Dive Brief:
- The D.C. State Board of Education has named Joyanna Smith as the district's official ombudsman. The independent liaison — who is also a lawyer and former charter school official — is who families should speak with if they have an issue with a school (both traditional public and charter).
- Smith’s job will include talking with families about issues, working to resolve problems, and compiling data to identify reoccurring issues.
- Smith is the District's second ombudsman; the position has been unfilled since 2010 due to underfunding.
Dive Insight:
While Smith has not been publicly announced for the position yet, she began working six weeks ago. Thus far, she told the Washington Post, she has fielded concerns around bullying and frustrations with special-education services.
Many families often feel they don’t know who to talk to if they have a problem — the hierarchy of some schools can become rather confusing — and the ombudsman position helps streamline this issue while encouraging parents to be vocal and active school participants.
As Mark Jones, president of the D.C. State Board of Education told the Washington Post, “We’re excited. We think it’s going to empower the parents and the community to have an independent voice for problem-solving.”
Smith was selected by the D.C. State Board of Education, which also received input from community reviewers who helped interview the position finalists.
