NCLB Complaint Process

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NCLB Complaint Process

Section 9304(a)(3)(C) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 as amended by the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110) requires states to adopt written procedures for the receipt and resolution of complaints alleging violations of law in the administration of the programs in P.L. 107-110.

Local Level Resolution for NCLB Complaints

Every effort should be made to resolve the complaint at the district or school level before filing a complaint with the Florida Department of Education (FLDOE). Typically, the school board policy will describe the parent grievance procedures. The local policy may require a meeting with the principal, central office administrators, and the school board. Once the local complaint process has been completed, if no resolution has been reached, the complaint may be submitted to the FLDOE.

Complaint Procedures for NCLB

Individuals filing complaints must include the following written information:

The name of school, campus, or school employee alleged to have violated a specific federal requirement.
The specific requirement you believe has been violated.
The actions, facts, and documentation on which you base your complaint.
Documentation of the efforts to resolve the complaint through the local parent complaint process.
The resolution you expect.

Written complaints are accepted by mail, fax, e-mail, or in person. The FLDOE must be able to verify the complainant’s name, phone number, and address in order to acknowledge receipt of the complaint. FLDOE will not be able to appropriately respond to the complaint without contact information. FLDOE requests a signature of the person filing the complaint. Send complaints to:

Office of Federal Programs
Florida Department of Education
325 West Gaines Street, Room 644
Tallahassee, Florida32399-0400
E-Mail:

Written complaints are forwarded to the appropriate State Education Agency (SEA) Division for review and response. If additional information is needed, the SEA Division will contact the person filing the complaint.

To ensure that you have properly accounted for the required components necessary for filing an official complaint, you can use the online NCLB complaint form. Fill out the required fields, print out the letter that is generated, and mail the signed form to to the address above. Should you need to file a complaint against a state approved Supplemental Educational Services (SES) provider, please refer to the following section.

Complaint Resolution for NCLB

FLDOE will respond to complaints about the requirements of NCLB within 60 days of receipt, unless an extension is needed because of extenuating circumstances. Complainants will be notified, in writing, if an extension will be needed and the reasons for the extension. The written resolution will include:

A statement of the federal program requirements involved.
A summary of the information, records, or data reviewed and considered.
The findings of fact.
The conclusions for each allegation, including the reasons for the conclusion.
Any technical assistance, negotiation, or corrective action that must occur and when the action must occur.

The written resolution will be mailed to the complainant and the superintendent of the school district or charter school against whom the allegations were made.

Complaint Procedures for Supplemental Educational Services

Supplemental educational services (SES) are free tutoring services offered to eligible students. There are two ways a student is eligible for the free tutoring. First, the student must attend a school that has not met the federal standard called adequate yearly progress (AYP) for two years. Second, the student must be eligible for free- or reduced-priced lunch. The purpose of the SES program is to raise student achievement in low performing, low income schools.

Before filing a complaint for an SES provider, contact the school district and report the provider to the district SES coordinator. A list of district SES coordinators is available on the Florida Department of Education’s (FDOE’s) Web site. Once the school district process is complete, if the issue cannot be resolved, the complaint may be submitted to the FDOE.

To submit a complaint regarding SES to the FDOE, complete and submit Form SES 200 to the FDOE with any supporting documentation. To access the online version of Form SES 200, please go to the online SES complaint form. The form should be printed, signed, and mailed to the Bureau of Federal Educational Programs at 325 West Gaines Street, Suite 348, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0400.

Questions or Assistance about NCLB

If you have questions about the NCLB complaint process or wish to speak to a program director about your NCLB complaint, please refer to the programs included in the Elementary and Secondary Act of 1965, as amended by the NCLB Act of 2001, listed below:

Programs	Program Contacts	Phone
Title I, Part A, Educational Disadvantaged Students		(850) 245-0828
Title I, Part A, NCLB Public School Choice Options		(850) 245-0684
Title I, Part C, Education of Migratory Children		(850) 245-0709
Title I, Part D, Subparts I & II		(850) 245-0684
Title II, Part A, Teacher & Principal Training/Recruiting		(850) 245-0734
Title II, Part D, Enhancing Education through Technology		(850) 245-9318
Title III, Part A, English Language Acquisition		(850) 245-5074
Title IV, Safe and Drug-Free Schools		(850) 245-0749
Title VI, Part B, Subpart 2, Rural & Low Income		(850) 245-0682
Title X, Education of Homeless Children & Youth Program		(850) 245-0668