UCP

What is a UCP Complaint?

The Uniform Complaint Procedures, also known as UCP, are a way for students, parents, guardians, staff, and community members to raise concerns when they believe the District may not be following certain state or federal education laws.

A UCP complaint is usually a written and signed statement that explains the concern. This may include complaints about unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, student fees, instructional materials, school facilities, certain educational programs, or other matters covered by the UCP.

Your signature can be handwritten, typed in an email, or submitted electronically. In some situations, complaints may also be filed anonymously. However, if the complaint is filed on behalf of an individual student, it must be submitted by that student or by someone legally authorized to act on the student’s behalf, such as a parent, guardian, or authorized representative.

We understand that writing a complaint may not be easy for everyone. If you need help putting your complaint in writing because of a disability, difficulty reading or writing, language needs, or another barrier, the District will assist you.

What UCP Does Not Include

Not every concern is handled through the UCP process. Some concerns are addressed through other District procedures because they involve different rules, timelines, or decision-makers.

For example, the UCP process generally does not include:

• Concerns about individual employee conduct that are not connected to discrimination, harassment, intimidation, bullying, or another UCP-covered issue.

• General personnel complaints, workplace concerns, or employee discipline matters.

• Student discipline decisions, classroom concerns, grading disputes, or school rules, unless the concern also involves a violation covered by UCP.

• Special education disputes that must be handled through special education procedures, such as due process or state compliance complaint processes.

• Title IX sex discrimination or sex-based harassment complaints when they must be handled under the District’s Title IX complaint procedures.

• Concerns that are already being handled through another formal complaint, appeal, grievance, or legal process.

Our Commitment

Even when a concern does not fall under UCP, the District will help guide students, families, staff, and community members to the appropriate process. Our goal is to make sure every concern is heard, reviewed, and addressed in a fair, respectful, and timely manner.

Programs and Activities Subject to the UCP

• Accommodations for Pregnant and Parenting Pupils
• Adult Education Programs
• After School Education and Safety
• Agricultural Career Technical Education
• Career Technical and Technical Education and Career Technical and Technical Training Programs
• Child Care and Development Programs
• Compensatory Education
• Consolidated Categorical Aid Programs
• Course Periods without Educational Content
• Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying against any protected group as identified under California Education Code (EC) sections 200 and 220 and Section 11135 of the Government Code, including any actual or perceived characteristic as set forth in Section 422.55 of the Penal Code, or on the basis of a person’s association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics, in any program or activity conducted by an educational institution, as defined in Section 210.3, that is funded directly by, or that receives or benefits from, any state financial assistance
• Educational and graduation requirements for pupils in foster care, pupils who are homeless, pupils from military families, pupils formerly in Juvenile Court now enrolled in a school district, pupils who are migratory, and pupils participating in a newcomer program
• Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
• Instructional Materials and Curriculum: Diversity
• Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP)
• Migrant Child Education
• Physical Education Instructional Minutes
• Pupil Fees
• Reasonable Accommodations to a Lactating Pupil
• Regional Occupational Centers and Programs
• School Plans for Student Achievement
• School or athletic team names, mascots, or nicknames
• Schoolsite Councils
• State Preschool
• State Preschool Health and Safety Issues in LEAs Exempt from Licensing
• And any other state or federal educational program the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) of the California Department of Education (CDE) or designee deems appropriate.

In addition, the following Williams Complaints are subject to the UCP:

• Instructional materials
• Emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils or staff
• Teacher vacancy or misassignments

The following are board-approved policies that contain all relevant information regarding the Uniform Complaint Procedures. 

• Regulation 1312.3: Uniform Complaint Procedures 
• Policy 1312.3: Uniform Complaint Procedures

Filing a UCP Complaint

• A UCP complaint shall be filed no later than one year from the date the alleged violation occurred.
• For complaints relating to Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAP), the date of the alleged violation is the date when the reviewing authority approves the LCAP or annual update that was adopted by our agency.
• A pupil enrolled in any of our public schools shall not be required to pay a pupil fee for participation in an educational activity.
• A pupil fee complaint may be filed with the principal of a school or our superintendent, or their designee.
• A pupil fee or LCAP complaint may be filed anonymously, that is, without an identifying signature, if the complainant provides evidence or information leading to evidence to support an allegation of noncompliance.

Submit the UCP Form Electronically

What UCP Does Not Cover

Not all concerns fall under the UCP process. Many matters are the responsibility of the local educational agency, such as Moreno Valley Unified School District, and may be addressed through other District procedures.

Examples of concerns that are generally not covered by UCP include:

• Classroom assignments
• Common Core
• Grades
• Graduation requirements
• Special education matters
• Hiring and evaluation of staff
• Homework policies and practices
• Student advancement and retention
• Student discipline
• Student records
• The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act
• The Brown Act
• Other general education requirements

Although these concerns may not fall under UCP, the District may use its local complaint procedures to review and address complaints that are not covered by the UCP process.

It is also important to know that only complaints involving subject matters covered by UCP may be appealed to the California Department of Education (CDE).

Complaints Referred to Other Agencies

Some complaints must be referred to other agencies because they are not handled through UCP. These include:

• Allegations of child abuse are referred to County Departments of Social Services, Protective Services Divisions, or appropriate law enforcement agencies.

• Health and safety complaints involving licensed facilities operating a Child Development Program are referred to the Department of Social Services.

• Employment complaints, which are referred to the California Civil Rights Department, formerly known as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing.