2018 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 10 - Education and Culture
Chapter 164 - Educational Opportunities
Section 10-94g - Commissioner of Education to appoint surrogate parent. Procedure for objection to or extension of said appointment.
(a)(1) When in the opinion of the Commissioner of Education or a designee of said commissioner, (A) a child may require special education, or a child who required special education no longer requires such education but requires or may require services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended from time to time, and (B) the parent or guardian of such child cannot be identified, the whereabouts of the parent cannot be discovered after reasonable efforts to locate the parent have been made, such child is a ward of the state or such child is an unaccompanied and homeless youth, both as defined in 42 USC 11434a, as amended from time to time, the commissioner or a designee of said commissioner shall appoint a surrogate parent who shall represent such child in the educational decision-making process. (2) A surrogate parent may also be appointed for a child who is under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families and receiving education services from Unified School District #2, provided the parent or guardian: (A) Is notified by certified mail that the child is or may be eligible to receive special education and related services; (B) agrees or fails to object to the appointment of a surrogate parent; (C) receives identical notices as the surrogate parent; and (D) may revoke the appointment of a surrogate parent at any time.
(b) A parent or guardian of a child for whom a surrogate parent has been appointed in accordance with the provisions of this section, or the Commissioner of Children and Families or a designee of the commissioner on behalf of any such child in the custody of the commissioner, or a pupil for whom a surrogate parent has been appointed in accordance with the provisions of said section if such pupil is an emancipated minor or at least eighteen years of age who objects to the appointment or extension of the appointment of a surrogate parent, shall notify the commissioner in writing of such objection or request. The commissioner or his designee shall schedule a conference relating to such objection or request within ten days of the receipt of such notice. Upon failure of the commissioner to schedule such conference or upon the inability of the parties to resolve the issues within thirty days of the receipt of the notice, such parent, guardian, commissioner or a pupil shall be provided a hearing within thirty days following a written request directed to the commissioner in accordance with the provisions of chapter 54, provided that a final decision on such hearing shall be rendered within fifteen days following the close of evidence.
(P.A. 76-429, S. 2, 7; P.A. 77-614, S. 302, 610; P.A. 78-218, S. 76; 78-280, S. 19, 127; 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 81-247, S. 2, 7; P.A. 93-91, S. 1, 2; 93-353, S. 12, 52; 93-383, S. 7, 8; P.A. 96-146, S. 8, 12; 96-185, S. 11, 16; P.A. 00-48, S. 6, 12; P.A. 06-18, S. 8.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and 78-303 substituted commissioner of education for secretary of the state board of education, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 78-218 made technical changes in Subsec. (a); P.A. 78-280 substituted superior court for juvenile court and specified that district be the “venue district” provided for in section 51-323; P.A. 81-247 replaced provisions re procedure for appointment of surrogate by superior court with provisions for appeal by parent or guardian objecting to appointment or extension of appointment of surrogate parent; P.A. 93-91 substituted commissioner and department of children and families for commissioner and department of children and youth services, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-353 amended Subsec. (a) to mandate appointment when a parent or guardian cannot be identified or the whereabouts of the parent cannot be discovered after reasonable efforts and deleted language mandating appointment when the parent or guardian “is unknown or unavailable” and added language allowing appointment if a parent or guardian is unavailable and the parent or guardian agrees or fails to object to the appointment after appropriate notice, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 93-383 amended Subsec. (a) to add provisions concerning services under Secs. 10-91a to 10-91d, inclusive, and to substitute language on appointment when parent or guardian cannot be identified or the whereabouts of the parent cannot be discovered after reasonable efforts for appointment when the parent or guardian is unknown or unavailable, effective July 1, 1993; P.A. 96-146 amended Subsec. (a) to delete provision for the appointment of a surrogate parent if a parent or guardian is unavailable to represent the child or the parent or guardian fails to object to the appointment after appropriate notice has been provided regarding such appointment and to add provision for the appointment of a surrogate parent for a child who is under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families and receiving education services from Unified School District #2 provided certain conditions are met, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 96-185 deleted language concerning children eligible for services under Secs. 10-91a to 10-91d, inclusive, those sections having been repealed elsewhere in the act, effective July 1, 1996; P.A. 00-48 amended Subsec. (a) by dividing existing provisions into Subdivs. (1) and (2), redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) to (4) as Subparas. (A) to (D) of Subdiv. (2), and by adding provision in Subdiv. (1) for appointment of surrogate parent for children who no longer require special education but require or may require services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, effective July 1, 2000; P.A. 06-18 amended Subsec. (a)(1)(B) by adding language re unaccompanied and homeless youths, effective July 1, 2006.
