Foster / Surrogate Parents
A surrogate or foster parent may be needed to represent a student with a disability during the special education process as outlined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).
In cases where the child has no parent(s), none can be located, or the child is a ward of the state, a surrogate parent must be appointed to make educational decisions on behalf of the child and to protect the child’s rights in matters relating to identification, evaluation, and placement in special education.
To serve as a surrogate or foster parent of a student receiving special education services, an individual must meet several criteria, one of which is to complete a training that has been identified to meet the minimal standards established by the Texas Education Agency. You may contact your school district or regional education service center for an in-person presentation or view the online module below.
Information on how to register and access this training, which is now provided through Region 10 is on the SPEDTex website.
How to register
Online Resources
*Individuals who completed the training prior to October 1st through ESC 9’s online learning management system (Canvas), can still access their certificates of completion through their Canvas account with ESC 9 so they will not need to retake the training.
Foster/Surrogate Parent Training
This training is required to become a surrogate parent. Click on the link below to enroll in the surrogate parent training.
How to register
Surrogate and Foster Parent Online Modules (English) PDF
Surrogate and Foster Parent Online Modules (Spanish) PDF
Surrogate and Foster Parent Online Modules (English) Video
Surrogate and Foster Parent Online Modules (Spanish) Video
Online resources
Slide Deck (English): Surrogate and Foster Parent Training
Slide Deck (Spanish): Surrogate and Foster Parent Training
Please note the online training is now housed through spedtex.org. Individuals who completed the Surrogate and Foster online training prior to October 1, 2021, through ESC 9’s online learning management system (Canvas), can still access their certificates of completion through their Canvas account with ESC 9 so they will not need to retake the training.