Policies » Section K: School/Community-Home Relations » KED: Facilities or Services – Grievance Procedure

Policy Date: 03/07/2024

CSD File: KED
CANDIA SCHOOL DISTRICT
FACILITIES OR SERVICES – GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE (SECTION 504)

The Superintendent of Schools, or designee, is designated as the Section 504, Americans with
Disabilities Act, Title VI, and Title IX Coordinator. A complaint regarding a violation of law shall
be subject to a grievance procedure that provides for the prompt and equitable resolution of
disputes from all students, employees, and staff of the District.

Upon request, the building principal or his/her designee will provide a copy of the District’s
grievance procedures. The person who believes he/she has a valid basis for a grievance shall
discuss the grievance informally and on a verbal basis with the building administrator, who shall
in turn investigate the complaint and respond to the complainant. If not satisfied with the
response, the complainant may initiate formal procedures according to the following steps:

Step 1 A written statement of the grievance signed by the complainant shall be
submitted to the building coordinator of the school in which the violation is
alleged to have occurred within five (5) school days of receipt of answer to the
informal complaint. The building coordinator shall communicate his/her
decision to the aggrieved party in writing within five (5) days of receipt of the
written grievance. If the building coordinator is the person charged with the
violation, the grievant may submit the complaint to the Section 504 Coordinator
for the Candia School District.

Step 2 The aggrieved party, no later than five (5) school days after receipt of the
building coordinator’s decision, may appeal the building coordinator’s decision
to the Candia School District’s Section 504 Coordinator. The appeal to the
Candia School District’s Section 504 Coordinator must be made in writing
reciting the matter submitted to the principal and the aggrieved party’s
dissatisfaction with decisions previously rendered. The Candia School District’s
Section 504 Coordinator shall meet with the aggrieved party to attempt to
resolve the matter as quickly as possible, but within a period not to exceed five
(5) school days. The Assistant Superintendent of Schools shall communicate
his/her decision in writing to the aggrieved party and the building coordinator
no later than five (5) school days after the meeting.

Step 3 If the grievance is not resolved to the aggrieved party’s satisfaction, the
aggrieved party, no later than five (5) school days after receipt of the Candia
School District’s Section 504 Coordinator decision, may submit a written
request for a hearing with the local School Board regarding the alleged
discrimination through the Superintendent of Schools. The hearing will be held
within thirty (30) calendar days of the written request. The School Board must
provide the aggrieved party with a written decision on the appeal within ten
(10) calendar days after the hearing.

Step 4 The decision of the School Board is final pending any further legal recourse as
may be described in current local district, state or federal statutes pertaining to
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

A copy of the regulations on which this notice is based may be found in the Section 504
Coordinator’s office. During all steps of this complaint process, the aggrieved party and the
Candia School District may continue to negotiate a mutual solution to the alleged discrimination.
Upon such a mediated agreement, the procedure would be terminated.

Legal Reference:
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 34 CFR § 104.7(b)

Adopted: September 12, 2002
Revised: August 2, 2007, March 7, 2024