[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 34, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 34CFR300.20]

[Page 15-16]
 
                           TITLE 34--EDUCATION
 
              CHAPTER III--OFFICE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION AND
            REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
 
PART 300--ASSISTANCE TO STATES FOR THE EDUCATION OF CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES--Table of Contents
 
                           Subpart A--General
 
Sec. 300.20  Parent.

    (a) General. As used in this part, the term parent means--
    (1) A natural or adoptive parent of a child;
    (2) A guardian but not the State if the child is a ward of the 
State;
    (3) A person acting in the place of a parent (such as a grandparent 
or stepparent with whom the child lives, or a person who is legally 
responsible for the child's welfare); or
    (4) A surrogate parent who has been appointed in accordance with 
Sec. 300.515.

[[Page 16]]

    (b) Foster parent. Unless State law prohibits a foster parent from 
acting as a parent, a State may allow a foster parent to act as a parent 
under Part B of the Act if--
    (1) The natural parents' authority to make educational decisions on 
the child's behalf has been extinguished under State law; and
    (2) The foster parent--
    (i) Has an ongoing, long-term parental relationship with the child;
    (ii) Is willing to make the educational decisions required of 
parents under the Act; and
    (iii) Has no interest that would conflict with the interests of the 
child.

(Authority: 20 U.S.C. 1401(19))