Williams Complaint Policy

What is a Williams Act Complaint?

Education Code 35186 creates a process for the filing of complaints concerning deficiencies related to instructional materials, conditions of facilities that are not maintained in a clean or safe manner or in good repair, or teacher vacancy or misassignment. The complaint and response are public documents as provided by law. Complaints may be filed anonymously.

Uniform Complaint Procedures

The district has the primary responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing educational programs. The district’s uniform complaint procedures shall be used to investigate and resolve any complaints alleging failure to comply with state and/or federal laws related to harassment, intimidation or other offenses related to: (1) Equity in age, actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, sex, gender, gender expression, ethnic group identification, race, ancestry, genetic information, national origin, religion, color, or mental or physical disability or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. (2) Compliance with state and federal law in categorical aid programs. (3) Childcare programs. (4) Child nutrition programs. (5) Special Education programs. (6) School Safety Plan. (7) Fees and charges. (8) Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

Title IX

Education Code section 221.8 provides for the following under Title IX:

(a) You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.
(b) You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.
(c) You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school.
(d) You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships.
(e) You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following:

(1) Equipment and supplies. (2) Scheduling of games and practices. (3) Transportation and daily allowances. (4) Access to tutoring. (5) Coaching. (6) Locker rooms. (7) Practice and competitive facilities. (8) Medical and training facilities and services. (9) Publicity.

(f) You have the right to have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions regarding gender equity laws.
(g) You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on gender equity laws.
(h) You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Office of Civil Rights or the State Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex.
(i) You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.
(j) You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.

Types of Complaints

1. Complaints regarding the insufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials, including any complaint alleging that:

a. A student, including an English learner, does not have standards-aligned textbooks or instructional materials or state- or district-adopted textbooks or other required instructional materials to use in class.

b. A student does not have access to textbooks or instructional materials to use at home or after school. This does not require two sets of textbooks or instructional materials for each student.

c. Textbooks or instructional materials are in poor or unusable condition, have missing pages, or are unreadable due to damage.

d. A student was provided photocopied sheets from only a portion of a textbook or instructional materials to address a shortage of textbooks or instructional materials.

2. Complaints regarding teacher vacancy or misassignment, including any complaint alleging that:

a. A semester begins and a teacher vacancy exists.

b. A teacher who lacks credentials or training to teach English learners is assigned to teach a class with more than 20 percent English learners in the class.

c. A teacher is assigned to teach a class for which the teacher lacks subject matter competency.

Teacher vacancy means a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of the year for an entire year or, if the position is for a one-semester course, a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of the semester for an entire semester. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4600)

Beginning of the year or semester means the first day classes necessary to serve all the students enrolled are established with a single designated certificated employee assigned for the duration of the class, but not later than 20 working days after the first day students attend classes for that semester. (5 CCR 4600)

Misassignment means the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position for which the employee does not hold a legally recognized certificate or credential or the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position that the employee is not otherwise authorized by statute to hold. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4600)

3. Complaints regarding the condition of school facilities, including any complaint alleging that:

a. A condition poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of students or staff.

Emergency or urgent threat means structures or systems that are in a condition that poses a threat to the health and safety of students or staff while at school, including, but not limited to, gas leaks; nonfunctioning heating, ventilation, fire sprinklers, or air-conditioning systems; electrical power failure; major sewer line stoppage; major pest or vermin infestation; broken windows or exterior doors or gates that will not lock and that pose a security risk; abatement of hazardous materials previously undiscovered that pose an immediate threat to students or staff; structural damage creating a hazardous or uninhabitable condition; or any other condition deemed appropriate. (Education Code 17592.72)

b. A school restroom has not been cleaned, maintained, or kept open in accordance with Education Code 35292.5.

Clean or maintained school restroom means a school restroom has been cleaned or maintained regularly, is fully operational, or has been stocked at all times with toilet paper, soap, or paper towels or functional hand dryers. (Education Code 35292.5)

Open restroom means the school has kept all restrooms open during school hours when students are not in classes and has kept a sufficient number of restrooms open during school hours when students are in classes. This does not apply when the temporary closing of the restroom is necessary for student safety or to make repairs. (Education Code 35292.5)

Williams Uniform Complaint Form