School–Family–Community Engagement

Region 5 ESC is committed to ensuring that parents of students with disabilities receive accurate and timely information to assist them in making informed choices in their child’s education through training opportunities, collaboration with other parent training organizations, and technical assistance to parents and school districts.

Team Members

Jessica Risinger
Program Coordinator
jrisinger@esc5.net
409-951-1783

Surrogate and Foster Parent Training 

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 for an in-person presentation or view the online module below.

How to Register for the Surrogate and Foster Parent Online Modules 

Slide Deck: Surrogate and Foster Parent Training