Office of the Education Ombudsman May Be Eliminated
From the WA State PTSA:
Education Ombudsmen are trained problem-solvers who bring families and educators together to resolve conflict and disputes that otherwise drive kids out of school. As impartial third parties, they provide consultation, coaching, facilitation, and mediation.
This is the first agency of its kind in the nation and it offers our K-12 schools innovative, cost-effective alternatives to costly lawsuits and administrative hearings. It promotes continual improvement while collecting data so it can advise all educators, families, students and other government agencies on which steps we need to take to keep kids in school. Most of their cases deal with special education or bullying and harassment.
The Washington State PTA strongly supports this office. It is beneficial to each of our 1 million public school students and is critical for our most marginalized.
Well, the office would be abolished in a bill before the Senate – SSB 5639. We need you to contact Senator McAuliffe ASAP.
SSB 5639 is the governor’s new education governance (P-20) bill. The governor’s version highlighted the Office of the Education Ombudsman. The Senate education committee voted in the substitute to abolish it. It was in the Senate Ways and Means Committee last week (where we testified against) and it has been sent back to Senator McAuliffe for re-drafting.
PLEASE contact Senator McAuliffe ASAP. We need as many people as possible, especially special education parents. The message is:
Dear Senator McAuliffe,
Please remove the line that abolishes the Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO) in SSB 5639. This office saves state money by resolving complaints before they turn into expensive lawsuits for parents and schools! It helps each of the 1 million children in Washington public schools and is critical for our most marginalized.
Here is her contact information:
Senator Rosemary McAuliffe
(360) 786-7600
Fax: (360) 786-1999
Her e-mail: rosemary.mcauliffe@Leg.wa.gov
Please also contact other members of the Senate Education Committee to let them know the same message
Comments
They helped clarify our rights and offered to act as a mediator should we be denied our legal rights by the school district.
This is the only support we could find outside of hiring private legal counsel (which we were not in a position to do).
I am confused by this post.
You say that you concur with this decision to eliminate the office- however you go on to explain what the office does & how to fight the decision.
Did you mean to say you disagree?
To CONCUR, means you AGREE.
Oompah
;)
Curious
The Governor's Office of the Education Ombudsman is incredibly valuable to families and the only resource of its kind in the state.
According to the director of the OEO, of the over 800 cases resolved in 2010, 60% of them were for families with children receiving Special Education services.
The OEO helps any family that calls, so please don't misinterpret my post as saying it is only a service for families with children with special needs. It is just that with cuts in social services there are precious few safety net and service provisions left. The OEO is a desparately needed service.
I echo Melissa: Please, please contact Senator McAuliffe.
Thanks,
Susan Sturms
President, Seattle Special Education PTSA
Seattle parent