R 2260  EQUITY IN SCHOOL
    	AND CLASSROOM PRACTICES COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
	A.    	Purpose and Application
		1.     	The purpose of this procedure is to give any student or the parent(s) of a 				student the opportunity to appeal an alleged violation of the district’s 				Affirmation Action Plan for school and classroom practices, as set forth in 			Policy 2260.
		2.     	This procedure is intended to facilitate an equitable and just resolution of a 			dispute at the most immediate level and will be implemented in an 					informal manner.
		3.     	Every reasonable effort will be made to expedite the process in the interest 			of a prompt resolution.  Time limits may, however, be extended with the 				consent of all parties.
		4.     	All participants in the procedure will respect the confidentiality that this 				district accords to information about individual students.
	B.    	Definitions
		1.     	“Affirmative Action Officer” means the district official responsible for the 			coordination of activities relating to compliance with the Affirmative 				Action Plan.
		2.     	“Affirmative Action Plan” means the Affirmative Action Plan for school 				and classroom practices adopted by the Board of Education.
		3.     	“Board of Education” means the Board of Education of this school district.
		4.     	“Complainant” means a student or parent(s) who believes that they have 				been harmed or adversely affected by a failure to enforce the district’s 				Affirmative Action Plan.
		5.     	“Complaint” means an unresolved problem concerning the interpretation 				or application by an officer or employee of this school district of law and 				regulations regarding the Affirmative Action Plan.
		6.     	“Day” means a working or calendar day as identified.
		7.     	“Student” means an individual enrolled in any formal educational program 			provided by the school district.
		8.     	“School district” means this school district.
		9.     	“Violation” means the failure of a district official or employee to take the 				positive steps outlined in Policy 2260 and/or included in the Affirmative 				Action Plan.
	C.    	Procedure
		1.     	A complainant shall discuss their complaint with the staff member 	most 				closely involved in an attempt to resolve the matter informally.
		2.     	If the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant within 				thirty working days of the discussion with the staff member most closely 				involved, the complainant may submit a complaint to the Affirmative 				Action Officer. The complaint may be reported:  in person; in writing; 				verbally by telephone; by mail to the office address; or by electronic    				mail.  The complaint may be reported during business or              					non-business hours.
		3.     	The complaint shall include:
			a.     	The student’s name and, in the complaint of a person acting on 					behalf of the student, the name and address of the complainant;
			b.     	The specific failure to act of which the complainant complains;
			c.     	The school employee, if any, responsible for the alleged violation 					of the Affirmative Action Plan;,
			d.     	The results of discussions conducted in accordance with C.1. 					above; and
			e.     	The reasons why the results of the discussions were not 						satisfactory to the complainant.
		4.   	The Affirmative Action Officer will investigate the matter informally and 				will respond to the complaint in writing no later than seven working days 				after receipt of the complaint filed in accordance with C.2. above.  A copy 				of the complaint and the response will be forwarded to the Superintendent.
		5.   	The Affirmative Action Officer’s written response may be appealed to the 				Superintendent in writing within three working days after it has been 				received by the complainant.  The appeal will include the original 					complaint, the response to the complaint, and the complainant’s reason for 			rejecting the response.  A copy of the appeal must be given to the staff 				member alleged to have violated the Affirmative Action Plan.
		6.   	On their timely request (that is, submitted before the expiration of the time 			within which the Superintendent must render a decision), the complainant 				will be given an informal hearing before the Superintendent, at a time and 				place convenient to the parties, but no later than seven working days after 				the request for a hearing has been submitted.  The Superintendent may 				also require the presence at the hearing of the staff member charged with 				violation of the Affirmative Action Plan and any other person with 					knowledge of the violation.
		7.   	The Superintendent will render a written decision in the matter no later 				than seven working days after the appeal was filed or the hearing was 				held, whichever occurred later.  Copies of the decision will be given to all 				parties and to the Board.
		8.   	The complainant may appeal the Superintendent’s decision to the Board 				by filing a written appeal with the Board Secretary no later than three 				working days after receipt of the Superintendent’s decision.  The appeal 				shall include:
			a.     	The original complaint;
			b.     	The response to the complaint;
			c.     	The Superintendent’s decision;
			d.     	A transcript of the hearing, if one has been made, or a summary of 					the hearing to which all parties have consented; and
			e.     	The complainant’s reason for believing the Superintendent’s 					decision should be changed.
		9.   	A copy of the appeal to the Board must be given to the staff member, if 				any, charged with a violation of the Affirmative Action Plan.
		10. 	The Board will review all papers submitted and may render a decision on 				the basis of the proceedings below.  If the complainant so requests, the 				Board may convene a hearing, at which all parties may be represented by 				counsel and may present and examine witnesses, who will testify under 				oath.
		11.   	The Board will render a written decision no later than forty-five calendar 				days after the appeal was filed or the hearing held, whichever occurred 				later.  Copies of the decision will be given to all parties.
		12.	The complainant will be informed of their right to appeal the Board’s 				decision to the Commissioner of Education or to the New Jersey Division 				on Civil Rights.
	D.    	Record
		1.     	The records of any complaint processed in accordance with this procedure 				shall be maintained in a file separate from the student’s cumulative file.  A 			notation shall be made in the student’s file of the presence of the record in 				the separate file.
		2.     	A copy of the decision rendered at the highest level finding a violation 				of the Affirmative Action Plan has occurred shall be kept in the personnel 				file of the employee found to have committed a violation of the 					Affirmative Action Plan.

Adopted:	December 18, 1995
Revised:	April 30, 2024