Every Ontario school board will open a “student and family support office” by next fall that will be expected to respond to parents’ questions and concerns within five days— a move critics called “window dressing” that just adds another layer of bureaucracy.

The offices will open in January in the Toronto public and Catholic boards, as well as the three others currently under provincial supervision , and the remainder of Ontario boards next September, the province announced Thursday.

From simple requests to more complex ones such as dealing with bullying that can’t be resolved at the school level, Education Minister Paul Calandra said the office will deal with the questions, concerns and frustrations that parents have.

“It’s just a way for people to get answers — simple answers, basic

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