Report Complaint

Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)

The Wiseburn Unified School District Board of Trustees recognizes that the District has the primary responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations. The District investigates and seeks to resolve complaints alleging:

• Unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying based on a person's actual or perceived characteristics of race or ethnicity, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, or association with a person/group with one or more of these characteristics.

• Failure to comply with state or federal laws in programs such as consolidated categorical aid, after-school education and safety programs, career technical education, child care and development, child nutrition, special education, and other programs listed under Education Code 64000.
• Unlawful student fees or charges for participation in educational activities.
• Retaliation against a complainant or any participant in the complaint process.

The District is committed to resolving complaints through a process that protects confidentiality and respects the rights of students, employees, and community members.

 

Compliance Officers

The Board of Education has designated the following Compliance Officer to receive and investigate complaints and ensure District compliance with law:

Name: Dr. Blake Silvers, Superintendent
Address: 201 N. Douglas Street, El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: 310-725-2101
Email: wtsubaki@wiseburn.org (or Superintendent's email as appropriate)

 

Annual Notifications

• Each year, information about UCP is sent home in the opening-day packet to all parents/guardians and students.
• A brochure or summary of these procedures will be provided to District/site advisory committees at the first meeting each year (or as soon as possible afterward).
• Copies of the full Wiseburn Uniform Complaint Procedures are available free of charge.
• This policy and related notices are posted in each school office, staff lounge, and student government meeting room.
• Whenever 15% or more of a school’s students speak a single primary language other than English, these procedures (and related notices) will be translated into that language.

 

Complaints That Must Be Filed Under UCP

Under 5 CCR 4600-4670, these Uniform Complaint Procedures apply to complaints alleging:

1. Violation of State or Federal Laws
   • After School Education and Safety Programs
   • Agricultural Vocational Education
   • American Indian Education Centers and Early Childhood Education
   • Bilingual Education
   • Career Technical Education (CTE)
   • Child Care and Development Programs
   • Child Nutrition Programs
   • Compensatory Education, Consolidated Categorical Aid, Migrant Education
   • Regional Occupational Centers/Programs (ROC/P)
   • Special Education Programs
   • State Preschool Programs
   • Tobacco-Use Prevention Education, etc.
2. Unlawful Discrimination
   • Discriminatory harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any protected group (as defined under Education Code 200, 220, and Government Code 11135).
3. Reasonable Accommodation for Lactating Students
   • Failure to provide a private space to express milk or address other breastfeeding-related needs.
4. Unlawful Student Fees
   • Charging fees for participation in educational activities.
5. Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP)
   • Allegations that the District has not met LCAP requirements.
6. Foster Youth, Homeless Students, Former Juvenile Court School Students, Children of Military Families
   • Failure to provide appropriate placement, credit transfer, or graduation requirements per Education Code.
7. Teacher Assignments, School Facilities, Textbooks (covered by Williams UCP when specifically related to Williams conditions; see below).
8. Retaliation
   • For filing or participating in a complaint investigation.

 

Procedures for Filing a UCP Complaint

Step 1: Filing of a Complaint

1. Who Can File: Any individual, public agency, or organization may file a written complaint alleging District noncompliance with relevant laws or regulations.
2. Where to File: Submit your written complaint to the District Compliance Officer:
   - Wiseburn Unified School District
   Attn: Dr. Blake Silvers, Superintendent
   201 N. Douglas Street
   El Segundo, CA 90245
   - Phone: 310-725-2101
   - Email: wtsubaki@wiseburn.org
3. Timelines:
   • Discrimination complaints must be filed within six (6) months of the alleged discrimination or the date the complainant first learned of the facts. (This period may be extended by up to 90 days for good cause upon written request.)
   • Complaints regarding unlawful student fees must be filed no later than one year from the date the alleged violation occurred.

Access Complaint Form

 

Step 2: Mediation (Optional)

1. Offer of Mediation: Within 3 business days of receiving the complaint, the Compliance Officer may discuss with the complainant the option of mediation.
2. Agreement to Mediate: If both parties agree, the Compliance Officer arranges the mediation process.
3. Confidentiality: Before starting mediation for discrimination complaints, both parties must agree to allow the mediator to have access to necessary confidential information.
4. Timeline: Mediation cannot extend the 60-day timeline for the District's final decision unless the complainant agrees in writing.

Step 3: Investigation of Complaint

1. Investigation Initiation: Within 5 business days (or within 10 business days, depending on the policy reference) of receiving the complaint or after mediation fails, the Compliance Officer will schedule an investigative meeting.
2. Opportunity to Present Evidence: Both the complainant (and/or representative) and District representatives may present evidence or information relevant to the complaint.
3. Interviews & Evidence: The Compliance Officer (or designee) may collect documents, conduct interviews, and visit locations where alleged violations occurred.

Step 4: District Response

1. Written Decision: Within 30 calendar days of receiving the complaint (unless the timeline is extended by written agreement), the Compliance Officer prepares a written report of the investigation and sends it to the complainant.
2. Appeal to the Board: If the complainant is dissatisfied, they have 5 calendar days to file the complaint in writing with the Board. The Board may consider it at its next regular meeting or a special meeting.
   • If the Board chooses not to hear the complaint, the Compliance Officer's decision is final.
   • If the Board hears the complaint, a final decision will be sent to the complainant within 60 calendar days of the District's initial receipt of the complaint (or within an agreed-upon extended timeline).

Step 5: Final Written Decision

The final report shall be in writing (in English and, if required, in the complainant’s primary language) and include:

1. Findings and Disposition (corrective actions if warranted).
2. Rationale for the disposition.
3. Notice of Right to Appeal the decision to the California Department of Education (CDE) and the procedures for initiating such an appeal.
4. Statement of Issues: A detailed statement of issues raised during the investigation and the extent to which they were resolved.

 

Appeals to the California Department of Education

If dissatisfied with the District's decision, the complainant (or respondent, in certain discrimination cases) may appeal in writing to the California Department of Education within 15 days of receiving the District's final decision. The appeal must specify the reason(s) for the appeal and include a copy of the locally filed complaint and the District's decision.

• CDE Address:
  California Department of Education
  1430 N Street
  Sacramento, CA 95814

 

Civil Law Remedies

Nothing in these procedures precludes a complainant from pursuing civil law remedies, such as:

• Injunctions or restraining orders
• Mediation centers
• Public or private attorneys

For state discrimination complaints, a complainant must wait 60 days after filing an appeal with the CDE before pursuing civil remedies in court. This 60-day moratorium does not apply to injunctive relief or discrimination complaints based on federal law.

 

Williams Uniform Complaint Process
(Education Code Section 35186)

The Williams UCP covers the following issues:

1. Insufficient Textbooks or Instructional Materials
   Every student, including English Learners, must have standards-aligned textbooks or materials to use in class and at home.
2. Clean, Safe, and Maintained School Facilities
   School facilities must meet health and safety standards.
3. Teacher Vacancy or Misassignment
   Each class must have a properly credentialed teacher, not a series of substitutes.

 

Additional Resources

• Southwest SELPA: 310-921-2901
• Los Angeles County Office of Education: 562-922-6111
• U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: www.ed.gov/ocr

 

District Policies and References

• Board Policy (BP) 1312.3: Uniform Complaint Procedures
• Administrative Regulation (AR) 1312.3: Detailed UCP processes and legal references
• Williams UCP: AR 1312.4

These policies are available at District offices, on the District website, and upon request without charge.

 

Contact Information

Wiseburn Unified School District
201 N. Douglas Street
El Segundo, CA 90245
Phone: (310) 725-2101
Website: www.wiseburn.org

 

Important Reminders

• Timeline: A UCP complaint will be resolved by the District within 60 calendar days from the date of receipt unless there is a written agreement to extend the timeline.
• Confidentiality: Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying will be handled in a manner that protects the confidentiality of the parties involved to the greatest extent possible.
• Retaliation: The District prohibits retaliation in any form for filing a complaint, participating in the complaint process, or reporting noncompliance.

Thank you for working with the Wiseburn Unified School District to ensure a safe, equitable, and legally compliant educational environment for all students.