2024 PAVE Parent Power Awards - The Office of the Student Advocate Policy Partner Award

The 2024 Policy Partner Award goes to DC’s Office of the Student Advocate, led by Dan Davis, for their partnership with PAVE and our parent leaders to make our education system more responsive and accessible to families. Their team provides resources to parents from across DC about how to navigate our schools, training and support for students with special needs and their families, and community conversations about safety and student wellness. They hosted an inaugural hyper-local conversation on safety in Ward 7 in response to PAVE parent leaders’ statement of beliefs on Safe Passage, worked with PAVE to lead multiple coffee chats and trainings like “Know Your Rights in DC Special Education” and “How to Navigate DC’s Education System”, and they regularly share opportunities for families to provide their feedback on key issues like student safety, supports for college and career readiness, and secondary transitions for students with disabilities.