COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

BOARD POLICY:

Board members and staff members shall listen to all complaints, but staff members and lay people should go to the teacher, the principal, and the superintendent before coming to a Board Member and it should be before the whole board in official meeting.

Adopted: May 3, 1976

BOARD OF EDUCATION

COMPLAINT POLICY

In the interest of handling all complaints fairly and expeditiously, the board has established the following guidelines:

1.	Whenever a complaint is made directly to the board as a whole or to an individual board member, the individual or group involved will be advised to take their concern to the appropriate school staff member. This could be a teacher, supervisor, principal, or superintendent.

2.	The individual or group will be advised of the proper channeling of complaints, which is as follows:

a.	Supervisor or teacher

b.	Building administrator

c.	Superintendent

d.	Board of Education

3.	The procedure to be followed is as follows:

Step One: A complaint will first be discussed by the complainant and the person or persons against whom the complaint is registered with the object of resolving the matter informally.

Step Two: If the complaint is not satisfactorily resolved in step one, the complainant will submit his or her complaint in writing to the building principal stating the reasons for the complaint and the relief desired. the principal will then meet with the complainant at a mutually convenient time within (10) working days of receipt of the written complaint. Within (five) working days of this meeting, the principal will provide a written response to the complainant, stating reasons for his or her decision. Problems and questions concerning individual schools should be directed to the principal of the school.

Step Three: In the event the matter is not yet resolved, the complainant will file a written appeal to the superintendent within (10) working days of the final meeting in step two. The written appeal to the superintendent will include the reasons for the complaint and the relief desired. The superintendent will then meet with the complainant and the building principal within (10) working days of the receipt of the written appeal. Within (five) working days of this meeting, the superintendent will communicate his or her decision, with supporting reasons, in writing, to the building principal and complainant. Problems and questions concerning the school system as a whole should be directed to the superintendent.

Step Four: Within (10) working days of receiving the decision of the superintendent, the complainant may appeal to the board of education. This appeal, directed to the secretary of the board, will be in writing and will be accompanied by a copy of the appeal and the decision rendered at step three.

The board will meet on the matter at the next regularly scheduled board meeting, provided the appeal is received by the board secretary in time to place it on the agenda. This meeting will consist of the board, superintendent, principal, and complainant.

Within (five) working days after this meeting, the board will provide a written decision, with supporting reasons, to all parties involved.

The board should not consider or act on complaints that have not been explored at the appropriate administrative level.

Adopted: January 1983

COMPLAINT REPORT

Date:

Teacher:

Student:

Parent:

Complaint:

Summary of Information:

Date Report Given to Teacher:

Principal's Signature:

COMPLAINT REPORT

Date:

Building Administrator:

Student:

Parent:

Complaint:

Summary of Information:

Date Report Given to Building Administrator:

Superintendent's Signature:

Jim Haynes

2006-10-10

Commerce Public Schools