Frequently Asked Questions

Who should call the Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO)?
When should I contact OEO?
What will the Ombudsman do?
Is there a cost for this service?
Is the Office of the Education Ombudsman my advocate?
What kinds of problems are appropriate?
What can I expect from OEO?
What will I gain from OEO?
Is the OEO my only recourse?
Do I have to follow the Ombudsman's advice?
Will the Ombudsman participate in formal meetings?
How is confidentiality assured?
What authority do Education Ombudsmen have?
What does the Office of the Education Ombudsman make public?
What other services are provided?
What does the word “Ombudsman” mean?

Who should call the Office of the Education Ombudsman (OEO)?

  • Parents/legal guardians of students who are currently enrolled or eligible to be enrolled in elementary or secondary public schools and who are experiencing a problem with a public school.
  • Educators who have questions about problems/conflict with parents.
  • Anyone who has questions about the K-12 education system, education law/policies, parent involvement, cultural competence.

All conversations and interactions with OEO are by law, confidential. OEO does not intake cases involving: elected officials (such as School Board members), allegations of educator professional misconduct, or problems with private schools, preschools, childcare centers, private organizations, businesses, public or private colleges and universities.

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When should I contact OEO?

You should contact OEO when you have an unresolved problem with a public school that impacts your student’s education and you are not sure what to do next; you want an independent assessment of the situation; you need options and/or you have questions about the education system.

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What will the Ombudsman do?

The Ombudsman will listen to you, discuss the situation with school officials (with signed parent’s permission), facilitate and/or mediate conversations among involved parties, research education laws and work with everyone to generate options that will solve the problem or improve the situation.

Ombudsmen do not conduct formal investigations but gather all available information in order to assess the situation fairly.

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Is there a cost for this service?

All services provided by the Office of the Education Ombudsman are free of charge.

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Is the Office of the Education Ombudsman my advocate?

Education Ombudsmen are impartial. They do not advocate for any particular individual. They advocate for fair and equitable processes that support student academic success.

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What kinds of problems are appropriate?

Any kind of problems and/or conflict that impacts a student’s academic progress or learning environment is appropriate. Education Ombudsman focus on collaborative problem solving rather than win-lose approaches.

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What can I expect from OEO?

OEO’s goal is to provide exceptional customer service and individualized attention to everyone involved. We will respond to you in a timely manner and treat you courteously and with respect. We will keep you informed of our progress and our efforts to achieve results.

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What will I gain from OEO?

Speaking with the Ombudsman can help untangle a complicated situation and uncover alternatives available to the student. In addition to resolving conflict, a goal of the Ombudsman is to enhance all parties’ ability to communicate and interact better with each other in order to support student achievement.

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Is the OEO my only recourse?

The Office of the Education Ombudsman supplements but does not replace the existing resources for grievances that may exist in public schools. The Ombudsman can give you information about whether those processes exist in your school district.

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Do I have to follow the Ombudsman's advice?

Education Ombudsmen make no formal or binding decisions. Ombudsmen only make recommendations based on what they see as the most reasonable and fair course of action. However, the Ombudsman can bring recommendations to the attention of those with the authority to make changes.

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Will the Ombudsman participate in formal meetings?

Ombudsmen do not serve as witnesses and do not participate in any formal grievance processes. They can facilitate informal discussions and mediate by phone but do not take part in disciplinary meetings or conduct formal investigations.

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How is confidentiality assured?

OEO holds all communications with those seeking assistance in strict confidence and does not disclose confidential information unless given permission to do so. The only exception is when an Ombudsman determines that there appears to be imminent risk of serious harm to an individual. To further protect customer privacy OEO does not do business via e-mail.

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What authority do Education Ombudsmen have?

Ombudsmen can make recommendations but do not have authority to force schools or school districts to take a specific action, terminate school personnel or remove elected officials from public office.

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What does the Office of the Education Ombudsman make public?

The Office of the Education Ombudsman keeps general case work data and publishes reports to the public. These reports present strictly demographic data, with no information that would identify individuals who have used our services. Over the years, data is analyzed to indicate trends, patterns and suggest areas of systemic improvement.

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What other services are provided?

Besides conflict resolution and information about education, OEO also offers free publications for families (translated in seven languages), and workshops for parents and professional development for educators. For more information visit: www.waparentslearn.org

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What does the word “Ombudsman” mean?

“Ombudsman” is a Swedish word meaning, “a public official appointed to receive complaints against government.” The title “Ombudsman” is gender-neutral, used by both men and women.

The first public sector Ombudsman was appointed by the Swedish parliament in 1809. The concept came to the United States in the 1960’s. There are hundreds of Ombudsman Offices across the nation in education, colleges, universities, government, corporations, mass media, etc.

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