Complaints
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Note-- To Access the Board Policy (BP) and Administrative Regulation (AR) links on this page:
Use "sonomavalley" as the user name and "public" as the password--both without the quotes.
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COMPLAINTS: GENERAL INFORMATION
The Governing Board believes that the quality of the educational program can improve when the district listens to concerns, considers differences of opinion, and resolves disagreements through an established, objective process.
The Board encourages concerned citizens to resolve problems early and informally whenever possible. If a problem remains unresolved, a formal complaint may be submitted in accordance with appropriate district procedures. Complaints will be investigated and every attempt will be made to resolve the issue at the school level. If the complaint cannot be resolved, appeals may be made to a district level administrator, Superintendent and the Governing Board.
Procedures for complaints concerning district employees are specified in district regulation AR 1312.1 (user name: sonomavalley / password: public). Procedures for complaints concerning instructional materials are provided in district regulation AR 1312.2 (user name: sonomavalley / password: public).
UNIFORM COMPLAINT PROCEDURESThe Sonoma Valley Unified School District has primary responsibility to ensure compliance with state and federal laws and regulations governing educational programs. The District’s Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) are used to investigate and seek to resolve any complaints alleging:
- Adult Education Programs, After School Education and Safety, Agricultural Career Tech Education, American Indian Education Centers, Early Childhood Education Program Assessments, Bilingual Education, California Peer Assistance and Review Programs for Teachers, Career Technical Education/Training (State), Career Technical Education (Federal), Child Care and Development Programs, Child Nutrition Programs, Compensatory Education, Consolidated Categorical Aid, Course Periods Without Educational Content, Economic Impact Aid, Education of Pupils in Foster Care, Education of Pupils who are Homeless, Education of former Juvenile Court Pupils now enrolled in a school district, Education of Pupils of Military Families, Every Student Succeeds Act/No Child Left Behind (Titles I-VII), Local Control and Accountability Plan, Migrant Education, Physical Education Instructional Minutes, Pupil Fees, Reasonable Accommodations to a Lactating Pupil, Regional Occupational Centers and Programs, School Safety Plans, Special Education Programs, State Preschool, Tobacco Use Prevention Education
- The Board prohibits, at any district school or school activity, unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation, and bullying, targeted at any student by anyone, based on the student's actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
- failure to comply with the prohibition against requiring unlawful students to pay fees, deposits, or other charges for participation in educational activities.
Complaints will be investigated and resolved within 60 days of the District’s receipt of the complaint. Complaints alleging discrimination must be filed within six (6) months from alleged occurrence or when knowledge was first obtained.
The Governing Board has designated individuals as the District Equity Compliance Officer/Title IX Coordinators, District Section 504/ADA Coordinator, and school site coordinators, to receive and investigate complaints and to ensure district compliance with law.
Uniform Complaint Procedures Brochure - English and Spanish
District Equity Compliance Officer/Title IX Compliance Officer:
Kristen Ugrin
Director Human Services
17850 Railroad Avenue
Sonoma, CA 95476
707-935-6008
kugrin@sonomaschools.orgThe District's Uniform Complaint Annual Notice and Procedures are specified in Board policy and regulations BP 1312.3 / AR 1312.3 (user name: sonomavalley / password: public) and are available free of charge in the SVUSD Office of Human Resources, at each school office.
WILLIAMS COMPLAINT PROCEDURESState law requires notices be posted in each classroom in the district and complaint forms be available at each school regarding whether 1) there are sufficient textbooks and instructional materials available, 2) school facilities are clean, safe, and maintained in good repair, 3) or teacher vacancies exist or teachers are misassigned at the school. A complaint about any of these issues is called a “Williams” complaint after the name of a statewide lawsuit alleging inadequacies in schools. Parents/Guardians should contact their student’s school principal if the notice is not posted or to obtain a complaint form to file a formal Williams complaint. AR 1312.4 (user name: sonomavalley / password: public)
