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Complaint Procedure Title IX and Section 504
The Syracuse City School District hereby advises students, parents, employees, and the general public that it offers employment and educational opportunities, including vocational education opportunities, without regard to age, gender, race, color, religion, marital status, sexual preference, national origin or disability. It is the responsibility of the Syracuse City School District to identify and evaluate students with disabilities under Section 504 who, within the intent of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, need special services or programs in order that such students may receive the required free appropriate education. Each qualified student within the District who is eligible to receive regular or special education or related aids and services, regardless of the nature or severity of the condition necessitating such programs or services, shall receive a free appropriate education in the District. Questions regarding this policy may be referred to the building principal or Jaime Alicea, Compliance Officer for Title IX and Section 504, at 435-4212.
The following procedure is to be followed by any student or employee who wishes to complain about the compliance of the Syracuse City School District and the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the regulations of the United States Department of Health, Education and Welfare, or the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or related thereto:
Step 1:
The complaint shall be reduced to writing and submitted to the administration official or other individual in first-line authority with the ability to resolve the complaint. That official shall, within 10 working days thereafter, make a written response to the complainant with a copy to the compliance officer.
Step 2:
If the complainant is not satisfied with the decision rendered at Step 1, the complainant shall have the right, within 10 working days of the date of transmittal of the decision at Step 1, to appeal to the compliance officer. This appeal shall be in writing setting forth the details of the complaint and the redress or corrective action sought.
The compliance officer shall convene a hearing in the matter within 30 days and shall cause a permanent record of the proceedings to be made. Within 30 days of the conclusion of the hearing the compliance officer shall return a decision to the complainant and a report to the Superintendent.
The Superintendent will issue orders he/she may feel necessary to implement the findings and recommendations of the compliance officer and/or make recommendations for policy changes to the Board of Education as the Superintendent may feel are warranted by the circumstances.
Step 3:
In the event that the complaint is against the policies of the personnel division, under such circumstances that the Director of Personnel may be viewed as the respondent, the Superintendent will decide whether the Superintendent or the compliance officer will hear the complaint.
The record of the Step 2 hearing shall be available to the Superintendent and to the Board of Education for their use in evaluating the recommendations of the compliance officer. A copy of the record will be made available to the complainant at the complainant’s expense.
In arriving at their decision, neither the Superintendent nor the Board of Education shall consider any evidence other than that contained in the record.
In the event that the Superintendent disagrees in whole or in part with the conclusions and recommendations of the compliance officer, the decision of the Superintendent shall be final.
Appeals from actions taken by the Superintendent and the Board of Education shall be made pursuant to law.