District Family Advocates and Borough Directors

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It’s important for families to get support and answers. That’s why, in the 2007-08 school year, the Department of Education hired at least two District Family Advocates responsible for helping elementary and middle school families in each community school district, and a borough director responsible for helping high school families in each borough. These family support officers are ready to help parents, so families no longer have to go all the way to regional offices to get help and information.

District Family Advocates provide direct services to address the needs of families and parent leaders. They work with superintendents, principals, school-based Parent Coordinators, their local District Presidents Councils and others to help families.

District Family Advocates:

  • Work with the Office of Student Enrollment to help families understand and navigate school enrollment processes
  • Collaborate with families, teachers, parent organizations, community based partners, and business leaders to develop programs and activities designed to engage families in improving student achievement
  • Develop a “District Family Involvement Program” with input from parent leaders
  • Serve as problem solvers and facilitators in issues related to School Leadership Teams, PA/PTA, and other policies related to families
  • Visit individual schools on a regular basis to provide support to parent coordinators; help schools foster family-friendly school environments
  • Work with their district’s parent leaders to support School Leadership Teams (SLT), Parent Associations (PA) and Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA), as well as Title –I Committees

Borough Directors perform the same functions and work with District Family Advocates to resolve problems. In addition, they also: 

  • Support Borough High School Presidents Councils
  • Facilitate joint workshops for high school-based Parent Coordinators and parent leadership
  • Work with citywide and borough parent leadership organizations.

See the "Contacts" in the blue bar at the right to find out how to reach your borough director.