Ombudsman

NOLA Public Schools Vision

The vision of the NOLA Public Schools is that every student receives a high-quality education that fosters their individual capabilities, while ensuring that they thrive, achieve physical and mental wellness, and are prepared for civic, social, and economic success.

Position Summary

Under the supervision of the Executive Director of Diverse Learner Support, the Ombudsman serves as a neutral, independent resource for families of students with disabilities across district and charter schools. This role provides conflict resolution, advocacy, and systemic oversight to ensure equitable access to services and compliance with IDEA and Section 504. The Ombudsman partners with the NOLA-PS Accountability Team to ensure district and charter schools comply with special education requirements.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Respond to parent concerns regarding special education services, discipline, and enrollment
• Provide accurate guidance on rights under IDEA and Section 504
• Serve as a key contact for families navigating district and charter school systems
  
  
  

Conflict Resolution

• Mediate disputes between families and schools; propose solutions and referrals
• Maintain neutrality and confidentiality in all interactions
  
  
  

Systemic Analysis & Reporting

• Track complaints, identify trends, and recommend policy changes to improve equity
• Prepare annual reports for the Superintendent on systemic issues and resolutions
  
  
  

Charter Oversight Collaboration

• Partner with NOLA-PS Accountability Team to ensure charter schools comply with special education requirements
• Collaborate with NOLA-PS Accountability Team to monitor compliance and support corrective actions
  
  
  

Community Engagement

• Develop outreach strategies, host informational sessions, and maintain stakeholder relationships
• Ensure language access and cultural competency for multilingual families
  
  
  

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• 5 years in educational leadership, special education, or family advocacy roles
• Knowledge of special education law, charter school governance, and family engagement best practices
• Skills in mediation, negotiation, and cultural competency
• Excellent communicator in written and verbal form
• Experience in urban education settings preferred
  
  
  

Salary Offers

Our salary offers reflect a commitment to equity and transparency. Each offer is determined by education, years of experience, and alignment with compensation across similar roles within the district.

Work Environment

Listed below are key points regarding environmental demands and the work environment of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

• Required to use motor coordination with finger dexterity (such as keyboarding, machine operation, etc.) part of the workday;
• Required to exert physical effort in handling objects more than 30 pounds rarely;
• Required to be exposed to physical occupational risks (such as cuts, burns, exposure to toxic chemicals) rarely;
• Required to be exposed to physical environment which involves dirt, odors, noise, weather extremes or similar elements rarely;
• Normal setting for this job is an office/school setting
  
  
  

Performance Evaluation

The employee will be evaluated based on the above position using either two methods: via COMPASS or a NOLA-PS evaluating instrument. If the employee holds an Educational Leadership certification, he/she will be evaluated via COMPASS to ensure renewal of certification.

EEOC Statement

NOLA Public Schools is committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of race, color, genetic information, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, lawful alien status, national origin, age, marital status, and non-job related physical or mental disability, or protected veteran status.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.