KE August 11 Redlines.pdf (40 KB)

​Policy KE​ ​Adopted:​​June 11, 1987​ ​Revised:​​October 8, 2019, August __, 2026​ ​Complaints and Concerns​ ​The Board of Education strives to foster a constructive working relationship between​ ​Boulder Valley School District, its employees, students, parents and guardians by​ ​providing a fair, orderly, and timely process for handling concerns and complaints​ ​concerning the operation of the School District. This policy applies to those general​ ​circumstances and situations when there is a concern related to the application of​ ​School District and/or Board policies and a more specific complaint or grievance policy​ i​s not applicable.​ ​This policy shall not apply to complaints concerning unlawful discrimination or​ ​harassment as addressed in Policy AC, concerning Curriculum or Instruction as​ ​addressed in Policy KEC, as otherwise addressed in employment agreements,​​or to​ ​contests of student grades. Due to their sensitive and legal nature, complaints regarding​ ​mandatory reporting or School District security decisions shall not be considered.​ ​General personnel complaints and concerns about an employee’s effectiveness and job​ ​performance are addressed through the School District’s evaluation procedures.​ ​It is the policy of the Board to resolve concerns as efficiently and effectively as possible​ ​for the benefit of students, staff, and families. This Policy establishes the expectation​ ​that matters be addressed first at the level most directly involved and in an informal​ ​manner if possible. Requests for additional levels of review will be processed efficiently​ ​and fairly. The School District shall also provide other ways to request help for students​ ​that are not formal complaints and families are encouraged to do so through the BVSD​ ​website.​ ​Procedural Expectations​ ​It is the policy of the Board to provide for resolution at the level most directly involved​ ​first and in an informal manner if possible.​​Any​​general​​complaint​​under this Policy​​shall​ ​be reviewed as follows:​ ​1. School District employee who is the subject of the complaint or building​ ​principal/department head;​ ​2.

District administrator​

​3.

Superintendent​

​4.

Board of Education​

​Review at the first level is informal and should follow a discussion format. The​ ​complaint itself may be oral or in writing and should be resolved within a reasonable​ ​period of time in light of the circumstances.​​Any complaint must be made within thirty​ ​(30) days of the incident or concern that is the subject of the complaint. Any complaint​ ​made outside of this timeline will not be considered through the complaint process.​ ​Any subsequent appeal​​for second or third level review​​shall be in writing, directed to​ ​the​​Area Superintendent (or other​​designated​​individual​​designated by the​ ​Superintendent)​, and shall specify the nature of the complaint, summarize efforts to​ ​resolve the complaint at the​​prior levels of review​​building or department level​, the​​prior​ ​decision​s​​by the building or department​, and the ground(s) for the appeal. Written​ ​submissions shall not exceed​​three​​five​​(​3​5​) pages. An appeal must be submitted within​ ​a reasonable period of time, usually within two weeks after the​​challenged​building or​ ​department​​action to address the complaint.​ ​Grounds for appeal shall be limited to:​ ​●​ ​Procedural irregularity that affected the outcome of the matter;​ ​●​ ​New evidence that was not reasonably available at the time the determination​ ​was made, that could affect the outcome of the matter; and,​ ​●​ ​A conflict of interest or bias for or against the parties that affected the outcome​ ​of the matter.​ ​Whenever a complaint is made directly to the School District or Superintendent it shall​ ​be referred to the school or department administration for consideration and resolution.​ ​Any complaint must be made within thirty (30) days of the incident or concern that is​ ​the subject of the complaint. Any complaint filed outside of this timeline will not be​ ​considered.​ ​Upon receipt of a first level appeal, the School District Administrator shall gather​ i​nformation from the supervisor of the building or department, and may also request a​ ​written statement of the decision. Relevant and nonconfidential information shall be​ ​shared with the Complainant who shall be allowed to provide written information and​ ​documentation to the District Administrator. The Administrator shall offer a meeting​ ​with the Complainant, during which Complainant may present information in support of​ ​Complainant’s position. The administrator shall issue a written notification to the​ ​Complainant of the final decision.​ ​Upon receipt of a second level appeal, the Superintendent or designee shall review the​ ​prior decisions and records and, at their discretion, may permit the Complainant or the​ ​District to present further information. Within ten working days after completion of this​ ​process, unless additional time is needed, the Superintendent or designee shall render a​

​written decision and provide a copy to Complainant. This decision shall be final unless​ ​the Board of Education accepts the matter for review.​ ​Board Review​ ​The Board shall have the discretion to accept or reject complaints for a third level review​ ​and shall limit its review to those requests that raise issues of fundamental unfairness​ ​by invoking honesty, justice, and due process. If the Board rejects the request for​ ​additional review, the Superintendent's decision shall be final. If it accepts the matter,​ ​the Board shall schedule a meeting at which it will consider the appeal. At such meeting,​ ​the Board may hear argument from the parties, review the prior decisions and evidence,​ ​and make such inquiry as it deems necessary. The Board shall render a written decision​ ​within ten working days after this meeting unless additional time is needed. The Board's​ ​decision shall be final.​ ​Cross References​ ​AC - Nondiscrimination and Equal Opportunity​ ​KEC - Public Concerns/Complaints about Instructional Resources​ ​Note: Other ways to request help through the School District can be found at:​ ​https://www.bvsd.org/parents-students/be-ready/make-a-report​