Policies » Section A: Foundations & Basic Commitments » ACG: Nondiscrimination Policy/Grievance Procedure

Policy Date: 06/12/2007

ASD File: ACG
AUBURN SCHOOL DISTRICT
NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

A complaint regarding a violation of law shall be subject to a grievance procedure that provides for the prompt and equitable resolution of disputes from all students, employees, and staff of the District.

Upon request, the building administrator will provide a copy of the District’s grievance procedures. The person who believes he/she has a valid basis for a grievance shall discuss the grievance informally and on a verbal basis with the building administrator, who shall in turn investigate the complaint and respond to the complainant. If not satisfied with the response, the complainant may initiate formal procedures according to the following steps:

Step 1. A written statement of the grievance signed by the complainant shall be submitted to the building administrator within five (5) school days of receipt of answer to the informal complaint. The building administrator shall communicate his/her decision to the aggrieved party in writing within five (5) days of receipt of the written grievance. If the building administrator is the person charged with the violation, the grievant may submit the complaint to the Superintendent of Schools, or his/her designee, for the Auburn School District.

Step 2. The aggrieved party, no later than five (5) school days after receipt of the building administrator’s decision, may appeal the building administrator’s decision to the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee. The appeal to the Superintendent of Schools or his/her designee must be made in writing reciting the matter submitted to the building administrator and the aggrieved party’s dissatisfaction with decisions previously rendered. Superintendent of Schools, or his/her designee, shall meet with the aggrieved party to attempt to resolve the matter as quickly as possible, but within a period not to exceed five (5) school days. The Superintendent of Schools, or his/her designee, shall communicate his/her decision in writing to the aggrieved party and the building administrator no later than five (5) school days after the meeting.

Step 3. If the grievance is not resolved to the aggrieved party’s satisfaction, the aggrieved party, no later than five (5) school days after receipt of the Superintendent of School’s, or his/her designee’s, decision, may submit a written request for a hearing with the local School Board regarding the alleged discrimination through the Superintendent of Schools. The hearing will be held within thirty (30) calendar days of the written request. The School Board must provide the aggrieved party with a written decision on the appeal within ten (10) calendar days after the hearing.

Step 4. If the complainant wishes to appeal the local School Board’s decision, he/she may request an impartial hearing by contacting the NH Commissioner of Education, NH Department of Education, 101 Pleasant Street, Concord, NH 03301.

Step 5.  If at any point the grievance has not been satisfactorily settled, the complaint may be made to the Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education, 33 Arch Street, Suite 900, Boston, Massachusetts 02110-1491.

A copy of the regulations on which this notice is based may be found in the building administrator’s office. During all steps of this complaint process, the aggrieved party and the School District may continue to negotiate a mutual solution to the alleged discrimination. Upon such a mediated agreement, the procedure would be terminated.

First Reading: May 11, 1999
Adopted: June 8, 1999
Revised: June 12, 2007