AIMS District Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)

UCP Annual Notice 09/11/24

Uniform Complaint Procedure (“UCP”)
AIMS K-12 College Prep Charter District (the “Charter School”) is the local agency primarilyresponsible for compliance with federal and state laws and regulations governing educational programs. The Charter School shall investigate and seek to resolve complaints using policies and procedures known as the Uniform Complaint Procedure (“UCP”) adopted by our Governing

Board for the following types of complaints:

1. Complaints alleging unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any protected group on the basis of the actual or perceived characteristics of age, ancestry, color, mental disability, physical disability, ethnic group identification, immigration status, citizenship, gender expression, gender identity, gender, genetic information, nationality, national origin, race or ethnicity, religion, medical condition, marital status, sex, or sexual orientation, 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 Charter School program or activity. Unlawful discrimination includes, but is not limited to, noncompliance with Education Code section 243(a) or 244(a).

2. Complaints alleging a violation of state or federal law or regulation governing the following programs:

  • Accommodations for Pregnant, Parenting or Lactating Students;

  • Adult Education;

  • Child Care and Development Programs;

  • Consolidated Categorical Aid;

  • Education of Students in Foster Care, Students who are Homeless, former Juvenile Court Students now enrolled in a public school, Migratory Children and Children of Military Families;

  • Every Student Succeeds Act;

  • Migrant Education Programs;

  • Regional Occupational Centers and Programs;

  • School Safety Plans; and/or

  • State Preschool Programs.

    3. Complaints alleging noncompliance with laws relating to pupil fees. A student enrolled in a public school shall not be required to pay a pupil fee for participation in an educational activity. A pupil fee includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

  • A fee charged to a pupil as a condition for registering for school or classes, or as accondition for participation in a class or an extracurricular activity, regardless of whether the class or activity is elective or compulsory or is for credit.

  • A security deposit, or other payment, that a pupil is required to make to obtain a lock, locker, book, class apparatus, musical instrument, clothes, or other materials or equipment.

  • A purchase that a pupil is required to make to obtain materials, supplies, equipment, or clothes associated with an educational activity.

  • Complaints of noncompliance with laws relating to pupil fees may be filed with the Director or the Compliance Officer identified below.

    4. Complaints alleging noncompliance with the requirements governing the Local Control Funding Formula (“LCFF”) or Local Control and Accountability Plans (“LCAP”) under Education Code sections 47606.5 and 47607.3, as applicable. If the Charter School adopts a School Plan for Student Achievement (“SPSA”) in addition to its LCAP, complaints of noncompliance with the requirements of the SPSA under Education Code sections 64000, 64001, 65000, and 65001 shall also fall under the UCP.

Complaints alleging noncompliance regarding child nutrition programs established pursuant to Education Code sections 49490-49590 are governed by Title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (“C.F.R.”) sections 210.19(a)(4), 215.1(a), 220.13(c), 225.11(b), 226.6(n), and 250.15(d) and Title 5, California Code of Regulations (“C.C.R.”) sections 15580 - 15584.

Complaints alleging noncompliance regarding special education programs established pursuant to Education Code sections 56000-56865 and 59000-59300 are governed by the procedures set forth in 5 C.C.R. sections 3200-3205 and 34 C.F.R. sections 300.151-300.153.

Complaints other than complaints relating to pupil fees must be filed in writing with the following Compliance Officer:

Eric Haar
Ombudsperson
171 12th Street, Oakland, CA 94607
ombudsman@aimsk12.org
(510) 496-9949

Only complaints regarding pupil fees, LCAP, or noncompliance with Education Code section 243 or 244 may be filed anonymously and only if the anonymous complainant provides evidence or information leading to evidence to support an allegation of noncompliance with the respective applicable laws.

Complaints alleging unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, must be filed within six (6) months from the date the alleged discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, occurred or the date the complainant first obtained knowledge of the facts of the alleged discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying. All other complaints under the UCP shall be filed not later than one (1) year from the date the alleged violation occurred. For complaints relating to the LCAP, the date of the alleged violation is the date on which the Charter School’s Board of Directors approved the LCAP or the annual update was adopted by the Charter School.

The Compliance Officer responsible for investigating the complaint shall conduct and complete the investigation in accordance with California regulations and the Charter School’s UCP Policy. The Compliance Officer shall provide the complainant with a final written investigation report (“Decision”) within sixty (60) calendar days from the Charter School’s receipt of the complaint.

This sixty (60) calendar day time period may be extended by written agreement of the complainant.

The complainant has a right to appeal the Charter School’s Decision to the California Department of Education (“CDE”) by filing a written appeal within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of the Charter School’s written Decision, except if the Charter School has used its UCP to address a complaint that is not subject to the UCP requirements. The appeal must include a copy of the complaint filed with the Charter School, a copy of the Charter School’s Decision, and the complainant must specify and explain the basis for the appeal of the Decision, including at least one of the following:

1. The Charter School failed to follow its complaint procedures.
2. Relative to the allegations of the complaint, the Charter School’s Decision lacks material findings of fact necessary to reach a conclusion of law.
3. The material findings of fact in the Charter School’s Decision are not supported by substantial evidence.
4. The legal conclusion in the Charter School’s Decision is inconsistent with the law.
5. In a case in which the Charter School’s Decision found noncompliance, the corrective actions fail to provide a proper remedy.

A complainant who appeals the Charter School’s Decision on a UCP complaint to the CDE shall receive a written appeal decision within sixty (60) calendar days of the CDE’s receipt of the appeal, unless extended by written agreement with the complainant or the CDE documents exceptional circumstances and informs the complainant.

Within thirty (30) calendar days of the date of the CDE’s appeal Decision pursuant to 5 C.C.R. section 4633(f)(2) or (3), either party may request reconsideration by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (“SSPI”) or the SSPI’s designee. The request for reconsideration shall specify and explain the reason(s) for contesting the findings of fact, conclusions of law, or corrective actions in the CDE’s appeal Decision.

Complaints alleging noncompliance with Education Code section 243 or 244 may be filed with the SSPI directly, and the SSPI may directly intervene without waiting for an investigation by the Charter School. The complainant shall present the SSPI with evidence that supports the basis for the direct filing and why immediate action is necessary.

If a UCP complaint is filed directly with the CDE and the CDE determines that it merits direct intervention, the CDE shall complete an investigation and provide a written decision to the complainant within sixty (60) calendar days of receipt of the complaint, unless the parties have agreed to extend the timeline or the CDE documents exceptional circumstances and informs the complainant.

If the Charter School finds merit in a UCP complaint, or the CDE finds merit in an appeal, the Charter School shall take corrective actions consistent with the requirements of existing law that will provide a remedy to the affected student and/or parent/guardian as applicable.

A complainant may pursue available civil law remedies outside of the Charter School’s complaint procedures. Complainants may seek assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys. Civil law remedies that may be imposed by a court include, but are not limited to, injunctions and restraining orders. For unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation or bullying complaints arising under state law, however, a complainant must wait until sixty (60) calendar days have elapsed from the filing of an appeal with the CDE before pursuing civil law remedies. The moratorium does not apply to injunctive relief and is applicable only if the Charter School has appropriately, and in a timely manner, apprised the complainant of the complainant’s right to file a complaint in accordance with 5 C.C.R. § 4622.

A copy of the UCP shall be available upon request free of charge on the AIMS website and at any front desk. For further information on any part of the complaint procedures, including filing a complaint or requesting a copy of the UCP, please contact the Ombudsman.

Translated documents:

To learn more about the District Ombudsman, please visit aimsk12.org/ombudsman.