Paradise Unified School District - Complaints Procedures

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Complaints Procedures

Complaints Procedures

Paradise Unified School District welcomes constructive comments that help to improve the quality of our educational program and assist our staff to perform their tasks more efficiently. Some complaints fall within the jurisdiction of the school district and others fall within the jurisdiction of the California Department of Education.

For general information on complaints, please visit the California Department of Education Uniform Complaint Procedures

Complaints About School Personnel

Governing Boards are legally required to safeguard employees from individuals who may upbraid, insult or abuse them (illegal acts). In addition, personnel matters, especially anything evaluative in nature, must be done in a closed board meeting.

The procedure for filing a complaint is as follows:

A complaint concerning a school employee should first be made directly to the person the complaint concerns.
If unresolved, then the complaint should be directed to the Principal in writing, for review and analysis.
If unresolved, the complaint shall be referred to the Superintendent.

The Superintendent's decision shall be final, unless one of the parties involved requests a closed session before the Board of Trustees on the complaint. When a complaint is made directly to the Board as a whole or to an individual Board member, it shall be referred to the administration for study and possible solution

Complaints Regarding Specified Educational Programs

The PUSD Board of Education recognizes that the district has the primary responsibility for ensuring compliance with state and federal laws and regulations governing complaints about specified district educational programs. Those programs and the designated unit to receive and investigate complaints shall be Paradise Unified School District Educational Services and its compliance designee(s). This unit shall ensure district compliance.

Child Nutrition Programs, District Contact: Tanya Harter, 872-6472 at 510 E. Pearson Rd, Paradise, CA 95969
Special Education Programs, Dena Kapsalis, 872-6400 at 6696 Clark Road, Paradise, CA 95969
Title IX Coordinator, Dena Kapsalis, 872-6400 at 6696 Clark Road, Paradise, CA 95969

The Paradise Unified School District will receive and investigate complaints that allege unlawful discrimination on the basis of ethnic group identification, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender, race, ancestry, national origin, color, or physical or mental disability in any program or activity conducted by the district which is funded directly by, or that receives or benefits from, any state financial assistance. The district shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints at the local level and shall follow uniform complaint procedures when addressing such complaints.

Complaints About Instructional Programs

If you wish to lodge a complaint about an instructional program, please present your criticism in writing to the Superintendent.

Written complaints about programs should be very specific in nature, addressing:

The program involved
Specific complaints
Identification of complainant by name, address, any pertinent affiliation, and a statement of the basis for criticizing the particular item

If the complaint involves any Categorical Programs (Title I, Title II, etc.), the complainant may contact and discuss the issue with the School's Administrator. If the issue is still unresolved, the complainant may use the Uniform Complaint Procedure.

Complaints About Categorical Programs

Title IX and Non-Discrimination

Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in education programs and activities in federally funded schools at all levels.

Title IX protects students, employees, and applicants for admission and employment from all forms of sex discrimination, including discrimination based on gender identity or failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity of femininity. In addition, all students (and other persons) are protected by Title IX – regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, gender, identify, part of full time status, disability, race, or national origin – in all education programs and activities.

The Title IX Coordinator for the Paradise Unified School District is:

Dena Kapsalis
Director of Student Services
Paradise Unified School District
6696 Clark Rd., Paradise, CA 95969
(530) 872-6400

More information about Title IX and complaint procedures

Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)

The Paradise Unified School District has the primary responsibility for compliance with federal and state laws and regulations. We have established Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) to address allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying, and complaints alleging violation of state or federal laws governing educational programs, the charging of unlawful pupil fees and the non-compliance of our Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP).

More information about Uniform Complaint Procedures, including contact information and complaint form