• Find out who will attend the meeting. The surrogate can also decide if it is necessary to bring a person from outside the school to the meeting. The surrogate should notify the school when inviting another person to attend.

• Explore other programs offered by the school that may be appropriate for the child.

These points are a framework for a surrogate parent's informed participation in the child's educational program. Adequate preparation may seem time-consuming, but it is worthwhile. The surrogate parent will then have the confidence to advocate for the student at meetings.

The surrogate parent has the same rights and responsibilities as any other parent. The surrogate parent can bring someone else to the special education meetings. The surrogate parent is a very important member of the team.

There are many resources available for surrogate parents. Attending local parent special education advisory committee (SEAC) meetings or contacting various organizations that hold workshops on specific topics can lead the surrogate to other parents and professionals who can offer advice and support.