New guidelines for complaints

The Williams Act Settlement is in full effect as of January 1, 2005. For school districts around the state, that means making parents and students aware that they can file facility complaints.

The settlement is the result of action taken in 2000 by the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups who filed a class action lawsuit regarding run down schools needing repairs, and quality teachers.

The part of the settlement that will most affect classified folks is the student/parent reporting of problems in the classroom. Complaints can be filed anonymously with the principal. Whether the problem is a light bulb or a decrepit restroom, the district has 30 days to respond to the complaint. If the student or parent is not satisfied then they can appeal to the school board or district superintendent. Building issues can also be appealed to the state Allocation Board which hands out facility bond money to districts.

The Williams Settlement allocated $1 billion over several years to fix problems.