Uniform Complaint Procedures
Click here for the printable PDF of the Annual Notification of the UCP.
2018-2019 ANNUAL NOTIFICATION OF THE UNIFORM COMPLAINT PROCEDURES (UCP)
The Orange Unified School District has the primary responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing educational programs. The District encourages early resolution of complaints whenever possible. To resolve complaints which may require a more formal process, the Board adopts the uniform system of complaint processes specified in 5 CCR 4600-4670 and the accompanying administrative regulation.
The District’s uniform complaint procedures (UCP) to shall be used to investigate and resolve the following complaints:
1. Any complaint alleging District violation of applicable state or federal law or regulations governing adult education programs, After School Education and Safety programs, agricultural vocational education, American Indian education centers and early childhood education program assessments, bilingual education, peer assistance and review programs for teachers, career technical and technical education and training programs, child care and development programs, child nutrition programs, compensatory education, consolidated categorical aid programs, Economic Impact Aid, English learner programs, federal education programs in Title I-VII, migrant education, Regional Occupational Centers and Programs, school safety plans, special education programs, State Preschool Programs, Tobacco-Use Prevention Education programs, and any other District-implemented program which is listed in Education Code 64000(a)
2. Any complaint alleging the occurrence of unlawful discrimination, (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying) against any student, employee, or other person participating in District programs and activities, including, but not limited to, those programs or activities funded directly by or that receive or benefit from any state financial assistance, based on the person's actual or perceived characteristics of race or ethnicity, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information or any other characteristic identified in Education Code 200 or 220, Government Code 11135 or Penal Code section 422.55 or based on his/her association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics (5 CCR 4610).
3. Any complaint alleging District noncompliance with the requirement to provide reasonable accommodation to a lactating student on school campus to express breast milk, breastfeed an infant child, or address other breastfeeding-related needs of the student. (Education Code 222)
4. Any complaint alleging District noncompliance with the prohibition against requiring students to pay fees, deposits, or other charges for participation in educational activities. (5 CCR 4610)
5. Any complaint alleging District noncompliance with legal requirements related to the implementation of the local control and accountability plan. (Education Code 52075)
6. Any complaint, by or on behalf of any student who is a foster youth, alleging District noncompliance with any legal requirement applicable to the student regarding placement decisions, the responsibilities of the District's educational liaison to the student, the award of credit for coursework satisfactorily completed in another school or district, school transfer, or the grant of an exemption from Board-imposed graduation requirements. (Education Code 48853, 48853.5, 49069.5, 51225.1, 51225.2)
7. Any complaint, by or on behalf of a homeless student as defined in 42 USC 11434a, a former juvenile court school student, or a child of a military family as defined in Education Code 49701 who transfers into the District after his/her second year of high school, alleging District noncompliance with any requirement applicable to the student regarding the award of credit for coursework satisfactorily completed in another school or district or the grant of an exemption from Board-imposed graduation requirements. (Education Code 51225.1, 51225.2)
8. Any complaint, alleging District noncompliance with the requirements of Education Code 51228.1 and 51228.2 that prohibit the 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 (Education Code 51228.3)
9. Any complaint alleging District noncompliance with the physical education instructional minutes requirement for students in elementary school. (Education Code 51210, 51223)
10. Any complaint alleging retaliation against a complainant or other participant in the complaint process or anyone who has acted to uncover or report a violation subject to this policy.
11. Any other complaint as specified in a District policy.
The Board recognizes that alternative dispute resolution (ADR) can, depending on the nature of the allegations, offer a process to reach a resolution to the complaint that is acceptable to all parties. ADR such as mediation may be offered to resolve complaints that involve more than one student and no adult. However, mediation shall not be offered or used to resolve any complaint involving sexual assault or where there is a reasonable risk that a party to the mediation would feel compelled to participate. The Superintendent or designee shall ensure that the use of ADR is consistent with state and federal laws and regulations.
A pupil fee complaint shall not be filed later than one year from the date the alleged violation occurred. Complaints other than complaints relating to pupil fees* must be filed in writing with the following compliance officer:
Assistant Superintendent Educational Services
Educational Services, Building D
1401 N. Handy St. Orange, CA 92867
*Complaints of noncompliance with laws relating to pupil fees are filed with a principal of a school.
The District shall protect all complainants from retaliation. In investigating complaints, the confidentiality of the parties involved shall be protected as required by law. For any complaint alleging retaliation or unlawful discrimination (such as discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying), the Superintendent or designee shall keep the identity of the complainant, and/or the subject of the complaint if he/she is different from the complainant, confidential when appropriate and as long as the integrity of the complaint process is maintained.
Non-UCP Complaints
The following complaints shall not be subject to the District's UCP but shall be referred to the specified agency: (5 CCR 4611)
1. Any complaint alleging child abuse or neglect shall be referred to the County Department of Social Services, the County Protective Services Division, and the appropriate law enforcement agency.
2. Any complaint alleging health and safety violations by a child development program shall, for licensed facilities, be referred to Department of Social Services and shall, for licensing-exempt facilities, be referred to the appropriate Child Development regional administrator.
3. Any complaint alleging fraud shall be referred to the Legal, Audits and Compliance Branch of the California Department of Education.
Any complaint alleging employment discrimination or harassment shall be investigated and resolved by the District in accordance with the procedures specified in AR 4030 - Nondiscrimination in Employment.
Any complaint related to sufficiency of textbooks or instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health or safety of students or staff, or teacher vacancies and misassignments shall be investigated and resolved in accordance with the procedures in AR 1312.4 - Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures. (Education Code 35186)
UCP Complaints will be investigated and a written decision or report will be sent to the complainant within sixty (60) days from the receipt of the complaint by the District. This sixty (60) day time period may be extended by written agreement of the complainant. The District person responsible for investigating the complaint shall conduct and complete the investigation in accordance with Education Code sections 4680-4687 and in accordance with local procedures adopted under Education Code section 4621.
The complainant has a right to appeal the District’s decision to the California Department of Education (CDE) by filing a written appeal within 15 days of receiving the District’s decision. The appeal must include a copy of the complaint filed with the District and a copy of the District’s decision.
Civil law remedies may be available under state or federal discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying laws, if applicable. In appropriate cases, an appeal may be filed pursuant to Education Code section 262.3. A complainant may pursue available civil law remedies outside of the District’s complaint procedures. Complainants may seek assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys. Civil law remedies that may be imposed by a court include, but are not limited to, injunctions and restraining orders.
A copy of the Orange Unified School District’s UCP policy and complaint procedures is available free of charge. For further information, please refer to OUSD Board Policy 1312.3 and Administrative Regulation 1312.3.