Addressing Complaints & Concerns

Submitting a Complaint to the Board

All formal complaints submitted to this office are reviewed and processed in accordance with the oversight responsibilities and jurisdiction of the Board.

The Board's procedures for reviewing complaints is outlined in Arizona Administrative Code R7-5-507.

The Board can ONLY process complaints that are within its jurisdiction, therefore complaints MUST have the following:

Allege, with specificity that the charter holder is not in compliance with its charter, other contractual obligations to the Board, federal or state law, or other legal requirements;
Include a statement of the facts on which the allegation or allegations of contractual or legal noncompliance is or are based; and
Include supporting evidence.

Please read this entire page and confirm whether your complaint is within the Board's jurisdiction.

Quick Tips and Important Information

Understanding the Board's complaint process; The Board's procedures for reviewing complaints is outlined in Arizona Administrative Code R7-5-507
- Complaints submitted to the Board ARE NOT anonymous.
- All complaints submitted to the Board must be submitted through the Board's online system. See the button labeled "submit" below.
The Board takes your concerns seriously and wants to ensure that complaints are filed with the appropriate agency to best address the concern. See below for more information on issues that should be addressed with other entities.
- Before submitting a formal complaint to the Board, please review the Parent FAQ or School Employee FAQ for additional information regarding certain issues.
- Complaints regarding employment and labor should be directed to the Labor Department Division within the Industrial Commision of Arizona or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Complaints regarding Special Education Services should be directed to Exceptional Student Services.
Arizona's public schools have local control to make certain decisions. School policies such as grading and student retention are within the school's authority to determine.

Issues to be Addressed with Other Entities

While our office takes considerable concern regarding any of the below issues, the entities specified are the appropriate agencies you may submit the concerns to. Our office may utilize the findings of the investigation from these outside agencies to hold the Charters accountable.

Student Safety

If you believe the safety of a student or students is at risk, contact your local law enforcement agency immediately.

Special Education

If your complaint or concern relates to special education services provided at a charter school, learn more about submitting a complaint visit Exceptional Student Services at the Arizona Department of Education.

504 Plans

Federal law and regulations require a “free appropriate public education” (“FAPE”) to each qualified student with a disability, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. According to the website for the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, “Under Section 504, FAPE consists of the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services designed to meet the student’s individual educational needs as adequately as the needs of nondisabled students are met.” Learn more about submitting a complaint visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

Wages

If your complaint or concern relates to a charter school not paying you all of the wages owed to you, learn more about submitting a complaint visit the Labor Department of the Industrial Commission of Arizona.

English Language Learners

If your complaint or concern relates to services provided at a charter school to English language learners, contact the Arizona Department of Education’s Office of English Language Acquisition Services.

Discrimination

If your complaint or concern relates to possible discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age, learn more about submitting a complaint by visiting the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.

Open Meeting Law

If your complaint or concern relates to a charter school’s adherence to Open Meeting Law, contact either the Attorney General’s Office or the Arizona Ombudsman – Citizens’ Aide. The Attorney General’s Office is authorized by statute to investigate and resolve allegations involving violations of Open Meeting Law. Submit a complaint to the Attorney General’s Open Meeting Law Enforcement Team or view frequently asked questions about Open Meeting Law on the Arizona Ombudsman – Citizens’ Aide website.

Contact School Leadership/Governing Body

Charter schools are independent public schools and most operational decisions are made on-site. If you have an issue or complaint with a charter school, first try to resolve it at the school site or with the operator of the school.

If school leadership is unresponsive, find out when the governing body of the school meets to voice your concerns. Pursuant to state law and the charter contract, the governing body is responsible for the policy decisions of the charter school and is subject to Open Meeting Law.

If your complaint falls within the jurisdiction of the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools you may submit your complaint by clicking the box below.

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