Addition of Ombudsman Position Fails 2-5-2

By a vote of 2-5-2 with Dr. Guzman and Myself Voting YES, Mr. Geurin, Mr. Stevens, Ms. Godfrey, Mr. Marshall,and Mr. DuPree voting NO; and Ms. Bergel and Mr. Ohneiser abstaining.  Part of the discussion concerned where an ombudsman exists in a school system.  If you know  of a public school system that has an ombudsman, please let me know. A draft a job description is listed below. 

LOUDOUN COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS (LCPS) OMBUDSMAN JOB DESCRITION:

The Ombudsperson has primary responsibility for serving parents and staff by offering a confidential, informal, and neutral dispute resolution service. The Ombudsperson is neither an advocate neither for any individual nor for LCPS, but rather an advocate for fairness who provides information, advice, intervention, mediation and referrals to ensure that parents and LCPS employees receive fair and equitable treatment. The Ombudsperson will listen to members and discuss their problems or concerns; coordinate with appropriate LCPS administrative offices to  gather information about various policies and procedures; and advise members on alternative courses of action for their issue (i.e., referrals) and help pursue those options. The Ombudsperson will also serve as a “liaison” between the person with the concern and the LCPS organization or LCPS employee with whom the conflict exists and will work through established administrative channels to assist in resolving problems. The Ombudsperson will be responsible for managing the daily operation of the Office of the Ombuds and will advise appropriate administrators about problem areas and recommend changes to correct those areas. This position reports to the School Board/Superintendent.

QUALIFICATIONS:
The ideal candidate will possess the following minimum qualifications:
•   Strong leadership, interpersonal, and problem solving skills with ability to gather and analyze information and assist the inquirer in developing appropriate options and actions
•   Certified in dispute resolution or be willing to undergo certification
•   Experience in dispute resolution preferred
•   A Master’s degree is required (doctorate degree preferred) and at least five (5) years of experience in public education and some evidence of managerial experience
•   Excellent written and oral communication skills with ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels of the university and with individuals of various cultures and backgrounds
•   Personal traits of a high level of integrity, team orientation, professionalism, and trustworthiness
•   Knowledge of LCPS structure, culture, policies, and practices
•   A leadership style that emphasizes collaboration and facilitation
•   Ability to maintain confidentiality and use sound judgment in sharing information, consistent with the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the International Ombudsman Association

Comments

[Tom Kosakowski]

The Ombuds Blog (http://ombuds-blog.blogspot.com/) has a list of a dozen school districts with Ombuds programs and also news about other districts considering Ombuds offices (including Little Rock, Des Moines, Pasadena, New Orleans, Boulder, Anne Arundel, Rochester, Charlotte). See also the program for the Washington, DC, schools.

[ed myers]

Often the alternative is a lawsuit which is expensive for all sides. How much has been spent on legal counsel in past years that might have been saved had a mechanism existed for resolving disputes?

I also think the person needs to be well versed in ADA and special education plans. The recent Supreme Court ruling that parents can sue on behalf of their children regarding whether a plan meets the test for a free and appropriate education is, in my predicition, the catalyst that will prove an ombudsman's worth.

A family with money, an autistic child with severe social skills, and a parent with the belief that society owes them something because of their child's situation(e.g their child was damaged by vacination, environmental pollution, poor pediatric care whatever...) is a recipe for disaster far more likely than violence on school property. Yet LCPS spent $500K to lock down the schools with A-Phone and spends nothing on conflict resolution?

This signals shortsightedness and a LCPS culture of arrogance that deals with disputes from a position of power rather than looking for justice.

[John Halstead]

Mr. Reed,

I received this via an Ombuds blog. I am a mediator and a member of the International Ombuds Association. Howard County public schools (MD) has a part-time ombuds and there are other public schools systems around the country, though the vast majority of Ombuds work in post-secondary education, hospitals, and larger corporations.

The Maryland Court system also utilizes a part-time Ombud for its employees.

I believe the absolutely critical aspect is that the Ombud is neutral both in perception and reality. Qualifications should focus on conflict resolution skills and neutrality rather than knowledge of the education system that is more likely to support biases.

An Ombud is not an advocate for either party.

As many organizations do not need a full-time Ombuds, I am evaluating the potential of providing the "service" on a contractual basis that would lower the investment cost of establishing a program and make it a variable cost based on the need rather than a fixed cost.

I do not intend this as a "sales pitch" but I would be pleased to share additional information on the benefits of an Ombud for the school system and how that might be structured.

[Tom Reed]

Eureka! Thanks Mr. Halstead. You've provided a wealth of information already. I'll contact Howard County tomorrow and we may take you up on your offer to share additional information.