Complaint Procedures

The Uniform Complaint Procedures form may be used to file a formal complaint regarding:

Unlawful discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, intimidation or bullying. In this context, discrimination based on the following characteristics is unlawful under state or federal law: age; ancestry; color; disability (physical or mental); ethnic group identification; gender; gender expression; gender identity; genetic information; homelessness or foster status; marital, parenting or breastfeeding status; nationality; national origin; race or ethnicity; religion; sex (this includes sexual harassment and acts of sexual misconduct); sexual orientation; or based on association with any of these actual or perceived characteristics.

Retaliation against a complainant or other participant in the complaint process or anyone who has acted to uncover or report a violation subject to the uniform complaint procedures.

District violations of state or federal law or regulations, including those covering the following programs: Adult Education; After School Education and Safety; Berkeley Peer Assistance and Review Programs; Career/Technical Education; Child Nutrition; Childcare and Development Programs; Compensatory Education; Consolidated Categorical Aid Programs; Education Opportunities of Pupils in Foster Care or Pupils who are Homeless and Former Juvenile Court Pupils; English Learner Programs; Every Student Succeeds Act; Local Control and Accountability Plans; Migrant Education; Physical Education Instructional Minutes (for grades one through six); Pupil Fees; Reasonable Accommodations to a Lactating Pupil; School Safety Plans; Special Education; State Preschool; Tobacco-Use Prevention Education.

General complaints about a Turlock Unified School District policy, practice or procedure; a school site-level practice or procedure; or a District employee. (Note: Employee/employee complaints may also be filed with the District Compliance Officer and will then be routed to Human Resources for resolution).

A “Williams” complaint is a very specific kind of complaint and it concerns the sufficiency of instructional materials; emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils; and teacher vacancy or misassignment.

Once a formal complaint is filed, you will receive confirmation that your complaint has been received, along with a date-stamped copy of the complaint via email. The District Compliance Officer (DCO) will review your complaint, determine if an investigation is warranted, and if so, will oversee that investigation. It is very likely that the DCO or someone else working on the complaint will ask to speak with you or will contact you by email to invite you to submit any additional information that you want considered during this review, so please make sure your contact information is legible and accurate on the complaint form. Within 60 days, the DCO will issue the District’s written response to your complaint, and will also let you know how you can appeal the decision if you are not satisfied.