Regulations Regarding Pupil Achievement
The Board of Education believes good communication between parents and teachers is important in the educational process. All appropriate forms of communication should be used. The progress report should reflect student progress in classwork and proficiency levels and indicate educational growth in relation to the student’s ability, citizenship and effort. [E.C. 49067]
Teacher Qualifications
A provision of federal Title I requires all districts to notify parents of children in Title I schools that they have the right to request and receive timely information on the professional qualifications of classroom teachers and paraprofessionals including state qualifications, licensing for the grade level or subject taught, any waivers qualifications, emergency provisions, college major, graduate degrees and subject, and if paraprofessionals or aides are in the classroom and what their qualifications are. [No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)]
Homework
The District believes that homework must be an integral part of the educational process. Homework should promote lifelong learning habits and be supplemental to the classroom experience. It must meet individual needs and provide opportunities for reinforcement and enrichment. Homework consists of activities, which are assigned to students on a regular basis and whenever the individual can profit by personalized additional assignments. [AUSD AR 6154 Instruction]
Guidelines for Homework Assignments
1. Grades K-3 – average of 15 to 45 minutes per day.
2. Grades 4-6 – average of 45 to 90 minutes per day.
Student Responsibilities
All students in grades K-6, will complete assignments in a neat and timely manner.
Students will take home materials and supplies needed to complete assignments.
Students will be informed of this homework implementation plan.
Parent/Guardian Responsibilities
Parents/Guardians will anticipate their children bringing home assignments.
Parents/guardians will provide a positive attitude about homework.
Parents/guardians will provide an appropriate time, space, and materials for their children to do homework.
When appropriate, parents/guardians will assist their children in completing and understanding assignments, but they will not do it for them.
When appropriate, parents/guardians will review completed homework before it is submitted, as evidence by parent signature.
Parents/guardians will communicate the teacher or principal regarding their concerns, if any, about homework.
Parents/guardians will be informed of this homework implementation plan and discuss it with their children.
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
In January 2002, the new federal law, The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) was passed by Congress. As a result of this law, Districts are required to notify parents at the beginning of each school year that parents may request information regarding the professional qualifications of their child’s classroom teachers, including, at a minimum, the following:
Whether the teacher has met State qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subjects areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
Whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which State qualifications or licensing criteria has been waived.
from state financial assistance.
The District shall promote programs that ensure non-discriminatory practices in all District activities. If you want further details in this regard, or wish to file a complaint, please contact the District’s Uniform Complaint Officer. The Governing Board designates the following compliance officer(s) to receive and investigate all complaints and ensure District compliance with law:
Mr. Ricardo Cabrera
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources
1205 E. Market St., Salinas, CA 93905
(831) 753-5700 ext. 2025
The Uniform Complaint Procedure can be used in cases of discrimination or a violation of a federal or state law within the following programs: Adult Education, Career/Technical Education, Child Development, Consolidated Categorical Aid, No Child Left Behind (NCLB), State Compensatory Education, State Program for Students of Limited English Proficiency, School Improvement, Tenth-Grade Counseling, Tobacco-Use Prevention Education, Peer Assistance and Review, School Safety and Violence Prevention Act, Migrant and Indian Education, Nutrition Services, Special Education, Discrimination, Harassment, Civil Rights Guarantees that received state or federal financial assistance as well as Williams Settlement issues and other areas designated by the District. [ E.C. 200, 220, 234, 260 et seq. 56501; Penal Code 422.55; Title IX; 20 USC 1681-1688, 42 USC 2000d-2000d7; 34 CFR 106.9, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1974, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); Government Code 1135; 5 CCR 4610, 4622]
District’s Uniform Complaint Process
You may contact your school’s office or the District office to obtain a free copy of the District’s complaint procedures. The complaint procedure can be used for a variety of issues not mentioned above including but not limited to employee issue, school safety planning requirements in the No Child Left Behind Act, and policies and procedures of the District. Confidentiality and privacy shall be respected in all complaint investigations. Complaints alleging discrimination may be filed by a person on their own behalf or on behalf of another person or group of people within six months of the occurrence or when facts become known. Complaints regarding a special needs student may be filed within 12 months of the occurrence. Staff has been trained to deal with these types of complaints. [E.C. 56500.2]
1. Complaints made under this procedures shall be directed to
the Uniform Complaint Officer who is responsible for
processing the claims. A complaint under the Uniform
Complaint Procedure should be completed within 60 days
from the receipt of the complaint unless the complainant
agrees in writing to extend the timeline.
2. You may contact the UCP Officer to obtain a copy of the
complaint process.
3. You may choose to have your complaint mediated.
4. There shall be an investigative meeting after receiving the complaint.
5. The compliance office shall send a written report about the
investigation and decision. There are then five days to appeal
to the Board of Education.
6. If you are not satisfied with the results, the complainant then
has 15 days to appeal to the California Department of
Education. The appeal must include a copy of the locally filed
complaint and a copy of the LEA decision.
7. You may forward your complaint directly to CDE and they may
choose to intervene immediately based on established criteria.
8. There is nothing in this process to preclude a complaint from
pursuing available civil law remedies outside of the District’s
complaint procedures. Such remedies may include mediation,
attorney’s, and legal remedies. Civil law remedies may
include, but are not limited to: injunctions, and restraining orders.
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The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification or degree.
Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.
In addition, you are to receive the following:
Information on the level of achievement of your child in each of the State academic assessments; and
A timely notice when your child has been assigned, or has been taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who is not highly qualified
Every District that receives Title I funds must ensure that all teachers teaching in “core academic subjects” are highly qualified no later than the end of the 2006-2007 school year. This means that any teacher who was hired prior to the first day of the 2002-2003 school year has four years to obtain the necessary credential.
As we implement the new law, the District’s goal is to continue to keep parents informed about new requirements in a timely manner to enable us to work as partners in the education of our students.
Release of Directory Information
The law allows schools to release “directory information” to certain persons or organizations including military recruiters. Directory information may include a student’s name, address, telephone information, date and place of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, degrees and awards received, and the most recent previous public or private school attended by the student. You may have the District withhold any of this information by submitting a request in writing by the beginning of the school year. Written notification received after the date specified will be honored, but the student’s information may have been released in the interim. In the case of students with exceptional needs, no material can be released without parent or guardians consent. [E.C. 49061(c), 49070, 56515; FERPA; No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)]
School Safety Plan
Every year, each school shall review and update its plan by March 1. The plan will include an earthquake emergency procedure system and disaster policy for buildings with a capacity of 50 or more people. Each school shall report on the status of its school safety plan to numerous community leaders and include a description of its key elements in the school accountability report card. [E.C. 32281, 32286, 32288]
DUE PROCESS PROTECTIONS AND COMPLAINTS
The District is primarily responsible for compliance with state and federal laws and regulations and has procedures to address allegations of unlawful discrimination and complaints alleging violation of laws governing educational programs. Employees, students, parents or guardians, advisory committees, and other interested parties are advised how to file a complaint if they so desire.
Complaints Regarding Discrimination,
Exceptional Need Students, Categorical
Programs, Federally Funded Programs
The District shall follow uniform complaint procedures when addressing complaints alleging unlawful discrimination against any protected group as identified under Education Code, California Code of Regulations and Governing Code including actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, ethnic group, identification, race, ancestry, national origin, religion, color, or mental or physical disability, or age, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics in any District program or activity that received or benefits
For discrimination complaints, 60 days must elapse from the time appeal is filed with CDE before pursuing civil remedies except for injunction. Complaints may also be forwarded to appropriate state or federal agencies in the following cases:
American Civil Liberties Act 504 – Office of Civil Rights
Child Abuse – Department of Social, Protective Services, or law
enforcement
Discrimination/Nutritional Services – U.S. Secretary of
Agriculture
Employment Discrimination – Department of Fair Employment
and Housing, Equal
Employment
Opportunity Commission
General Education – this school District
Health and Safety/Child Development – Department of Social
Services
Student Records – Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO),
U.S. Department of Education
[20 USC 7114(D)(7) (No Child Left Behind), 20 USC 11138;34 CFR 300.510-511, 300.513; E.C. 232, 262.3, 33031, 33032, 33381, 48985, 5600-56885, 59000-59300, 6400o(a); 5 CCR 4600; 5 CCR 4620-4632]
Complaints Regarding the Williams
Settlement, Instructional Materials, Teacher
Placement, and School Facilities
Parents should use the District Uniform Complaint Procedure to identify and resolve any deficiencies regarding instructional materials, facility cleanliness and safety, emergency or urgent facility conditions that pose a health or safety threat to students or staff, and teacher vacancies or misassignments. The procedure may be used for complaints regarding instruction and services provided to pupils; however the state budget crisis has given the District flexibility in providing these services. [E.C. 35186,
7254, 52378]
Williams Settlement complaint procedure
Free forms are available, free charge, at the school, but the form need not be used to make a complaint. The Uniform Complaint Procedure shall be used for filing Williams related complaints with the following special circumstances applying:
1. Forms can be turned into the principal or designee who will make
every reasonable attempt to investigate.
2. Complaints beyond the site authority will be forwarded to the
District within 10 days.
3. Complaints may be filed anonymously. A response may be
requested if complainant is identified and will be sent to the
mailing address on complaint.
4. If the District is required to provide material in a foreign language
based on California Department of Education census data and if
requested, the response and report shall be written in English
and the primary language in which the complaint was filed.
5. The form will have a box to request a response and indicate
where to file the form.
6. Valid complaints should be remedied within 30 days of receipt.
7. Within 45 days of resolution, notice should be sent to
complainant when a response was requested. A principal will
also inform the Superintendent of resolution in the same time
frame.
8. If dissatisfied with resolution a complainant may describe the
complaint to the governing board at a regular scheduled meeting.
9. The District will report quarterly on the number of resolved and
unresolved complaints and summarize data regarding
complaints and resolutions to the county superintendent and the
local governing board in public session making it part of the
public records. [E.C. 35186, 48985]
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