The purpose of this policy is to secure, at the lowest possible administrative level, prompt and equitable resolution of student or parent complaints and/or concerns. Usually, student or parent complaints can be resolved simply by an informal phone call or conference with the teacher or Campus Director who is the subject of the complaint. Generally, should the complaint involve a problem with a teacher, the student or parent is expected to discuss the matter with the teacher before requesting a conference with the Campus Director. For those complaints that cannot be handled informally, the school has adopted the following grievance policy.
Complaints regarding certain topics are addressed by specific policies or other documents that modify this complaint process or require an alternative process.
Definitions
For the purposes of this policy, “days” shall mean regular school days.
For the purposes of this policy, “parent” shall mean a person standing in parental relation, but does not include a person as to whom the parent-child relationship has been terminated or a person not entitled to possession of or access to a child under a court order. Except as provided by federal law, all rights of a parent under Education Code Title 2 and all educational rights under Family Code 151.003(a)(10) shall be exercised by a student who is 18 years of age or older or whose disabilities of minority have been removed for general purposes under Family Code Chapter 31, unless the student has been determined to be incompetent or the student’s rights have been otherwise restricted by a court order.
Level One
A student or parent who has a complaint that could not be resolved informally shall request a conference with the Campus Director by filing the complaint in writing on a form provided by the school. The form must be filed with the school office within seven days of the time the student or parent knew, or should have known, of the event or series of events about which the student or parent is complaining. Copies of any documents that support the complaint should be attached to the complaint form. If the student or parent does not have copies of these documents, they may be presented at the Level One conference. After the Level One conference, no new documents may be submitted unless the student or parent did not know the documents existed before the Level One conference. A complaint form that is incomplete in any material way may be dismissed, but may be re-filed with all the requested information if the re-filing is within the designated time for filing a complaint.
The Campus Director shall hold a conference with the student or parent within seven days of the request. The seven-day timeframe for holding the Level One conference may be extended if mutually agreed to by both the student or parent and the Campus Director. An adult may represent a student at this and any level of the complaint.
The Campus Director shall have seven days following the Level One conference within which to respond. Announcement of a decision in the student’s or parent’s presence shall constitute communication of the decision.
Should the complaint involve a problem with the Campus Director, then the Level One complaint form should be submitted to the Regional Director at the following address:
Responsive Education Solutions Complaint: Level One
Attn: Human Resources Department
P.O. Box 292730
Lewisville, TX 75029
Level Two
If the outcome of the Level One conference with the Campus Director is not to the student’s or parent’s satisfaction or the time for a response has expired, the student or parent may appeal the Level One decision to the Regional Director by filing the appeal notice in writing on a form provided by the school.
Note:In the event that the Level One conference was held by the Regional Director or designee, the Level Two conference shall be held by another Regional Director or designee.
The appeal notice must include a copy of the Level One complaint, a copy of the Level One decision being appealed (if applicable), and a copy of any documents presented at the Level One conference.
The appeal notice must be postmarked to the following address within seven days following receipt of a response or, if no response is received, within seven days of the response deadline:
Responsive Education Solutions Complaint: Level Two
Attn: Human Resources Department
P.O. Box 292730
Lewisville, TX 75029
The Regional Director or designee shall hold a conference with the student or parent within seven days of the appeal notice. The seven-day timeframe for holding the Level Two conference may be extended if mutually agreed to by both the student or parent and the Regional Director or designee.
The Regional Director or designee shall have seven days following the Level Two conference within which to respond. Announcement of a decision in the student’s or parent’s presence shall constitute communication of the decision.
Level Three
If the outcome of the Level Two conference with the Regional Director or designee is not to the student’s or parent’s satisfaction or the time for a response has expired, the student or parent may appeal the Level Two decision to the Superintendent by filing the appeal notice in writing on a form provided by the school. The appeal notice must include a copy of the Level One complaint, a copy of the Level Two appeal notice, a copy of the Level One and Level Two decisions being appealed (if applicable), and a copy of any documents presented at the Level One and Level Two conferences.
The appeal notice must be postmarked to the following address within seven days following receipt of a response or, if no response is received, within seven days of the response deadline:
Responsive Education Solutions Complaint: Level Three
Attn: Human Resources Department
P.O. Box 292730
Lewisville, TX 75029
The Superintendent or designee shall hold a conference with the student or parent within 14 days of the appeal notice. The 14-day timeframe for holding the Level Three conference may be extended if mutually agreed to by both the student or parent and the Superintendent or designee. The Level Three conference may be held via telephone or video conference at the discretion of the Superintendent.
The Superintendent or designee shall have seven days following the Level Three conference within which to respond. Announcement of a decision in the student’s or parent’s presence shall constitute communication of the decision.
Level Four
If the outcome of the Level Three conference with the Superintendent or designee is not to the student’s or parent’s satisfaction or the time for a response has expired, the student or parent may appeal the Level Three decision to the Board of Trustees by filing the appeal notice in writing on a form provided by the school. The appeal notice must include a copy of the Level One complaint; a copy of the Level Two and Level Three appeal notices; a copy of the Level One, Level Two, and Level Three decisions being appealed (if applicable); and a copy of any documents presented at the Level One, Level Two, and Level Three conferences.
The appeal notice must be postmarked to the following address within seven days following receipt of a response or, if no response is received, within seven days of the response deadline:
Responsive Education Solutions Complaint: Level Four
Attn: Human Resources Department
P.O. Box 292730
Lewisville, TX 75029
The appeal will then be placed on the agenda of a future Board meeting. The Superintendent or designee shall inform the student or parent of the date, time, and place of the meeting.
The Board is not required to consider documentation not previously submitted or issues not previously presented. The Board may accept written testimony from the complainant and may request a written response from the school. The Board will consider the grievance and may, at its discretion, require the appearance of the complainant and administration.
The Board shall then make and communicate its decision orally or in writing at any time up to and including the next regularly scheduled Board meeting. If for any reason the Board of Trustees fails to reach a decision regarding the complaint by the end of the next regularly scheduled Board meeting, the lack of a response by the Board of Trustees upholds the decision at Level Three.
If the complaint involves concerns or charges regarding an employee or if the complaint regards personally identifiable information of a student, the Board shall review the complaint in a closed session unless the employee to whom the complaint pertains requests that the Board consider the complaint in open session.
Consolidation of Complaints
When the school determines, in its sole discretion, that two or more individual complaints are sufficiently similar in nature and remedy to permit their resolution through one proceeding, the complaints may be consolidated.
Modification of Procedures
The Superintendent may, at his or her sole discretion, modify this complaint process or require an alternative process, so long as the Board of Trustees retains final authority to hear and decide complaints and concerns brought hereunder.