Teachers, parents and students all have the option to file a formal complaint in the state of Texas if they have an issue with their school that cannot be resolved informally. Complaints can range from a punishment or consequence that a student and their family found to be unfair to allegations of discrimination or harassment. Grievances can be filed at a local district or a state level and begin at level one. If the dispute isn’t resolved, the appeals process continues through level two and, if necessary, level three.
Gather and organize information about your complaint. You will need specific dates and times and will have to state how you have been harmed by the action or incident. If you are reporting a violation of a law or an education requirement, you will need to state specific examples or facts supporting your suspicions.
Fill out a level one public complaint form as completely as possible, including the outcome or remedy you wish to see. Incomplete forms may not be taken into consideration.
File the form via fax, regular mail or in person with the lowest-level administrator qualified to handle the situation in your district. This may be a guidance counselor, principal or superintendent, depending on the situation.
File at the state level if you do not believe your complaint can be handled at the district level or if a law or federal education requirement has been broken. Send a copy of the complaint to the school district.
Attend any scheduled meetings to discuss the complaint. If a resolution cannot be reached, or if you are unhappy with the outcome, refile your complaint as a level two appeal.
Tips
Complaints filed at a state level about a legal or educational violation must be filed within one year of the alleged violation. All other grievances must be filed within 15 days of the incident or action.
Teachers filing a complaint against their school should contact their union representative to acquire legal representation before starting the process.
Writer Bio
Katharine Flug has been writing operations manuals for medical nonprofits since 2008. She served in the U.S. Peace Corps, where she wrote and helped publish educational materials on HIV/AIDS. Flug holds a Bachelor of Arts in gender studies and linguistics from Indiana University.