Williams Act Complaints
A Williams Complaint allows a student, family, teacher, or any member of the public, to file grievances regarding:
- Complaints regarding the insufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials
- Complaints regarding teacher vacancy or misassignment
- Complaints regarding the condition of school facilities
Williams Complaint Classroom Notice
Notice to Parents, Guardians, Pupils, and Teachers:
- There should be sufficient textbooks and instructional materials. That means each pupil, including English learners, must have a textbook or instructional materials, or both, to use in class and to take home.
- School facilities must be clean, safe, and maintained in good repair.
- There should be no teacher vacancies or misassignments. There should be a teacher assigned to each class and not a series of substitutes or other temporary teachers. The teacher should have the proper credential to teach the class, including the certification required to teach English learners if present.
Teacher vacancy means a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of the year for an entire year or, if the position is for a one-semester course, a position to which a single designated certificated employee has not been assigned at the beginning of a semester for an entire semester.
Misassignment means the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position for which the employee does not hold a legally recognized certificate or credential or the placement of a certificated employee in a teaching or services position that the employee is not otherwise authorized by statute to hold. - A complaint form may be obtained at the school office or district office, or downloaded from the school’s website.
Investigation And Response
The principal or designee shall make all reasonable efforts to investigate any problem within his/her authority. He/she shall remedy a valid complaint within a reasonable time period not to exceed 30 working days from the date the complaint was received. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4685)
Complaints may be filed anonymously. If the complainant has indicated on the complaint form that he/she would like a response to the complaint, the principal or designee shall report the resolution of the complaint to him/her at the mailing address indicated on the complaint form within 45 working days of the initial filing of the complaint. At the same time, the principal or designee shall report the same information to the Superintendent or designee. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4680, 4685)
When Education Code 48985 is applicable and the complainant has requested a response, the response shall be written in English and in the primary language in which the complaint was filed. (Education Code 35186)
If a complainant is not satisfied with the resolution of a complaint, he/she has the right to describe the complaint to the Board of Education at a regularly scheduled meeting. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4686)
For any complaint concerning a facilities condition that poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of students or staff as described in item #3a in the section "Types of Complaints" above, a complainant who is not satisfied with the resolution proffered by the principal or Superintendent or designee may file an appeal to the Superintendent of Public Instruction within 15 days of receiving the district's response. The complainant shall comply with the appeal requirements specified in 5 CCR 4632. (Education Code 35186; 5 CCR 4687)
