Families in Loudoun County have a new resource to help navigate problems or concerns with their schools. Loudoun County Public Schools recently hired an ombuds – a new position and relatively new concept in K-12 education.
More common at the collegiate level or in the corporate world, an ombuds serves as a neutral entity within the school district to hear concerns from employees, students and parents and connect them with the resources to help.
"The position of the ombuds is gaining a little bit of momentum in the kindergarten through 12 public school setting," ombuds Carey Williams said.
She brings 20 years of education experience to the newly formed position in a school system that's been at the center of much controversy.
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“I sit within the superintendent's office and report to the chief of staff, and I don't sit within any other department or office, so I don't have any ties or responsibilities to any other entity within the division," she said.
Loudoun County is just the 38th K-12 district in the country to have an ombuds. One of the first school districts to start such a program was D.C. Public Schools, which handles hundreds of cases a year.
As the Loudoun cases roll in, Williams will look for trends or systemic flaws in policies or practices.
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“But I'm not the person who's going to be modifying or rewriting or changing that policy,” she said. “But I can be a catalyst. I can help look at that division-wide equity and the systems and practices that we have in place."
Williams said parents may email or call her office and the process can be confidential.
