BOARD POLICY - 1312.3
The Board of Education encourages early, informal resolution of complaints at the school site level whenever possible. However, it recognizes that there are occasions when a more formal process is necessary. Thus, in accordance with 5 CCR §4621 the Board of Education adopts this Uniform Complaint Policy.
I. Applicable Programs and Types of Complaints
- The District shall have the primary responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The District shall investigate and seek to resolve, in accordance with our Uniform Complaint Policy, any complaints alleging failure to comply with applicable state and federal laws and regulations including, allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any protected group as identified under Education Code 200 and 220 and Government Code 11135, including any actual or perceived characteristics as set forth in Penal Code section 422.55. These characteristics and/or conditions include race or ethnicity, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, ethnic group identification, immigration status, age, religion, actual or potential parental, family or marital status. The exclusion of any person because of pregnancy, medical condition, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, or genetic information, or on the basis of a person's association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, in any program or activity conducted by the District or that is funded directly by, or that receives or benefits from any state financial assistance will be subject to the Uniform Complaint Policy.
- The District's Uniform Complaint Policy and corresponding administrative regulation shall also be used when addressing complaints alleging failure to comply with state and/or federal laws with respect to After School Education and Safety; agricultural career technical education; federal career technical education; American Indian Education Centers; adult education programs; bilingual education; California Peer Assistance and Review Programs for Teachers; consolidated categorical aid programs; career technical education and technical education and training programs; child care and development programs; compensatory education; Economic Impact Aid; education of students in foster care, students who are homeless, former juvenile court students now enrolled in a school district, and students of military families. The Uniform Complaint Policy shall also provide for investigation related to migrant child education; educational rights of foster youth and graduation requirements for foster youth, homeless youth, and other youth; Early Childhood Education program assessments, Every Student Succeeds Act/No Child Left Behind; student fees; Regional Occupational Centers and Programs; School Safety Plans; state preschool and health and safety issues; Tobacco-Use Prevention Education; and reasonable accommodations for lactating students (5 CCR§ 4610). Legal requirements related to the implementation of the Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) (Education Code 52075); courses of study; coursework credit for homeless student; assignment of a student in grades 9-12 to a course without educational content for more than one week in any semester or to a course the student has previously satisfactorily completed, without meeting specified conditions; and physical education instructional minutes for students shall also fall under the Uniform Complaint Policy.
Finally, Complaints regarding the noncompliance of a license-exempt California State Preschool Program (CSPP) with health and safety standards specified in Health and Safety Code 1596.7925 and related state regulations shall be investigated pursuant to this Board Policy, modified, as necessary, to be in accordance with 5 CCR § 4690-4694. (Education Code 8235.5; Health and Safety Code 1596.7925)
II. Non-Applicable Programs and Types of Complaints
Complaints related to the sufficiency of textbooks or instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health or safety of students or staff, teacher vacancies and misassignments shall be investigated pursuant to the District's Alternative Uniform Complaint Policy, Board Policy 1312.4 and corresponding Administrative Regulation, AR 1312.4 (Cal. Educ. Code §35186).
Complaints relating to sexual harassment of students shall be investigated pursuant to the District’s Sexual Harassment/Students, Board Policy 5145.7 and corresponding Administrative Regulation, AR 5145.7.
Complaints relating to any other subject matter not otherwise delineated herein, including but not limited to complaints against individual employees should be resolved informally at the relevant school site level or formally by utilization of the District's General Complaint Policy 1312.1, corresponding regulation, AR 1312.1, and corresponding forms.
III. Timelines
All complaints filed pursuant to BP 1312.3 must be filed within one year from the date of the alleged violation, except complaints of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying complaints shall be filed no later than six months from the date of the alleged violation.
IV. Designated Compliance Officer
The Board of Education designates the following Compliance Officer to receive, investigate, and prepare an Investigation Report with respect to complaints and to ensure the District's compliance with all applicable state and federal laws:
Irvine Unified School District Superintendent
5050 Barranca Parkway
Irvine, CA 92604
Phone: 949-936-5000
Fax: 949-936-5259
The Compliance Officer is authorized to designate his/her duties relating to investigation and preparation of an Investigation Report to another District employee on a case by case basis. However, the Compliance Officer shall ensure that the employee who is designated to investigate a complaint and prepare an Investigation Report is knowledgeable about the laws, programs or other subject matter for which he/she is designated to investigate. (5 CCR 4621). Designated employees may have access to legal counsel if deemed appropriate and necessary by the Compliance Officer.
V. Notifications
The Superintendent or his/her designee shall annually provide written notification of the District's Uniform Complaint Policy and Administrative Regulation to students, employees, parents/guardians, the District advisory committee, school advisory committees, appropriate private school officials or representatives, and other interested parties. This notice shall be provided on the District’s website and shall comply with the requirements of 5 CCR 4622(b).
VI. Recognition of Right to Privacy
The Board of Education acknowledges and respects every individual's right to privacy. Discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying complaints shall be investigated in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the parties and the integrity of the process. This may include keeping the identity of the complainant and/or witnesses confidential, as appropriate and except to the extent necessary to carry out the investigation or proceedings, as determined by the Superintendent or designee, on a case-by-case basis. (5 CCR §4630).
VII. Retaliation
The Board of Education prohibits any form of retaliation against any complainant. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that complainants are protected from retaliation. (5 CCR §4621 (a)).
VIII. Mediation
The Board of Education recognizes that a neutral mediator can often suggest a compromise that is agreeable to all parties in a dispute. In accordance with AR 1312.3, whenever all parties to a complaint agree to try resolving their problem through mediation, the Compliance Officer or his/her designee shall initiate that process. The Compliance Officer or his/her designee shall ensure that the results are consistent with state and federal laws and regulations.
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
200-262.4 Prohibition of discrimination
222 Reasonable accommodations; lactating students
8200-8498 Child care and development programs
8500-8538 Adult basic education
18100-18203 School libraries
32280-32289 School safety plan, uniform complaint procedures
35186 Williams uniform complaint procedures
44500-44508 California Peer Assistance and Review Program for Teachers
48853.48853.5 Foster youth
48985 Notices in language other than English
49010-49013 Student fees
49060-49079 Student records
49069.5 Rights of parents
49490-49590 Child nutrition programs
49701 Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children
51210 Courses of study grades 1-6
51225.1-51225.2 Foster youth, homeless children, former juvenile court school students, and military-connected students; course credits; graduation requirements
51226-51226.1 Career technical education
51228.1-51228.3 Course periods without educational content
52060-52077 Local control and accountability plan, especially:
52075 Complaint for lack of compliance with local control and accountability plan requirements
52160-52178 Bilingual education plans
52300-52462 Career technical education
52500-52616.24 Adult schools
54000-54029 Economic Impact Aid
54400-54425 Compensatory education programs
56000-56865 Special education programs
59000-59300 Special schools and centers
64000-64001 Consolidated application process
GOVERNMENT CODE
11135 Nondiscrimination in programs or activities funded by state
12900-12996 Fair Employment and Housing Act
HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE
104420 Tobacco Use Prevention Education
PENAL CODE
422.55 Hate crime; definition
422.6 Interference with constitutional right or privilege
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 2
11023 Harassment and discrimination prevention and correction
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
3080 Application of section
4600-4687 Uniform complaint procedures
4900-4965 Nondiscrimination in elementary and secondary education programs
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 20
1221 Application of laws
1232g Family Education Rights and Privacy Act
1681-1688 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972
6301-6576 Title I basic programs
6801-7014 Title III language instruction for limited English proficient and immigrant students
7101-7184 Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act
7201-7283g Title V promoting informed parent choice and innovative programs
12101-12213 Title II equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 29
794 Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act of 1973
UNITED STATES CODE, TITLE 42
2000d-200e-17 Title VI and Title VII Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended
2000h-2-2000h-6 Title IX of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
6101-6107 Age discrimination Act of 1975
CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS, TITLE 34
99.1-99.67 Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
100.3 Prohibition of discrimination on basis of race, color, or national origin
104.7 Designation of responsible employee for Section 504
106.8 Designation of responsible employee for Title IX
106.9 Notification of nondiscrimination on basis of sex
110.25 Notification of nondiscrimination on the basis of age
Management Resources:
CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION PUBLICATIONS
Sample UCP Board Policies and Procedures
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS PUBLICATIONS
Dear Colleague Letter: Title IX Coordinators, April 2015
Dear Colleague Letter: Bullying of Students with Disabilities, 2013
Dear Colleague Letter: Harassment and Bullying, October 2010
Revised Sexual Harassment Guidance: Harassment of students by School Employees, Other Students, or Third Parties, January 2001
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE PUBLICATIONS
Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons, 2002
WEBSITES
CSBA: http://csba.org
California Department of Education: http://cde.ca.gov
Family Compliance Office: http://familypolicy.ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: http://www.ed.gov/ocr
U.S. Department of Justice: http://www.justice.gov
Policy Adopted: December 6, 2011
Policy Revised: June 26, 2012
Policy Revised: January 12, 2016
Policy Revised: August 21, 2018
Policy Revised: September 11, 2018
Policy Revised: December 11, 2018
Policy Revised: August 17, 2021