Complaint Procedures
See information below regarding alleged discrimination, harassment or violation of a federal or state law or regulation.
Compliance Officers
The Governing Board designates the following compliance officers to receive and investigate complaints and ensure District compliance with law:
Collyn Nielsen
Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources
Compliance Officers
The Governing Board designates the following compliance officers to receive and investigate complaints and ensure District compliance with law:
Collyn Nielsen
Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources
William S. Hart Union High School District
21380 Centre Pointe Parkway
Santa Clarita, CA 91350
(661) 259-0033
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that employees designated to investigate complaints are knowledgeable about the laws and programs for which they are responsible. Such employees may have access to legal counsel as determined by the Superintendent or designee.
(cf. 9124 - Attorney)
What is a complaint?
(661) 259-0033
The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that employees designated to investigate complaints are knowledgeable about the laws and programs for which they are responsible. Such employees may have access to legal counsel as determined by the Superintendent or designee.
(cf. 9124 - Attorney)
What is a complaint?
A complaint is a written statement alleging discrimination, harassment, or a violation of a federal or state law or regulation. A complaint must be filed by way of the Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) as written in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, sections 4600-4687.
The following document describes the process in filing a complaint. Topics include referring complaint issues, local educational agency responsibilities, district policies and procedures, filing a local complaint, time lines, appealing local agency decisions, department resolution procedures, the on-site investigation process, and California Department of Education investigation procedures and investigation report.
Williams Complaint Procedures
A Williams Complaint, another type of UCP complaint, regards instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils, and teacher vacancy or misassignment and may be filed anonymously. Williams Complaints are filed with the principal, or their designee, of the school in which the complaint arises. Schools have complaint forms available for these types of complaints, but will not reject a complaint if the form is not used as long as the complaint is submitted in writing. If a Williams Complaint requirement is allegedly not being met, a Williams Complaint form may be obtained at a school office or an agency/district office.
Title IX
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) enforces, among other statutes, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Title IX protects people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX states:
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.
For more information for filing a Title IX complaint with the District, please access the Title IX page here: https://www.hartdistrict.org/apps/pages/title-ix
DISTRICT FORMAL COMPLAINT PACKET
Any staff member, parent, student, community member or applicant who has a complaint regarding an employee, a district policy, or other condition of the William S. Hart Union High School District may submit the complaint by completing the District Complaint form and filing it with the school principal or appropriate District administrator. Details of the process are explained on the form.
Note: If the complaint alleges an issue of discrimination or failure to comply with certain specified State or Federal laws, please also review the Uniform Complaint Procedure to determine which form to use. The District encourages the early, informal resolution of complaints at the site level when appropriate and whenever possible. Contact the school office to reach the appropriate administrator.
UNIFORM COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
Except as the Governing Board may otherwise specifically provide in other Board policies, the uniform complaint procedures shall be used only to investigate and resolve complaints alleging violations of federal or state laws or regulations governing specific educational programs, the prohibition against requiring students to pay fees, deposits, or other charges for participating in educational activities, and unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, as specified in accompanying Board policy.
Except as the Governing Board may otherwise specifically provide in other Board policies, the uniform complaint procedures shall be used only to investigate and resolve complaints alleging violations of federal or state laws or regulations governing specific educational programs, the prohibition against requiring students to pay fees, deposits, or other charges for participating in educational activities, and unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, as specified in accompanying Board policy.
(cf. 1312.1 - Complaints Concerning District Employees)
(cf. 1312.2 - Complaints Concerning Instructional Materials)
(cf. 1312.4 - Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures)
(cf. 4031 - Complaints Concerning Discrimination in Employment)
(cf. 1312.2 - Complaints Concerning Instructional Materials)
(cf. 1312.4 - Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures)
(cf. 4031 - Complaints Concerning Discrimination in Employment)
The District's uniform complaint procedures policy and administrative regulation shall be posted in all District schools and offices. If 15 percent or more of students enrolled in a particular District school speak a single primary language other than English, the District's policy, regulation, forms, and notices concerning uniform complaint procedures shall be translated into that language. (Education Code 234.1, 48985)
(cf. 5145.6 - Parental Notifications)
Procedures
All complaints shall be investigated and resolved within 60 calendar days of the District's receipt of the complaint. (5 CCR 4631)
Compliance officers shall maintain a record of each complaint and subsequent related actions, including all information required for compliance with 5 CCR 4631 and 4633. All parties involved in allegations shall be notified when a complaint is filed, when a complaint meeting or hearing is scheduled, and when a decision or ruling is made.