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Formal Complaint Resolution Process

Addressing Concerns and Formal Complaints

At Palm Springs Unified School District, we are dedicated to maintaining effective communication and fostering positive relationships with our students, families, staff, and community partners. We take great pride in working collaboratively to address and resolve any concerns that may arise. Should you have a concern, we have provided a clear guide to our district’s formal complaint resolution process. Please remember, our shared goal is always the best interest and success of our students.

To ensure your complaint is addressed efficiently and effectively, please carefully review the available complaint forms. Each form is designed for specific types of issues.

Anyone wishing to submit a formal complaint anonymously using the Consolidated Complaint Form
should use the name “anonymous” and the email anonymous@psusd.us to initiate the complaint.

Review the descriptions provided for each form to determine the most appropriate option for your concern.
If you are unsure which form to use, go through the detailed information below for guidance.

General Complaint
If you have concerns related to a District site, department, or program, we encourage you to first follow our established complaint procedures and seek resolution directly with the relevant school or department. If a resolution cannot be reached, you may submit a written complaint by completing the form below. By doing so, your complaint will be directed immediately to the appropriate school site or district administrator for review and response.

For further assistance or if you prefer to submit a complaint via another method, you may contact the District directly at:

Palm Springs Unified School District
Address: 150 District Center Drive, Palm Springs, CA 92264
Phone: (760) 883-2703
Website: www.psusd.us

Please note that the District reserves the right to refer your complaint to an alternative process if it is determined that the concern falls outside the scope of this procedure.

Complaint Resolution Process

At Palm Springs Unified School District, we value the strong partnerships we have with our parents and guardians. We are committed to addressing any concerns that may arise in a timely and effective manner. To ensure a constructive resolution, we ask that you follow the steps outlined below:
1. Start with the School Staff
  - Begin by reaching out to your student’s teacher, counselor, nurse, or other relevant staff members. Many concerns can be resolved through a direct conversation, as misunderstandings often stem from miscommunication. We encourage you to approach the issue respectfully and seek clarification.
2. If Unresolved, Contact the School Administrator
  - If the concern remains unresolved after speaking with staff, the next step is to schedule a meeting or phone call with the assistant principal or principal. They will collaborate with you to address and resolve the issue.
3. Contact the District Office
  - If you are still dissatisfied with the resolution after following the previous steps, you may contact the District Office at (760) 416-6000. Please note that if you have not first worked with the school site to resolve the issue, you may be asked to return to the school before escalating the concern.
We believe that a strong partnership between home and school is key to ensuring the best possible educational experience for our students. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Reporting Form
Resources
- 2024-2025 Notification of the Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP)
- 2024-2025 Notification of the Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) (Spanish)
Bullying Reporting
If you believe that a student has been subjected to bullying or have witnessed an incident of bullying, you can report it to a teacher, the principal, a compliance officer, or any available school employee.

Staff Notification
Within one business day of receiving a bullying report, the staff member will notify the principal.

Employee Reporting Requirement
Any school employee who observes bullying involving a student must report the incident to the principal or a district compliance officer within one business day, regardless of whether the alleged victim files a formal complaint.

Reporting Form:
Sprigeo

Resources:
Unlawful Discrimination Reporting
Palm Springs Unified School District is committed to ensuring a safe and equitable environment for all students. If you believe you have been subjected to unlawful discrimination, or if you witness such an incident, please follow the steps below:
1. Students Who Feel They Have Been Discriminated Against
  Students who feel they have experienced unlawful discrimination are strongly encouraged to immediately contact the compliance officer, principal, or any other staff member. Reporting incidents quickly helps us address the issue promptly.
2. Students Who Witness Discrimination
  Students who observe discrimination, harassment, intimidation, retaliation, or bullying are also encouraged to report the incident to the compliance officer or principal, regardless of whether the victim files a complaint.
3. Employee Reporting Requirements
  Any school employee who witnesses unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, retaliation, or bullying, or to whom such an incident is reported, must report it to the compliance officer or principal within one school day, even if the victim does not file a complaint.
4. Immediate Intervention by Employees
  Any employee witnessing an incident of unlawful discrimination or related behavior is required to intervene immediately when it is safe to do so, as per Education Code 234.1
5. Investigation and Complaint Process
  Upon receiving a report, the principal or compliance officer will inform the student or their parent/guardian about the right to file a formal complaint. This may be done through the following procedures:
Once notified, the compliance officer will begin an investigation and take necessary actions to stop the discrimination, ensuring that all students have access to educational programs in a safe environment. Any interim measures taken to address the issue will, as much as possible, avoid disadvantaging the complainant or victim.
1. Reporting Unlawful Discrimination by School Leaders
  If a report or complaint involves the principal, compliance officer, or any staff member to whom complaints are typically made, the report should be filed directly with the Superintendent or their designee. The Superintendent will determine how the investigation will proceed.
Reporting Form:
Resources:
Title IX Reporting
An individual who has questions or concerns regarding possible discrimination based on sex should contact the Title IX Coordinator at their respective school or the District's Title IX Coordinator, Antonia Hunt, Ed.D..  An individual also may contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”).

Antonia Hunt, Ed.D.
Director, Title IX & Compliance
Palm Springs Unified School District
150 District Center Drive,
Palm Springs, CA 92264
60-883-2703 Ext: 4805026
ahunt@psusd.us

Complaints pertaining to Title IX issues should be filed utilizing the procedures detailed below as found at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.

"If you believe you have been discriminated or retaliated against on any of these bases by a covered entity, you may file a complaint using either the electronic complaint form or the fillable PDF complaint form linked at the bottom of this page. 

If you choose to file a complaint using either method, you will be asked to provide your name, address, and email address; the name and address of the person discriminated against; and the name and address of the entity you believe discriminated. 

You also will be asked which of the kinds of discrimination forms the basis for your complaint. You will need to provide a description of the conduct that you believe is discriminatory. 

By law, complaints of discrimination must ordinarily be filed within 180 days of the last act of discrimination. If your complaint involves matters that occurred longer ago than this and you are requesting a waiver, you will be asked to show good cause why you did not file your complaint within the 180-day period.

You will be asked whether you have tried to resolve the matter using a grievance procedure or by filing with another agency.

In addition to the complaint, a signed Consent Form may be required. When disclosure of the identity of the complainant is necessary in order to resolve the complaint, OCR will require written consent before proceeding. The complainant will be informed that the complaint will be closed if written consent is necessary in order to resolve the complaint and is not received within 20 calendar days of the date of the acknowledgement letter or the date the Consent Form is requested from the complainant. The signed Consent Form may be submitted to OCR by mail, fax, email (with a scanned attachment), or in person. 

When OCR has determined that consent is necessary in order to resolve the complaint and OCR has not received a signed Consent Form by the 15th calendar day of the date of the acknowledgment letter or the date the Consent Form is requested from the complainant, OCR will contact the complainant (e.g., by phone) to inform the complainant that the complaint will be closed if the signed Consent Form is not received within 5 calendar days. If OCR does not receive signed written Consent Form, the complaint will be dismissed, and the complainant informed in writing. 

A complainant on behalf of or regarding to another person(s) is responsible for securing any necessary written consent from that individual, including when a parent files for a student over the age of 18. Where the person is a minor (under the age of 18) or a legally incompetent adult, the Consent Form must be signed by that person’s parent or legal guardian. Parental or legal guardian consent may not be required for persons under the age of 18 if they are emancipated under state law and are therefore considered to have obtained majority. Proof of emancipation or incompetence must be provided.  

If you submit the completed electronic complaint form, it will be routed to the OCR office with authority to handle complaints in the state where the institution or entity you are complaining about is located. A staff person will contact you once your electronic complaint has been received and reviewed. 

If you select the fillable PDF complaint form, once you complete the complaint form and Consent Form, you should print them out, sign them; and mail them (or email scanned copies of the signed forms) to the Enforcement Office with authority for the state where the institution or entity you are complaining about is located. A staff person will contact you once your complaint has been received and reviewed. 

You may now continue to either the electronic complaint form or the fillable PDF complaint form, or you may return to the OCR Complaint Process page at:
- Continue to Electronic Complaint Form
  http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html 
- Or Fillable PDF Complaint Form
  https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintform.pdf 
Complaints pertaining to Title IX issues should be filed utilizing the procedures detailed above as found at the US Department of Education” Office of Civil Rights.

The OCR office for California is located at:
San Francisco Office
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
Mail Box 1200, Room 1545
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: 415-486-5555
FAX: 415-486-5570; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov

The OCR National Headquarters is located at:
U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
Lyndon Baines Johnson
Department of Education Bldg
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, DC 20202-1100
Telephone: 800-421-3481
FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR@ed.gov

Complaints pertaining to Title IX issues can also be filed utilizing the Uniform Complaint Procedures as identified in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Sections 4600 et seq.  For more information on the UCP complaints and appeals visit the CDE’s Uniform Complaint Procedures and Resolution of Discrimination/Harassment Complaint pages.

Resources
Additional Resources

U.S. Department of Education (ED) Office of Civil Rights (OCR): https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

California Department of Education (CDE) Office of Equal Opportunity: https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/or/oeo.asp

CDE Gender Equity/Title IX: https://bit.ly/3dHyvLJ 
Williams Complaint: Submitting Complaints Under Education Code 35186
Williams case legislation requires a school district to use its uniform complaint process to help identify and resolve any deficiencies related to instructional materials, teacher vacancy or misassignment, and emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of the pupils or staff.

Education Code 35186 outlines the procedure for submitting complaints regarding the following deficiencies:
- Inadequate instructional materials
- Unsafe or unsatisfactory conditions of school facilities, or facilities that are not in good repair
- Teacher vacancies or misassignments
- Lack of access to intensive instruction and services for students who did not pass one or both parts of the high school exit examination by the end of grade 12
Both the complaint and the response are public records, as required by law. Complaints may be submitted anonymously; however, if you would like to receive a response, please provide your contact information below.

Reporting Form
Resources
- State Preschool Health and Safety Notice
- Williams UCP

Lifelong Learning Starts Here

Formal Complaint Resolution Process

Addressing Concerns and Formal Complaints

General Complaint

Bullying Reporting

Unlawful Discrimination Reporting

Title IX Reporting

Williams Complaint: Submitting Complaints Under Education Code 35186