Valley Life Charter School

General Complaint Policy for Parents and Guardians

ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATION - 1312.1

The following procedures shall address all complaints appropriately brought under the District’s General Complaint Policy (BP 1312.1). The General Complaint Policy and Administrative Regulations apply to any parent or guardian issue or complaint that falls outside the parameters of the Charter School Complaint Procedure,

These procedures are designed in accordance with the Board of Education's philosophy that site-level school staff members and administrators most successfully address the majority of parent/guardian general complaints.

Step 1: Filing of General Complaint

Who may utilize the general complaint procedures? Only a parent or guardian (or his/her representative) of a currently enrolled student may do so.

How:  Complaints under the District’s General Complaint Policy may not be anonymous, must be put in writing on Form 1312.1, and must be signed by the complainant. If a complainant requests to submit a formal complaint to any district administrator or teacher, that administrator or teacher can inquire whether the complainant wishes to utilize the formal procedures herein or desires informal resolution at the site level.

 If the complainant wishes to utilize these formal procedures, such administrator or teacher shall refer the complainant to Board Policy, Administrative Regulations and Form 1312.1 and specifically inform them of their responsibility to put the complaint in writing. Complainants who make verbal complaints to any other District staff members shall be directed to discuss their concerns with the site principal or another appropriate administrator. 

Complainants must utilize Form 1312.1 for their complaint to be regarded as a General Complaint under Board Policy 1312.1. If a complainant states to the staff member that he or she is unable to put his/her complaint in writing due to conditions including but not limited to disability or illiteracy, the District staff shall assist him/her in making his/her verbal complaint in writing. However, if the complainant can but refuses to, or neglects to put his/her complaint in writing by utilizing  Form 1312.1, the District is not obligated to proceed with the General Complaint procedures. 

It shall be the responsibility of the principal or designee of each school to receive and process all General Complaints. Therefore, the completed Form 1312.1 must be delivered to the principal or his/her designee of the school site the student attends OR the school site to which the complaint pertains.

When: Any general complaint brought under Board Policy 1312.1 must be brought within fifteen (15) business days of the action or inaction giving rise to the complaint OR within fifteen (15) business days of the date such action or inaction was discovered by the complainant.

Step 2: Meeting with Staff Member and Written Response

The principal or designee will arrange a mutually agreeable date and time (not to exceed ten (10) business days from the date of 

receipt of the complaint for the complainant and pertinent district staff member(s) to meet to discuss the complaint and attempt to resolve it. For our General Complaint Policy, a business day shall be defined as a day the school is open.

The principal or designee would not typically be present at this meeting unless the principal or designee determines their involvement would be appropriate. If the complainant refuses to attend such a meeting, the District is not obligated to proceed with the General Complaint procedures. If the complaint is resolved, the complainant shall acknowledge the resolution on Form 1312.1(a).

If the complaint is unresolved, the pertinent staff member(s) is responsible for writing his/her response and delivering it to the principal or designee and the complainant within ten (10) business days of the meeting. 

Step 3: Meeting with Site Level Administrator and Written Response 

In the event, that the complaint is not resolved by the pertinent staff member at the initial meeting, the principal or designee shall, within two (2) business days of receipt of the response, forward the complaint and the staff member’s response to the appropriate site level administrator.

The site-level administrator will arrange a mutually agreeable date and time (not to exceed ten business (10) days from the date of the staff member’s written response) to meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and attempt to resolve it. At his or her discretion, the site-level administrator may choose to meet with the complainant jointly with the pertinent staff member(s).

If the complainant refuses to attend such a meeting, the District is not obligated to proceed with the General Complaint procedures. If the complaint is resolved, the complainant shall acknowledge the resolution on Form 1312.1(a). If the complaint is unresolved, the site-level administrator will conduct an investigation and deliver a written response to the principal or designee and the complainant within ten (10) business days of the meeting. 

Step 4: Meeting with School Site Principal and Written Response NOTE: This step shall be omitted if the appropriate site level administrator in Step 3, above, was the school site principal.  In the event the complaint is not resolved by the site-level administrator, the school site principal will arrange a mutually agreeable date  (not to exceed ten (10) business days from the date of the site-level administrator’s written response and decision) to meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and attempt to resolve it. At his or her discretion, the school site principal may meet with the complainant jointly with the pertinent staff member(s) and/or the site-level administrator. If the complainant refuses to attend such a meeting, the District is not obligated to proceed with the General Complaint procedures. If the complaint is resolved, the complainant shall acknowledge the resolution on Form 1312.1(a). If the complaint is not resolved, the school site principal shall conduct an additional investigation and deliver a written response and decision to the complainant within (15) business days of the meeting.

Step 5: Final Appeal to the superintendent's office 

In the event the complaint is not resolved by utilization of Steps 1-4, the complainant may appeal the decision of the school site principal by filling out Form 1312.1(b) and delivering it to the principal or designee within (15) business days of receipt of the school site principal’s decision. 

The principal shall then, within two (2) business days of receipt of the appeal (Form 1312.1(b)), forward the complaint, the staff member’s written response, the site level administrator’s written response, and decision and, if applicable, the school site principal’s written response and decision to the Superintendent's office. The Superintendent may delegate his responsibilities under this section to another District administrator or the Board President at his discretion.

The Superintendent or his designee may, at his or her discretion, arrange a mutually agreeable date to meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and attempt to resolve it. At his or her discretion, the Superintendent or his designee may meet with the complainant jointly with the pertinent staff member(s), the site-level administrator, and/or the school site principal.

If the complainant refuses to attend such a meeting, the District is not obligated to proceed with the General Complaint procedures. If the complaint is resolved, the complainant shall acknowledge the resolution on Form 1312.1(a).

If the complaint is not resolved, the Superintendent or designee may conduct an additional Personal investigation at his or her discretion. Regardless of whether an investigation is conducted, the Superintendent or designee will deliver the final written response and decision to the school site principal or designee and the complainant within thirty (30) business days of the filing of the appeal or from the date of a meeting with the complainant if such a meeting is deemed necessary by the Superintendent or designee.

At the Superintendent's or designee's discretion, the final response may adopt the response issued at the previous relevant Steps of this procedure. 

Forms:

For Parents

Form 1312.1 Parent Guardian General Complaint .docx

Copy of Form 13121b Parent Appeal.docx

General Complaint Policy

If you wish to communicate a complaint regarding violations of enrollment or disenrollment, please use the charter school complaint notice.