Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District

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Complaint Procedures

Nondiscrimination/Harassment Policy | Complaints Against Employees |  Uniform Complaints  |  Williams  |  Title IX
 
The District's Compliance Officer is Dr. Rick Licciardello. Please note that complaints are handled by various departments depending on the nature of the issue.
 
All District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from unlawful discrimination, including discrimination against an individual or group based on race, color, ancestry, nationality, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, ethnicity, age, religion, marital status, pregnancy, parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, or genetic information; a perception of one or more of such characteristics; or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics (BP 0401).
 
For more information about PVPUSD's nondiscrimination and harassment policies and procedures, please see the following Board Policies and Administrative Regulations:
 
The information below is provided to assist in the complaint process.
 

Complaints Against Employees

Complaints against employees are governed by Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) Board Policy 1312.1 and Administrative Regulation 1312.1.
 
 
PVPUSD Board Policy regarding employee's code of conduct with regard to interactions with students can be found:
Professional Standards: BP 4119.21 | 4219.21 | 4319.21
Maintaining Appropriate Adult-Student Interactions: BP 4119.24
 

Title IX Complaints

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity.
 
Title IX Coordinator Contact:
Rick Licciardello, Ed. D.
375 Via Almar
Palos Verdes Estates, CA 90274
(310) 896-3417
[email protected]

Our District Administration and the Title IX Coordinator are aware of [and acknowledge] the new Title IX regulations released on May 6, 2020 and effective as of August 14, 2020.  Our Title IX team has received training on these new regulations on August 6, 2020.  Click here to review these training materials.  We are in the process of reviewing and revising our Title IX policy and practices, which involves hearing from our stake-holders in order to implement a fair, thorough and impartial Title IX complaint process and District response.  As always, if you want to report a sexual harassment incident, please reach out to our Title IX Coordinator, Dr. Rick Licciardello at the information listed above.
 
 
Complaint Process:
Students or parents/guardians should report their verbal or written Title IX complaint to the school administrator within six months from the date the alleged incident occurred or first obtained knowledge. Complainants have a right to a timely and informal resolution at the school site. 

If the complainant is dissatisfied with the school-site  decision, the complainant may file a written Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) complaint directly with the District. This will begin the investigation process which must be completed within 60 days.  An appeal of the District's findings may be made to the California Department of Education - Office of Equal Opportunity.
 
 
High School Participation Data:
 
Resources:

 

Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)

The PVPUSD has the responsibility to ensure compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, and shall investigate complaints alleging failure to comply with those laws and regulations pertaining to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying and unauthorized charging of pupil fees for educational activities, and failure to comply with legal requirements pertaining to the Local Control Accountability Plan.
 
A complaint regarding the violation of specific federal and state programs that use categorical funds such as Adult Education, After School Education and Safety, Agricultural Vocational Education, American Indian Education Centers, American Indian Early Childhood Education, Career Technical Education, Child Care and Development, Consolidated Categorical Aid, Foster Youth Services, Local Control Funding Formula and Local Control Accountability Plans, Migrant Education, Nutrition Services, Regional Occupational Centers, School Facilities, Special Education, Tobacco-Use Prevention Education, and Unlawful Pupil Fees are also considered UCP complaints.
 
UCP complaints are filed with the district superintendent or their designee.
 
Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) are governed by Palos Verdes Peninsula Unified School District (PVPUSD) Board Policies 1312.3, 1312.4 and Administrative Regulation 1312.3.
 
 

Williams Complaints

A Williams Complaint, another type of UCP complaint, regards instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils, and teacher vacancy or misassignment and may be filed anonymously. Williams Complaints are filed with the principal, or their designee, of the school in which the complaint arises. Schools have complaint forms available for these types of complaints, but will not reject a complaint if the form is not used as long as the complaint is submitted in writing.