Surrogate Parents

The surrogate parent program is a crucial part of the IDEIA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act) of 2004 as amended, 300.519 (f). This law requires each state education agency to adopt a state plan to provide adequate due process. One of the law’s requirements is that the state needs to protect the rights of a child when a parent or guardian is unknown, unavailable, when the child is a ward of the state, or when the child is an unaccompanied homeless youth. This protection includes the assignment of an individual to act as a surrogate parent. To comply with this Federal law, the PA Department of Education has set forth guidelines for the identification of students who need surrogate parents. Historically, in Pennsylvania, the 29 Intermediate Units (IU’s) have been given the responsibility of assisting school districts in identifying students in need of a surrogate parent. Midwestern Intermediate Unit IV is involved in recruiting, selecting, training, and assigning surrogate parents for the 27 school districts that we serve as well as for the MIU IV Early Intervention Program.

Surrogate Parent Determination and Application Form

PDE Surrogate Parent Guidelines

BEC - Surrogate Parent