• How to File a Complaint Under Title IX

    Complaints pertaining to Title IX issues should be filed utilizing the procedures detailed below as found at the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights.

    "If you believe you have been discriminated or retaliated against on any of these bases by a covered entity, you may file a complaint using either the electronic complaint form or the fillable PDF complaint form linked at the bottom of this page. 

    If you choose to file a complaint using either method, you will be asked to provide your name, address, and email address; the name and address of the person discriminated against; and the name and address of the entity you believe discriminated. 

    You also will be asked which of the kinds of discrimination forms the basis for your complaint. You will need to provide a description of the conduct that you believe is discriminatory. 

    By law, complaints of discrimination must ordinarily be filed within 180 days of the last act of discrimination. If your complaint involves matters that occurred longer ago than this and you are requesting a waiver, you will be asked to show good cause why you did not file your complaint within the 180-day period.

    You will be asked whether you have tried to resolve the matter using a grievance procedure or by filing with another agency.

    In addition to the complaint, a signed Consent Form may be required. When disclosure of the identity of the complainant is necessary in order to resolve the complaint, OCR will require written consent before proceeding. The complainant will be informed that the complaint will be closed if written consent is necessary in order to resolve the complaint and is not received within 20 calendar days of the date of the acknowledgement letter or the date the Consent Form is requested from the complainant. The signed Consent Form may be submitted to OCR by mail, fax, email (with a scanned attachment), or in person. 

    When OCR has determined that consent is necessary in order to resolve the complaint and OCR has not received a signed Consent Form by the 15th calendar day of the date of the acknowledgment letter or the date the Consent Form is requested from the complainant, OCR will contact the complainant (e.g., by phone) to inform the complainant that the complaint will be closed if the signed Consent Form is not received within 5 calendar days. If OCR does not receive signed written Consent Form, the complaint will be dismissed, and the complainant informed in writing. 

    A complainant on behalf of or regarding to another person(s) is responsible for securing any necessary written consent from that individual, including when a parent files for a student over the age of 18. Where the person is a minor (under the age of 18) or a legally incompetent adult, the Consent Form must be signed by that person’s parent or legal guardian. Parental or legal guardian consent may not be required for persons under the age of 18 if they are emancipated under state law and are therefore considered to have obtained majority. Proof of emancipation or incompetence must be provided. 

    If you submit the completed electronic complaint form, it will be routed to the OCR office with authority to handle complaints in the state where the institution or entity you are complaining about is located. A staff person will contact you once your electronic complaint has been received and reviewed. 

    If you select the fillable PDF complaint form, once you complete the complaint form and Consent Form, you should print them out, sign them; and mail them (or email scanned copies of the signed forms) to the Enforcement Office with authority for the state where the institution or entity you are complaining about is located. A staff person will contact you once your complaint has been received and reviewed. 

    You may now continue to either the electronic complaint form or the fillable PDF complaint form, or you may return to the OCR Complaint Process page at

    Complaints pertaining to Title IX issues should be filed utilizing the procedures detailed above as found at the US Department of Education” Office of Civil Rights. 

    The OCR office for California is located at:

    San Francisco Office 

    Office for Civil Rights 

    U.S. Department of Education 

    50 United Nations Plaza 

    Mail Box 1200, Room 1545 

    San Francisco, CA 94102

    Telephone: 415-486-5555 

    FAX: 415-486-5570; TDD: 800-877-8339 

    Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov

     

    The OCR National Headquarters is located at:

    U.S. Department of Education 

    Office for Civil Rights 

    Lyndon Baines Johnson 

    Department of Education Bldg 

    400 Maryland Avenue, SW 

    Washington, DC 20202-1100

    Telephone: 800-421-3481 

    FAX: 202-453-6012; TDD: 800-877-8339 

    Email: OCR@ed.gov

    Complaints pertaining to Title IX issues can also be filed utilizing the Uniform Complaint Procedures as identified in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Sections 4600 et seq.  For more information on the UCP complaints and appeals visit the CDE’s Uniform Complaint Procedures and Resolution of Discrimination/Harassment Complaint pages.

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