Special Education Surrogate Parents (SESPs) volunteer to make education decisions for students whose parents are unable to do so.

Federal education law requires that a student's parent(s) or guardian(s) be included in the special education decision-making process. However, children in state custody whose parents are unknown or unavailable may not have anyone to fill that vital role. To serve these students, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education has contracted with the Federation for Children with Special Needs and the EDCO Collaborative to implement the Special Education Surrogate Parent Program (SESPP).

Each agency will be responsible for implementing certain aspects of the SESPP. The RTSC at the Federation for Children with Special Needs will recruit volunteers, and provide orientation training and ongoing support to all SESPs. The EDCO Collaborative will be responsible for student eligibility determination, SESP appointment, and case management.

Our mission is to ensure that every child in state custody receives the educational supports he or she needs to succeed. We strive to meet this goal by recruiting volunteers from across the state, and providing them with the training and support they need to be effective Special Education Surrogate Parents.