Parents Rights

• Request IEP meetings, teacher conferences, due
  process hearings
• Inspect and review the students records and
  having someone at the school explain any item in
  the records

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What Liabilities Might a Surrogate Parent Face?
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Surrogate Parents Liabilities

• A person appointed as a surrogate parent shall
  NOT be held liable for actions taken in good
  faith on behalf of the child in protecting the
  special education rights of the child.
• (Rule 6A-6.0333, F.A.C., Surrogate Parents)

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When Is a Surrogate Parents Job Finished?
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Completion of Assignment

• At some point in time, the child may no longer
  need a surrogate parent or other circumstances
  may arise that require termination of the
  surrogate parent assignment.

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Completion of Assignment

• Rule 6A-6.0333(a)(b), F.A.C., Surrogate Parents
  identifies these circumstances
• The child is no longer eligible or in need of
  special programs
• The legal guardian or parent is able to carry out
  their role
• The parent becomes known or their whereabouts are
  discovered

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Completion of Assignment

• The surrogate parent no longer wishes (or is
  unable) to represent the child
• The superintendentdetermines that representation
  is inadequate
• The child moves to a geographical location that
  is not reasonably accessible to the surrogate
  parent.

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IDEA 2004

• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• The nations special education law that requires
  states to provide a free appropriate public
  education to children with disabilities

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What is ESE orSpecial Education?
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Special Education

• In Florida, special education is called
  exceptional student education (ESE).
• ESE includes specially designed instruction,
  materials, and services provided to a student
  with special learning needs to help the student
  make progress in school

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Examples of ESE Services

• Special teaching methods and materials
• Specially trained teachers
• Assistive technology
• Accommodations
• Modifications
• Behavior Plan
• Speech, OT, PT
• Special transportation

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Special Education

• To receive SPED services, a student must meet the
  eligibility criteria for one of the following
  program areas
• Mentally Handicapped, Speech and Language
  Impaired, Deaf or Hard-of-Hearing, Visually
  Impaired, Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities,
  Specific Learning Disabilities, Physically
  Impaired, Other Health Impaired, Homebound or
  Hospitalized, Dual Sensory Impaired, Autism
  Spectrum Disorder, Developmentally Delayed (ages
  2 to 5), and Gifted

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Specific Learning Disabilities (SLD)

• A heterogeneous group of psychological processing
  disorders manifest by significant difficulties in
  the acquisition and use of language, reading,
  writing, or mathematics

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Intellectual Disabilities (ID)

• A student who is mildly impaired in intellectual
  and adaptive behavior and whose development
  reflects a reduced rate of learning.
• A student who is moderately or severely impaired
  in intellectual and adaptive behavior and whose
  development reflects a reduced rate of learning.
• Intellectual and adaptive behavior and whose
  development reflects a reduced rate of learning.

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Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities (EBD)

• Students who have difficulty accessing their
  education in the general educational setting due
  to their emotional and behavior difficulties

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• Includes
• Autistic Disorder
• Pervasive Developmental Disorder-Not Otherwise
  Specified
• Asperger Syndrome
• Other related pervasive developmental delays

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Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

• An uneven developmental profile across the
  domains of language, social interaction, adaptive
  behavior, and/or cognitive skills
• Impairment in social interaction evidence by
  delayed, absent, or atypical ability to relate to
  people or the environment
• Impairment in verbal and/or nonverbal language or
  social communication skills
• Restricted repetitive and/or sterotyped patterns
  of behavior, interests, or activities

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Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH)

• Hearing loss must interfere with progress in
  developmental skills or academic performance,
  social-emotional development, or
  linguistic/communicative skills
• Performance in the educational environment must
  be adversely affected

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Developmentally Delayed

• Delay in one or more of the following areas
• Adaptive or self help development cognitive
  development communication development social or
  emotional development or physical development
  including fine or gross or perceptual motor, in
  children ages birth through five (5) years of
  age.

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Hospital/Homebound

• A student who has a medically diagnosed physical
  or psychiatric condition which is acute or
  catastrophic in nature, or a chronic illness or a
  repeated intermittent illness due to a persisting
  medical problem, which confines the student to
  home or hospital and restricts activities for an
  extended period of time

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Visually Impaired

• Disorders in the structure and function of the
  eye that, even with the best correction and
  treatment, interfere with learning.

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Orthopedic Impairment

• Areas affected include ambulation, hand
  movements, coordination, or daily living skills

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Speech/Language Impaired

• Disorders of language, articulation, fluency, or
  voice which interfere with communication,
  pre-academic or academic learning, vocational
  training, or social adjustment.

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Health Impairment (OHI)

• References ADD, ADHD, Tourette Syndrome, and
  acquired brain injury
• Includes anoxia due to trauma (near drowning)

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Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

• An acquired injury to the brain caused by an
  external physical force, resulting in total or
  partial functional disability or psychological
  impairment, or both, that adversely affects a
  child's educational performance

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Dual Sensory Impaired

• Impairments affecting both vision and hearing,
  the combination of which causes a serious
  impairment in the abilities to acquire
  information, communicate, or function within the
  environment, or who has a degenerative condition
  which will lead to such an impairment

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Whats the Referral Process?
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Frequently Asked Questions

• A Parent Guide Requesting Assistance For My
  Child Who May Need Special Services

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What is Rti?

• Response to Intervention
• Information brochure for parents

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Insert RtI training pieces
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Participation in the General Curriculum

• General Ed as much as possible

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Yearly Development of New IEP

• At least once every 12 months
• Services can only be changed during an IEP
  meeting
• Parents must be invited to participate in
  decisions and given notice of any changes

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Re-evaluation

• To find out how a students needs have changed
  over time
• Student must be re-evaluated at least once every
  three year unless the parent and the school
  district agree otherwise

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Surrogate parents have the same rights in the ESE
process as parents have.
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Procedural Safeguards/Rights

• Received informed written notice
• Participate in planning and decision-making
• Give or refuse to give consent

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Educational Records

• Look at or get a copy of the childs educational
  records
• Ask for changes to be made in the childs
  educational records, when appropriate

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Formal Conflict Resolution

• Mediation
• Formal written complaint to DOE
• Due process hearing

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Mediation

• Mediator helps the parent and the school district
  come to an agreement that satisfies both parties.

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Formal Written Complaint to DOE

• Parent submits complaint to DOE
• About possible violation of IDEA or other law
  related to ESE
• DOE decides on corrective actions

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Due Process Hearing

• Hearing before administrative law judge (ALJ)
• About ESE identification, evaluation, placement,
  or services (FAPE)
• Parities present evidence
• Often involves attorneys
• Judge decides on corrective actions

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Special Education Terminology
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IEP

• Individual Educational Plan
• A written plan that describes the individual
  learning needs of a student with disabilities and
  the special education services, supports, aids,
  and accommodations and modification that will be
  provided to the student

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LEA

• Local Education Agency Representative
• School board employee who is
• Familiar with the provisions of special education
  and related services that may be considered for a
  student with a disability
• Familiar with where the special education and
  related service can be provided, if they cannot
  be provided at the home school site, and
• Assures that special education and related
  services indicated on the IEP will be provided
  within the timeframes indicated

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FAPE

• Free Appropriate Public Education
• The right of a student with a disability to
  special education and related services that will
  meet his or her individual learning needs, at no
  cost to his parents

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LRE

• Least Restrictive Environment
• Educating children with disabilities with their
  nondisabled peers to the maximum extent
  appropriate

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ESY

• Extended School Year
• Special education and related services provided
  to students with disabilities beyond the regular
  180 day school year

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AT

• Assistive Technology
• Considered for every student
• Any item, piece of equipment or product system
  that is used to increase, maintain, or improve
  the functional capabilities of a student
• Helps a student accomplish a task

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Transition

• The process of getting ready to move from school
  to adult life. The process occurs over a period
  of several years and includes planning, goal
  setting, instruction, services, and activities
  designed to make the move successful

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Accommodations and Modifications

• Accommodations changes in how students are
  taught and tested but does not change the
  requirement of the course or the standards the
  student must meet.

• Modifications changes in what students are
  taught and tested on change in the requirements
  of a course or the standards a student must meet
  changes to what a student is expected to learn

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Measurable Goals

• Behavior, conditions, and criteria that
• Reveals what to do to measure whether the goal
  has been accomplished
• Yields the same conclusion if measured by several
  people
• Allows a calculation of how much progress it
  represents
• Can be understood without additional information

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Benchmarks

• Statements on the IEP that describes major
  milestones a student must reach in order to
  achieve one of his or her measurable annual goals

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Resource Information
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FDLRS-South

• Help
• Information
• Training
• Main Office 305-274-3501
• Iliana Hernandez
• North Satellite Center 305-754-4081
• Keisha C. Robinson

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For Information About Disabilities

• www.nichcy.org
• 1-800-695-0285

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Parent Resource Sheet Screen
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For Free Publications-Clearinghouse Information
Center at DOE

• www.fldoe.org/ese/clerhome.asp

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Winning Teamwork!

• Know the rules of the team
• Respect all team members
• Listen
• Be clear
• Be flexible
• Find a mutually agreeable solution
• Write it down

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Steps In Problem Solving

• Talk to the right person
• Name the problem
• Talk about concerns, documentation, whats
  already been tried, and how it worked
• Listen to all team members
• Brainstorm possible solutions
• Find a solution team members can agree on
• Take a break when needed

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You do not have to be an expert to be a great
surrogate parent
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This job takes

• Caring
• Gathering information
• Participating and sharing what you have learned
• Listening and asking questions
• Focusing on the child

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It takes

• You

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Many Thanks

• For your concern for the protection of the rights
  of Miami-Dade exceptional education students

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So Whats Next

• Parent Liaisons will make an appointment to meet
  you at the school to appointment to introduce
  yourself to the school through the .once you
  have been appointed.
• Review all of the students records including the
  cumulative folder
• Obtain a copy of the current IEP.

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Who to contact for additional information or
concerns?

• Keisha C. Robinson
• Surrogate Parent Program Coordinator
• 305-626-3970
• 305-626-3972
• krobinson2_at_dadeschools.net

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Education Success in school is a critical
contributor to a high quality of life for
children and adults and is central to the
transition process. School success
also contributes to the positive self-esteem and
hope for the future associated with resilience in
youth.20 The performance of various adult roles,
the achievement of physical and material
well-being, and the realization of a sense of
personal fulfillment are all to a large extent
grounded in successful school experiences. Many
factors contribute to educational challenges for
youth in out-of-home care. The effects of
prolonged abuse and neglect may include
cognitive impairment, speech and language delays,
attention disorders, emotional disturbance and
attachment disorders, all of which may affect
educational attainment. In addition, multiple
foster home placements and school changes may
cause students in out-of-home care to experience
school instability and/or academic failure.21
They may also lack a strong, consistent advocate
for their educational needs. Further, a
disproportionate number of foster children have
special education needs that arise from
problems preceding their placement into care or
from the foster care experience
itself.22 Caregivers, social workers, teachers,
counselors, judges and youth can work together to
become effective educational advocates and
planners. Educational excellence and transition
success can become a reality when individuals and
systems commit themselves to a coordinated
approach that addresses the practice
recommendations below. I pursue relationships
that help me succeed and seek opportunities to
make contributions to others. page 19 Practice
recommendations to support educational
attainment Structure and coordinate educational
advocacy. Provide educational case
management. Involve parents and caregivers
along with youth. Make basic skills acquisition
a priority encourage the continuation of math
and science education. Recognize the impact of
trauma on a childs ability to develop and
learn. Coordinate special education services.
Provide career development, vocational and job
training. Arrange for post-secondary planning
and supports. Promote goal-setting and
educational self-determination. Encourage
co-curricular or extracurricular engagement.
Ensure collection and retrieval of all
educational records for youth. Taken from Its
My Life
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Frequently Asked Questions
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The Impacts of Trauma

• Trauma experiences affect the ability to focus
  and learn in school
• Children in foster care are part of a larger
  group of students who have experienced trauma I
  their home lives

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• High number of chilren in foster care who are at
  risk of not completing school
• Provide specific supports to ensure successful
  completion with an appropriate high school
  diploma
• Work to ensure students in foster care are
  participating in programs that expose and
  encourage post-secondary education opportunities

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• Studies have shown that despite a strong desire
  of children in foster care to obtain a higher
  education, very few enter, and fewer complete,
  post secondary education
• Reasons for this disparity are numerous, and
  include such issues as lack of mentors and
  advocates that encourage and support the
  completion of high school and the pursuit of
  additional education limited exposure to the
  many education and career opportunities that
  exist.

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• The school setting is often the most stabilizing
  environment for foster care youth as they travel
  from community to community. It becomes an
  important focal point of their existence, in
  which relationships with school staff and peers
  can be established and maintained.
• School success for the foster care child takes on
  major significance since the ability to break the
  cycle of trauma and poverty is often based on
  being educationally prepared for employment and
  the future.
• It is common for children in foster care to
  experience disruptions in their foster placement
  causing them to be moved form one home or
  facility to another. The ensuring disruption of
  academci progress can further set a child back
  emotionally and educationally,.

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• Impact of trauma from the abuse, neglect,
  abandonment, and removal from the home, as those
  events may affect the childs abilty to learn.

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Confidentiality of Student Records and Information
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Additional Assistance/Resources
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RtI
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Effective Communication
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Next Steps

• Parent Liaison will contact you to meet at school
  to review records