DCF & School District

SESPP DCF and School District

Appointment Process

After the case coordinator determines that a student meets all required eligibility criteria, attention is turned to identifying an appropriate SESPP volunteer. The case coordinator will first investigate whether there is already an involved adult who may be interested in making special education decisions for the child. Such individuals may include:

If no such adult can be identified, the case coordinator will review all available SESPP volunteers listed in the program database. We will try to match volunteers with a student based on criteria such as geographic location and the volunteer's stated interest in certain areas of disability, student age group, and other individual preferences. The case coordinator will contact volunteers, give details about the particular student's situation, and the volunteer can choose whether or not to accept the match.

Every student who is eligible for an SESP is assigned to one, there are no waiting lists. Referrals may be prioritized depending on the circumstances of the student. While the amount of time it takes to assign an SESP to a student can vary, most referrals are assigned within 14 days of eligibility determination (93% in FY21).