No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”
Title IX applies to all educational institutions, both public and private, that receive federal funds. Almost all private colleges and universities must abide by Title IX regulations because they receive federal funding through federal financial aid programs used by their students.
Although it is the application of Title IX to athletics that has gained the greatest public visibility, the law applies to every single aspect of education, including course offerings, counseling and counseling materials, financial assistance, student health and insurance benefits and/or other services, housing, marital and parental status of students, physical education and athletics, education programs and activities, and employment.
Title IX contact – Delta Elementary Charter School
Andrea Flores
[email protected]
916-744-1200
Title IX contact – Lighthouse Charter School
Kara Schene
[email protected]
916-744-1212
–Student Rights under Title IX–
Your school must:
Act to ensure your school is not a hostile environment.
Promptly investigate and respond to your complaint.
Provide you the accommodations, including counseling, you need to learn.
Provide you the opportunity to be accompanied by an advisor of your choice to a disciplinary hearing and notice of the outcome.
Provide violence prevention training to students.
To file any type of complaint/concern that a student/employee might have under Title IX please email Andrea Flores or Kara Schene.
Cyberbullying includes the transmission of harassing communication, direct threats, or other harmful texts, sounds, videos, or images on the Internet, social media, or other technologies using a telephone, computer, or any wireless communication device. Cyberbullying also includes breaking into another person’s electronic account and assuming that person’s identity in order to damage that person’s reputation.
The Charter School has procedures governing identification, prevention, and consequences of cyberbullying, and how the Charter School educates and trains students and staff about these important issues. These procedures be found within the Title IX, Harassment, Discrimination, Intimidation, & Bullying Policy, available on the school website.
If you or someone you know is experiencing cyberbullying, please reach out to the Charter School Title IX Coordinator.
How to File a complaint:
Reports and complaints of misconduct prohibited by this Policy shall be submitted to the Title IX Coordinator as soon as possible after the incidents giving rise to the report or complaint.
While submission of a written report is not required, and RCS will investigate and respond to all oral and written reports of misconduct prohibited by this Policy, the reporting party is encouraged to submit a written report. Reports may be made anonymously, but formal disciplinary action cannot be based solely on an anonymous report. Students are expected to report all incidents of misconduct prohibited by this Policy and other verbal or physical abuses. Any student who feels they are a target of such behavior should immediately contact a teacher, counselor, principal, a staff person or a family member so that the student can get assistance in resolving the issue in a manner that is consistent with this Policy.
Investigation and Response
Review and Acceptance of Formal Complaint
Upon receipt of a report or complaint of misconduct prohibited by this Policy, the Title IX Coordinator will review the complaint to ensure it meets the required criteria. Dismissal is mandatory if the conduct does not meet the Title IX or policy standards. If the complaint violates the Policy, then the Title IX Coordinator will promptly initiate an investigation.
If the complaint is against the Title IX Coordinator, then the Superintendent, or a non-employee Board member who is not the Board Chair or a parent/guardian of a student at RCS will conduct a fact-finding investigation and provide the complainant with information about the investigation and resolution of the incident/situation.
Notify Parties of Formal Complaint
A written notice will be issued to both parties detailing the allegations, respondent’s presumption of innocence, and their rights to present evidence.
Conduct Investigation
The Title IX Coordinator gathers evidence, interviews relevant parties, and provides equal opportunity for both complainant and respondent to submit witnesses and evidence.
In most cases, a thorough investigation will take no more than twenty-five (25) school days. At the conclusion of the investigation, the Title IX Coordinator will, to the extent possible with respect to confidentiality laws, provide both parties with an investigative report summarizing relevant evidence and information about the investigation and resolution of the incident/situation. However, the Title IX Coordinator will not reveal confidential information related to other students or employees. Both parties will be allowed at least 10 school days to submit a written response.
Decision and Appeals Process
Issue Written Decision
The Superintendent reviews the case using the preponderance of evidence standard and issues a written decision that includes findings, rationale, and any disciplinary actions.
Provide Remedies and Corrective Actions
If the respondent is found responsible, provide remedies to the complainant to restore equal access. Possible actions include disciplinary measures, behavior support, or a change in work/class schedule.
Right of Appeal
Should either party find RCS’s resolution unsatisfactory, the complainant or respondent may, within five (5) business days of notice of RCS’s decision or resolution, submit a written appeal to the Chair of the RCS Board, who will serve as the decisionmaker for the appeal or designate a decisionmaker for the appeal. The decisionmaker for the appeal will notify the complainant of the final decision.
The complainant also has a right to file a complaint of sexual harassment or discrimination to the California Department of Education’s Office of Equal Opportunity, within 180 calendar days of the date of the alleged discrimination (unless the time for filing is extended by the Office of Civil Rights for good cause shown). A discrimination complaint may also be filed directly with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights.
For additional information regarding filing a complaint with OCR, please contact the California regional office at:
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: [email protected]
