- West Contra Costa Unified School District
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The Office of the Ombudsperson
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The Office of the Ombudsperson is responsible for the intake and monitoring of all formal District complaints. Formal complaints can now be filled in this office.
The Ombudsperson serves as an independent and confidential resource, assisting parents and community members in addressing complaints, conflicts, and other school-related issues.
The District Ombudsperson is guided by the following principles:- Independence;
- Neutrality/impartiality;
- Confidentiality; and
- Informality
The purpose of the District Ombudsperson is to ensure the complaint process is followed and that all members of the West Contra Costa Unified School District receive fair and equitable treatment in matters of concern or complaint.
The District encourages the early, informal resolution of complaints at the site level whenever possible. If parents or guardians have a concern they should first contact the principal at their child's school. Please see our Schools Directory for principal contact information for each school site.
If you have additional questions or are not satisfied with the resolution offered by your child's school principal, please contact the appropriate Executive Director or the Office of the Ombudsperson.
Contact Us
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Educational Equity - Title IX
Location: 1108 Bissell Ave.
Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4538
Fax: (510) 236-0662Matthew Duffy,
Superintendent & Division Head
Rhonda Haney,
Title IX Director/Ombudsperson
WCCUSD Nondiscrimination Policies and Procedures
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Non-Discrimination Policy: View the Announcement of Nondiscrimination /Harassment
West Contra Costa Unified School District programs, activities, and practices shall be free from discrimination, intimidation, harassment, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, immigration status, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital, parental or family status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression; or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
If you believe you have been discriminated against, immediately contact the school site principal and/or Director of the Office of Educational Equity, Rhonda Haney, Title IX Compliance Officer at 1108 Bissell Ave., Richmond, CA 94801 at 510-307-4538 or rhaney@wccusd.net.Politica de No Discriminación: Anuncio de No Discriminación/Acoso
En el Distrito Escolar Unificado de West contra Costa los programas escolares, actividades y prácticas debe estar libre de discriminación, intimidación, acoso y acoso basada en la real o percibida raza, color, ascendencia, origen nacional, estado migratorio, grupo étnico, edad, religión, estado civil o paternal o familia, física o mental, el sexo, orientación sexual, género, identidad de género o expresión de género; o sobre la base de la asociación de una persona con una persona o grupo con una o más de estas características reales o percibidas.
Si usted cree que ha sido discriminado, inmediatamente ponga se en contacto con la/el director/a de la escuela y / o Director de la Oficina de Equidad Educativa, Rhonda Haney, la oficial sobre la conformidad del Título IX ubicada en 1108 Bissell Ave., Richmond, CA 94801 o 510-307-4538 o rhaney@wccusd.net.
Formal Complaint Procedures
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Note: During physical school closures we request that Title IX and UCP complaints be filed via email.
How to File a Formal Complaint
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Title IX Complaints
Federal Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), implemented at 34 C.F.R. § 106.31, subd. (a), provides that no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient which receives federal financial assistance.
Sexual harassment under Title IX means conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following:
- An employee of the school district conditioning the provision of an aid, benefit or service of the school district on an individual’s participating in unwelcome sexual conduct (quid pro quo);
- Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the recipient’s education program or activity; or
- “Sexual assault” as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)(v), “dating violence” as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(10), “domestic violence” as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(8), or “stalking” as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(30).
Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment (whether or not the person reporting is also the alleged victim) in one of the following ways:
- In person, by mail, by telephone or by e-mail, using the contact information listed below for the District’s Title IX Coordinator;
- By any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator receiving the person’s verbal, written report, or Title IX Complaint Form (Spanish).
Contact information for the District’s Title IX Coordinator is as follows:
Rhonda Haney
Director, Office of Educational Equity/Title IX Coordinator
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4538
Email: rhaney@wccusd.netFor more information on filing and processing of Title IX complaints, please see the following:
For Complaints Concerning Student-Victims: District Board Policy (“BP”) 5145.7 and Administrative Regulation (“AR”) 5145.7 – Sexual Harassment and AR 5145.71 – Title IX Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures.
For Complaints Concerning Employee-Victims: BP 4119.11/AR 4119.11 – Sexual Harassment.
NOTE: For student complaints: See Uniform Complaint Procedures; For employee complaints: See BP 4030/AR 4030- Nondiscrimination in Employment and BP 1312.1/AR 1312.1- Complaints Concerning District Personnel.
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Uniform Complaint Procedure (UCP) Complaints
The Uniform Complaint Procedures (“UCP”) apply to complaints alleging a violation of applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing educational programs. The UCP shall be used to investigate and resolve allegations made by a student, or a student’s duly authorized representative, involving unlawful discrimination, intimidation, or bullying based on a protected characteristic.
The UCP also shall be used for allegations of a violation of specific federal and state programs that use categorical funds, such as Adult Education, Career Technical Education, Child Care and Development. A full list of complaints covered by the UCP can be found under BP 1312.3.
UCP complaints can be filed by completing the complaint form (Spanish) and returning it to:
Rhonda Haney
Director, Office of Educational Equity/Title IX Coordinator
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4538
Email: rhaney@wccusd.netMore information about the UCP process is available from the California Department of Education at https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cp/uc/.
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Williams Complaints
A Williams Complaint may be filed regarding instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils, and teacher vacancies or misassignments and may be filed anonymously. Williams Complaints are filed with the principal of the school in which the complaint arises. The District has a complaint form (Spanish) available for these types of complaints. Additional procedures are defined in AR 1312.4 - Williams Complaints.
For questions regarding Williams Complaints, please contact:
Insufficient Textbooks and Instructional Materials:
Lyn Potter
Director of State & Federal Programs
West Contra Costa Unified School District
3400 MacDonald Ave., Building H, Richmond, CA 94805
Phone: (510) 307-4500
Email: lpotter@wccusd.netTeacher Vacancy or Misassignment:
Sylvia Greenwood, Ed.D.
Director of Human Resources, Certificated Personnel
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1181
Email: sgreenwood@wccusd.netFacilities Conditions:
Vince Meyer
Director, Maintenance and Operations (Interim)
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Facilities Operations Center
1400 Marina Way South, Richmond, CA 94804
Phone: (510) 231-1109
Email: vincent.meyer@wccusd.net -
Complaints Concerning District Personnel
Complaints Concerning District Personnel (not alleging unlawful discrimination)
Complaints regarding school district employees may be communicated in writing by completing the complaint form (Spanish) and addressing it to:
Sylvia Greenwood, Ed.D.
Director of Human Resources, Certificated Personnel
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1181
Email: sgreenwood@wccusd.netJanet Scott, Ed.D.
Director of Human Resources, Classified Personnel
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4521
Email: janet.scott@wccusd.netRhonda Haney
Director, Office of Educational Equity/Title IX Coordinator
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4538
Email: rhaney@wccusd.netAdditional procedures for complaints concerning District employees that do not allege unlawful harassment are set forth in BP 1312.1/AR 1312.1- Complaints Concerning District Employees.
Unlawful Discrimination Complaints (Employees)
The Board prohibits district employees from discriminating against or harassing any other district employee or job applicants on the basis of the person's actual or perceived race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, or sexual orientation.
Complaints from District employees alleging unlawful discrimination may be communicated in writing and addressed to:
Marci Williams
Chief Personnel Officer, Human Resources
West Contra Costa Unified School District
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1188
Email: marci.williams@wccusd.netAdditional procedures for complaints concerning District employees that allege unlawful harassment are set forth in BP 4030/AR 4030- Nondiscrimination in Employment.
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Special Education Complaints
Complaints regarding the identification, assessment, or educational placement of a student may be directed to the Special Education Department:
Kristen Hardy
SELPA Director, Special Education
West Contra Costa Unified School District
3000 Parker Road, Richmond, CA 94806
Phone: (510) 307-4630
Email: kristen.hardy@wccusd.net