Uniform Complaint

Annual Notification of Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) 2023-24

Notificación Anual del Procedimiento Uniforme Para Presentar Una Queja (UCP)

The San Dieguito Union High School District has the primary responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations and has established procedures to address allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation and bullying; and complaints alleging violation of state or federal laws governing educational programs.

San Dieguito Union High School District shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints, using policies and procedures known as the Uniform Complaint Procedures (“UCP”), adopted by the Board of Education, of allegations of unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying regarding actual or perceived characteristics such as age, ancestry, color, mental or physical disability, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, immigration status, marital or parental status, medical condition, nationality, national origin, actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, race, religion, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.

The UCP shall also be used when addressing complaints alleging failure to comply with state and/or federal laws in:

Accommodations for pregnant and parenting students
Adult education programs
After school education and safety programs
Agricultural, career and technical education
Child care and development programs
Child nutrition programs
Compensatory education
Consolidated categorical aid programs
Course periods without educational content, when students in grades 9-12 are assigned to such courses more than one week in any semester or in a course the student has previously satisfactorily completed, unless specified conditions are met
Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying in district programs and activities, including in 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, immigration status, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, medical condition 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 422.55, or based on the person’s association with a person’s or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics
Educational and graduation requirements for students in foster care, homeless students, students from military families, students formerly in a juvenile court school, migrant students, and immigrant students participating in a newcomer program
Every Student Succeeds Act
Local control and accountability plan
Migrant education
Physical education instructional minutes
Student fees
Reasonable accommodations to a lactating student
School plans for student’s achievement as required for the consolidated application for specified federal and/or state categorical funding
School safety plans
School site councils as required for the consolidated application for specified federal and/or state categorical funding
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
Any other state or federal educational program the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee deems appropriate

Student Fee Complaints

In addition, the UCP may be used to file a complaint alleging that a pupil enrolled in a public school was required to pay a student fee for participation in an educational activity as those terms are defined below.

“Educational activity” means an activity offered by a school, school district, charter school or county office of education that constitutes an integral fundamental part of secondary education, but not limited to, curricular and extracurricular activities.

“Student fee” means a fee, deposit or other charge imposed on a student, or a student’s parents or guardians, in violation of Section 49011 and Section 5 of Article IX of the California Constitution, which require educational activities to be provided free of charge to all students without regard to their families’ ability or willingness to pay fees or request special waivers.

A fee charged to a student as a condition for registering for school or classes, or as a condition for participation in a class or an extracurricular activity, regardless of whether the class or activity is elective or compulsory, or is for credit;

A security deposit, or other payment, that a student is required to make to obtain a lock, locker, book, class apparatus, musical instrument, uniform or other materials or equipment; and

A purchase that a student is required to make to obtain materials, supplies, equipment or uniforms associated with an educational activity.

Statute of Limitations for Student Fee Complaints – A student fee complaint shall be filed not later than one year from the date the alleged violation occurred

Uniform Complaints must be filed in writing to:

Laura Strachan, Uniform Complaint Officer

710 Encinitas Blvd.

Encinitas, CA 92024

760-753-6491 x 5585

laura.strachan@sduhsd.net

To file a complaint, you may electronically submit using this form: Uniform Complaint Form

Formulation de Quejas

Statute of Limitations

Complaints alleging discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying must be filed within six months from the date the alleged discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying occurred or the date the complainant first obtained knowledge of the facts of the alleged discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying, unless the time for filing is extended by the Superintendent or his or her designee.

Complaints will be investigated and a written decision or report will be sent to the complainant within 60 calendar days from the receipt of the complaint. This 60-day time period may be extended by written agreement of the complainant. The Local Education Authority (or LEA; in this case the San Dieguito Union High School District) is responsible for investigating the complaint and shall conduct and complete the investigation in accordance with the California Code of Regulations sections 4630-4631 and 4680-4687 and in accordance with local procedures adopted under section 4621.

Appeals Process

The complainant has a right to appeal the District’s decision to the California Department of Education by filing a written appeal within 30 days of receiving the decision. The appeal must include a copy of the complaint filed and a copy of the decision.

A copy of the San Dieguito Union High School District’s UCP policy and complaint procedures shall be available free of charge.

Refer to Administrative Regulation and Board Policy 1312.3 below for full policies and notifications.

UCP Policies

Uniform Complaint Procedures (AR 1312.3)

Uniform Complaint Procedures (BP 1312.3)

English

UCP Forms

UCP Notification

Reference:

Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures

Williams case legislation requires a school district to use its uniform complaint process to help identify and resolve any deficiencies related to instructional materials, teacher vacancy or misassignment, and emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of the pupils or staff, outlined in Adminstrative Regulation 1312.4. Notices are posted in each classroom. Complaint forms are available on each school's website, or you may submit using the forms below.