Local & Community
New PSUSD parent coordinator aims to empower families
Palm Springs Unified School District has a new district parent coordinator focused on making family engagement more accessible and ensuring parents have a voice in decisions affecting their children.
David Ramos, who brings more than 30 years of experience in parent engagement to the role, said his goal is to create consistent, equitable opportunities for families across the district.
“We want to standardize our process in order to be very equitable towards all the schools, in order to reach the majority of our families, if not all our families,” Ramos said. “We want to create a welcoming environment for all families.”
Ramos said family engagement should go beyond connecting parents with resources. He wants families to have opportunities to develop skills, become stronger advocates for their children and participate in district decision-making.
“We want them to feel that there is an opportunity to learn how to be better parents and better support towards their children through a myriad of capacity building opportunities,” Ramos said. “We want them to understand beautifully that they are leaders in their own right, and they ought to be at the decision-making table.”
Families can access support through the district’s Family Engagement Center, where they can find parenting classes, workshops and other resources.
Frankie Espinoza, a family and community engagement (FACE) specialist, said services can include English-language and citizenship classes, along with events held throughout the year.
“The family center is really the Disneyland of our school district. We offer just a wide variety of things,” Espinoza said.
Espinoza said the goal is not only to provide immediate assistance, but also to help families become more confident navigating the school district independently.
“Our goal also is to help families become more self-sufficient, so they are able to do things and navigate our district,” Espinoza said. “I know sometimes families get lost, but once they get it down, it is really great to see the growth that they have in themselves and be able to do it for their families.”
For Espinoza, one of the biggest impacts of the program is seeing families feel less overwhelmed.
“I know the biggest impact that I've seen as a FACES is just having families feel like they could breathe,” she said.
Ramos said his broader priority is helping the district build a culture that recognizes the role parents play in student success.
“The main focus is helping to develop a culture where parents are honored as the first and most important teachers of their children,” Ramos said.
Every PSUSD school site has a designated family engagement specialist who can connect families with the Family Engagement Center. Services are free and available to all PSUSD families.
By: NBC Palm Springs
August 26, 2026
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