[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":3,"doc-seo-534963-105":59,"doc-detail-534963-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"success",[7,13,18,23,28,33,38,43,48,51,55],{"id":8,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":10,"show_sort_weight":11,"slug":12},1,"Document","Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":14,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":15,"show_sort_weight":16,"slug":17},2,"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":19,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":20,"show_sort_weight":21,"slug":22},4,"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":24,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":25,"show_sort_weight":26,"slug":27},5,"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":29,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":30,"show_sort_weight":31,"slug":32},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":34,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":35,"show_sort_weight":36,"slug":37},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":39,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":40,"show_sort_weight":41,"slug":42},8,"Research & Report",30,"research-report",{"id":44,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":45,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":47},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":46,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":49,"show_sort_weight":46,"slug":50},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":52,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":53,"show_sort_weight":52,"slug":54},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":56,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":9,"category_name":57,"show_sort_weight":24,"slug":58},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":60,"data":61},"ok",{"site_id":62,"language":63,"slug":64,"title":65,"keywords":66,"description":67,"schema_data":68,"social_meta":123,"head_meta":125,"extra_data":127,"updated_unix":129},105,"en","educational-surrogate-parent-program-faq-for-esps","Educational Surrogate Parent Program - FAQ for ESPs","","Educational Surrogate Parent Program FAQ for ESPs provides non-regulatory guidance explaining the role of an Educational Surrogate Parent appointed under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It outlines responsibilities such as learning the student’s needs, advocating educationally, participating in special education processes, maintaining confidentiality, and responding to communications within two business days. The document also addresses eligibility, training expectations, caseload changes, conflict-of-interest examples, stipend cycles, form submission requirements, and how to handle cases involving adoption, moves, or graduation.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":35,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/healthcare/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/educational-surrogate-parent-program-faq-for-esps/534963/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/educational-surrogate-parent-program-faq-for-esps/534963.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Jacob","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-11-09","2026-10-10",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":19},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What is an Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP)?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"An ESP is appointed for children who do not have a parent, whose parent cannot be located, are wards of the state, or are unaccompanied homeless youth. The ESP helps protect the child’s educational rights by participating in special education processes such as evaluations, placement changes, and developing an IEP.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Are Educational Surrogate Parents employees of the Illinois State Board of Education or the Family Matters Parent Information and Training Center?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"No. An ESP is a volunteer and is not an employee of the Illinois State Board of Education or the Family Matters Parent Information and Training Center.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What responsibilities does an ESP have and how quickly must they respond to communication?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"An ESP learns about the student’s educational needs, advocates for educational matters, participates in consent for assessment and placement, works with school staff to develop the IEP, negotiates for appropriate services, and follows confidentiality laws. ESPs must respond to communication from the school/district/ISBE within two business days.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},534963,1791667667,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":34,"category_name":35,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":19,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":39,"language":139,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":143,"read_time":46,"preview_page_count":4},962084931830,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd","SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT  \nEducational Surrogate Parent Program  \nFAQ for ESPs  \nThis document is intended to provide non-regulatory guidance on the subject matter listed above. For specific questions, please contact the Illinois State Board of Education.  \nOctober 2025  \n\n|  |\n| --- |\n| |\n| Table of Contents\u003Cbr>Educational Surrogate Parent Program Questions\u003Cbr>1. What is an Educational Surrogate Parent?............................................................................ Page 4\u003Cbr>2. Are Educational Surrogate Parents employees of the Illinois State Board of Education?..... Page 4\u003Cbr>3. Are Educational Surrogate Parents employees of the Family Matters Parent Information and Training Center?..................................................................................................................... Page 4\u003Cbr>4. How do I become an ESP?...................................................................................................... Page 4\u003Cbr>5. Do special education professionals have to attend the full-day training?............................. Page 5\u003Cbr>6. How will I know that I am an active surrogate?..................................................................... Page 5\u003Cbr>7. How will I know if I have a new student assigned to my caseload?....................................... Page 5\u003Cbr>8. What do I do if a student on my caseload is adopted or moves in with foster parents?....... Page 5\u003Cbr>9. What should I do if my student moves out of the facility/district or graduates?.................. Page 5\u003Cbr>10. What should I do if the student does not qualify for an IEP?.................................................Page 5\u003Cbr>11. What are the differences between special education-related activities and non-special education-related activities?.................................................................................................. Page 6 |\n\n12. How often do I need to attend trainings?.............................................................................. Page 6  \n13. What if I want to make changes to the number of students on my caseload?..................... Page 6  \n14. What are examples of a conflict of interest?......................................................................... Page 6  \n15. Am I allowed to seek legal advice as a surrogate?................................................................. Page 7  \n16. What if I no longer wish to be a surrogate?........................................................................... Page 7  \n17. How long do I have to respond to communication from ISBE or a district/facility?...............Page 7  \nStipend-Specific Questions  \n18. When are the stipend cycles?................................................................................................ Page 7  \n19. Do I get a stipend for every IEP meeting I attend for a student?........................................... Page 7  \n20. If I am volunteering my time or there were no services during this cycle, do I still have to fill out and send in the forms?............................................................................................... Page 7  \n21. What do I put on the form if the student is no longer on my caseload?................................Page 7  \n22. What if I got a new student after forms were mailed?...........................................................Page 8  \n23. If I do not feel secure writing out my full Social Security number on the forms, can I just put down the last four digits instead?.......................................................................................... Page 8  \n24. How do I submit my forms?................................................................................................... Page 8  \n25. This student is no longer on my caseload. Do I still need to complete the form?................. Page 8  \n26. This student has graduated. Do I still need to complete the form?....................................... Page 8 ","cbCaiiAEc1pdcUhX","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaiiAEc1pdcUhX","pdf",312106,"English","# Educational Surrogate Parent Program Questions\n## What is an Educational Surrogate Parent?\n## Are Educational Surrogate Parents employees of the Illinois State Board of Education?\n## Are Educational Surrogate Parents employees of the Family Matters Parent Information and Training Center?\n## How do I become an ESP?\n## Do special education professionals have to attend the full-day training?\n## How will I know that I am an active surrogate?\n## How will I know if I have a new student assigned to my caseload?\n## What do I do if a student on my caseload is adopted or moves in with foster parents?\n## What should I do if my student moves out of the facility/district or graduates?\n## What should I do if the student does not qualify for an IEP?\n## What are the differences between special education-related activities and non-special education-related activities?\n## How often do I need to attend trainings?\n## What if I want to make changes to the number of students on my caseload?\n## What are examples of a conflict of interest?\n## Am I allowed to seek legal advice as a surrogate?\n## What if I no longer wish to be a surrogate?\n## How long do I have to respond to communication from ISBE or a district/facility?\n# Stipend-Specific Questions\n## When are the stipend cycles?\n## Do I get a stipend for every IEP meeting I attend for a student?\n## If I am volunteering my time or there were no services during this cycle, do I still have to fill out and send in the forms?\n## What do I put on the form if the student is no longer on my caseload?\n## What if I got a new student after forms were mailed?\n## If I do not feel secure writing out my full Social Security number on the forms, can I just put down the last four digits instead?\n## How do I submit my forms?\n## This student is no longer on my caseload. Do I still need to complete the form?\n## This student has graduated. Do I still need to complete the form?","[{\"question\":\"What is an Educational Surrogate Parent (ESP)?\",\"answer\":\"An ESP is appointed for children who do not have a parent, whose parent cannot be located, are wards of the state, or are unaccompanied homeless youth. The ESP helps protect the child’s educational rights by participating in special education processes such as evaluations, placement changes, and developing an IEP.\"},{\"question\":\"Are Educational Surrogate Parents employees of the Illinois State Board of Education or the Family Matters Parent Information and Training Center?\",\"answer\":\"No. An ESP is a volunteer and is not an employee of the Illinois State Board of Education or the Family Matters Parent Information and Training Center.\"},{\"question\":\"What responsibilities does an ESP have and how quickly must they respond to communication?\",\"answer\":\"An ESP learns about the student’s educational needs, advocates for educational matters, participates in consent for assessment and placement, works with school staff to develop the IEP, negotiates for appropriate services, and follows confidentiality laws. ESPs must respond to communication from the school/district/ISBE within two business days.\"}]","Educational Surrogate Parent Program - FAQ for ESPs | PDF",1791599425]