Q: What happens if the surrogate parent requests a particular service for the child that the school says they cannot provide because of lack of money?

A: Money cannot be used as a reason for not providing appropriate and needed services. If the IEP team determines a service is necessary to meet the needs of a child, the team can look at alternative ways to provide the service. Does a neighboring school district or agency in the community have the service? Whatever the team decides to do should be put in writing. The surrogate parent can monitor the progress to prevent undue delay in the provision of a needed service.

Q: What if the school will not listen to the surrogate parent's concerns about the child's educational needs?

A. School staff should respect your role of parent on behalf of the child. The first step is always reasonable discussion with school personnel, beginning with the IEP case manager. The surrogate parent can also contact an advocacy organization such as PACER for assistance in deciding what are the best options and what steps could be taken.