Office of the Ombuds

Department Contact Information

571-423-4014
Submit a Question

The FCPS Office of the Ombuds serves as an independent, confidential resource for students, families, community members, and employees who are seeking informal help to answer questions, resolve concerns, and voice complaints regarding FCPS matters. The Office of the Ombuds reports to the Chief Experience and Engagement Officer. 

The word Ombudsman means "representative." 

Our Mission and Vision

The Office of the Ombuds supports the mission of Fairfax County Public Schools. We serve families, students, employees, and community members by:

  • providing information about resources and how to access them,
  • understanding concerns and providing support to resolve them.

The office follows the four principles of the International Ombuds Association: confidentiality, independence, impartiality, and informality.

What We Do

  • Provide parents, students, employees, and community members an opportunity to share concerns and complaints in a confidential manner
  • Relay information about FCPS programs, regulations, and policies
  • Share ideas to help parents advocate for their child’s education
  • Offer information and support to students and parents of children with disabilities, to help them understand and navigate these processes

Examples of What We Do

  • Sharing strategies for parents to improve communication with, and between, school and home
  • Helping to resolve disagreements between parents and schools or disagreements involving employees in the workplace
  • Providing ideas to foster parent participation in Individual Education Plan (IEP) and 504 Plan meetings

When to Contact Us

  • When you want help resolving an issue that affects student learning or the school/work environment
  • When you want to understand how FCPS works or where to go for assistance

Contact us by using the "Submit a Question" button at the top of this page, or by calling (571) 423-4014 or emailing [email protected].

What We Don't Do 

  • Change or make decisions, policies, or regulations
  • Take sides
  • Provide legal advice

Assistant Ombuds for Special Education

Kathy Murphy, the assistant ombuds for special education, serves as a resource, providing information and support to parents and students regarding special education services. It is the hope, that through providing transparency and understanding to families, children with special needs will receive all the services and supports required to equitably access public education.

The assistant ombuds can support families in the following ways: 

  • Provide information and support to parents and students with disabilities to help them understand and navigate special education processes
  • Assist by sharing information regarding state and federal laws and regulations governing special education and Section 504
  • Work neutrally and objectively with families and school staff to help ensure a fair process is followed
  • Provide information related to parental role, as a member of the knowledgeable committee
  • Serve as a resource for disability-related information and referrals to other available programs and services for individuals with disabilities, including early intervention and transition to post-secondary services

Download Our Flier

Office of the Ombuds Flier: 

English | English (FCPS Employees) | 
Amharic | Arabic | Chinese | Farsi | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese

Podcast Episode - January 2023

Dawn Clements, FCPS Ombuds, and Kathy Murphy, Assistant Ombuds for Special Education were interviewed for the FCPS Multilingual Family Podcast. 

Listen
English | Español (Spanish) | العربية (Arabic) | 한국어 (Korean)

Parent Advocacy Handbook

Information and resources in the Parent Advocacy Handbook are designed help parents and guardians advocate for and support their children’s academic, social, and emotional growth from preschool through high school and beyond. 

English (webpages on this website) | English (PDF) |
Arabic | Chinese | Korean | Spanish

    Frequently Used K-12 Acronyms

    Frequently Used K-12 Acronyms

    Acronym

    Meaning

    2E

    Twice Exceptional

     

    504

    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (FCPS webpage or U.S, Govt. webpage)

     

    504 SBC

    504 School Based Coordinator

     

    AAP

    Advanced Academic Programs

     

    ABA

    Applied Behavioral Analysis

     

    ACSD

    Advisory Committee for Students with Disabilities

     

    ADA

    Americans with Disabilities Act

     

    AP

    Assistant Principal OR Advanced Placement

     

    AVID

    Advancement Via Individual Determination

     

    AYP

    Adequate Yearly Progress

     

    BCD

    Basis for Committee Decision

     

    BIP

    Behavior Intervention Plan

     

    CT

    Collaborative Team

     

    CST

    Child Study Team OR Child Specific Team

     

    CTE

    Career and Technical Education

     

    DPE

    Due Process and Eligibility

     

    ECIDS

    Early Childhood Identification and Services

     

    EL

    English Learner

     

    ELL

    English Language Learner

     

    ELP

    English Language Proficiency

     

    EOC

    End of Course

     

    ESOL

    English for Speakers of Other Languages

     

    ESY

    Extended School Year

     

    ETR

    Employment & Transition Representative

     

    FAPE

    Free Appropriate Public Education

     

    FBA

    Functional Behavior Assessment

     

    FCPS

    Fairfax County Public Schools

     

    FECEP

    Family and Early Childhood Education

     

    FERPA

    Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

     

    FOIA

    Freedom of Information Act

     

    HCP

    Health Care Plan

     

    IA

    Instructional Assistant

     

    IAES

    Interim Alternative Education Setting

     

    IB

    International Baccalaureate

     

    IDEA

    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

     

    IEE

    Independent Educational Evaluation

     

    IEP

    Individualized Education Program

     

    ISP

    Individualized Service Plan

     

    ITC

    Infant and Toddler Connection

     

    LEA

    Local Education Agency

     

    LEP

    Limited English Proficiency

     

    LRE

    Least Restrictive Environment

     

    LSC

    Local Screening Committee

     

    MDR

    Manifestation Determination Review

     

    MTSS

    Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

     

    OCR

    Office for Civil Rights

     

    OT

    Occupational Therapy OR Occupational Therapist

     

    PAC

    Preschool Autism Class

     

    PBA

    Positive Behavior Approach OR

    Performance Based Assessment

     

    PBIS Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports

    PHN

    Public Health Nurse

     

    PHTA

    Public Health Training Assistant

     

    PLC

    Professional Learning Community

     

    POC

    Point of Contact

     

    PRC

    Parent Resource Center

     

    PSL

    Procedural Support Liaison

     

    PT

    Physical Therapy OR Physical Therapist

     

    PTA/PTO

    Parent Teacher Association/Organization

     

    PWN

    Prior Written Notice

     

    RTI

    Response to Intervention

     

    SHA

    School Health Aide

     

    SLP

    Speech-Language Pathologist

     

    SOL

    Standards of Learning

     

    SP/L; S/L

    Speech/Language

     

    SPED

    Special Education

     

    SR&R

    Student Rights and Responsibilities

     

    SW

    Social Worker

     

    SWD

    Students with Disabilities

     

    T/TAC

    Training/Technical Assistance Center

     

    USDOE

    United States Department of Education

     

    VAAP

    Virginia Alternate Assessment Program

     

    VDOE

    Virginia Department of Education

     

    VGA

    Virginia Growth Assessments