Complaint Procedures Overview Chart Link to this section
The chart below provides a broad overview of the types of complaint processes available to address concerns. Each process is described in more detail in the sections following this chart. If you have questions about these options or others that may not be on this chart, please contact the Office of Equity at (415) 355-7334.
| Complaint Procedure | What does this cover? | District Office Contact |
|---|---|---|
Uniform Complaint Expulsion Appeal | Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying, based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in any District program or activity that receives or benefits from state financial assistance. Complaints alleging failure to comply with state or federal law in adult basic education, physical education minutes, educational opportunities for foster students, placement in high school course without content, consolidated categorical aid programs, migrant education, vocational education, child care and development programs, and noncompliance with laws relating to student fees. Expulsion challenged on the basis of CA Education Code 48922 (board acted in excess of its jurisdiction; unfair hearing; prejudicial abuse of discretion; relevant and material evidence that could not have been produced or was improperly excluded). Complaints alleging noncompliance with federal or state laws or regulations related to the provision of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with disabilities should be filed with California Department of Education or with the Office of Administrative Hearings. | Office of Equity 555 Franklin Street, Room 306 Contact: Keasara Williams |
Williams Uniform Complaint
| TK-12 Complaints alleging:
| School Site Principal or Office of Equity 555 Franklin Street, Room 306 |
Bullying and Harassment See also: Uniform Complaints, above | CA Education Code 48900(r) defines bullying as: “any severe or pervasive physical or verbal act or conduct, including communications made in writing or by means of an electronic act, and including one or more acts committed by a student or group of students as defined in CA Education Code 48900.2, 48900.3, or 48900.4, directed toward one or more students that has or can be reasonably predicted to have the effect of one or more of the following: (A) Placing a reasonable student(s) in fear of harm to themselves or their property (B) Causing a reasonable student to experience a substantially detrimental effect on their physical or mental health, (C) Causing a reasonable student to experience substantial interference with their academic performance. (D) Causing a reasonable student to experience substantial interference with their ability to participate in or benefit from the services, activities, or privileges provided by a school. SFUSD’s Bullying & Harassment Administrative Regulation (AR 5131.2) defines harassment as “Unwelcome conduct that is based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. Prohibited harassment also includes intentionally engaging in harassment, threats, or intimidation, directed against school district personnel or students, that is sufficiently severe or pervasive to have the actual and reasonably expected effect of materially disrupting classwork, creating substantial disorder, and invading the rights of either school personnel or student by creating an intimidating or hostile educational environment.” | School Site Principal, Teacher/School Site Employee, Trusted Adult or Office of Equity 555 Franklin Street, Room 306 Contact: Keasara Williams |
Sexual Harassment/ See the Sexual Harassment and Gender Discrimination (Title IX) webpage | SFUSD’s Sexual Harassment Complaint/Policy covers allegations of sexual harassment, as defined below, and gender-based harassment. The policy protects all genders and both students and staff members. The Title IX regulations defines sexual harassment as conduct, performed on the basis of sex, that satisfies one or more of the following:
Gender-based harassment and bullying also falls under Title IX. | School Site Principal, Teacher/School Site Employee, Trusted Adult, or Office of Equity 555 Franklin Street, Room 306 Contact: Keasara Williams |
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Facilities/Physical Access Complaint
| Use this process to submit a formal complaint regarding physical barriers to accessing SFUSD programs, services, activities at District facilities because of disability. | Office of Equity 555 Franklin Street, Room 306 Contact: Keasara Williams |
| Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 | Use the Uniform Complaint Procedure for complaints of discrimination, harassment, or bullying, including the following: harassment of a student with a disability by others; denial of an opportunity to participate in a program or activity because of disability; other forms of different treatment because of disability. For grievances pertaining to identification, evaluation, placement under Section 504, please first meet with the School Site Principal and/or Section 504 Coordinator to attempt informal resolution. If parties are unable to resolve the complaint, please contact the District's Section 504 Coordinator to initiate the formal grievance procedure/due process. | Office of Equity 555 Franklin Street, Room 306 Contact: Keasara Williams Formal Grievance/Due Process Request: Michele McAdams Section 504 Coordinator 1515 Quintara St., San Francisco, CA, 94116 (415) 242-2615 or mcadamsd@sfusd.edu |
| Complaints alleging a failure to provide students with a free appropriate public education under the Individual with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA) | The SFUSD Special Education Services Department strives to meet the educational needs of each child with an Individualized Education Program (IEP). However, disagreements occasionally arise. When a dispute between the District and the parent/guardian of a student with disabilities cannot be resolved at the school level, the District or parent/guardian may request alternative dispute resolution, mediation and/or a due process hearing with the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), or file a complaint with the California Department of Education. | Julia Martin, Special Education Ombudsperson Email: martinj5@sfusd.edu Phone: (415) 447-7802 Special Education Contact: Adriana Aro, ADR Program Administrator Email: adr@sfusd.edu Phone: (415) 823-4051 |
This page was last updated on August 12, 2024