- West Contra Costa Unified School District
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The Office of the Ombudsperson
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The Office of the Ombudsperson is responsible for the intake and monitoring of all formal district complaints. Formal complaints can now be filed in this office.
The Ombudsperson serves as an independent and confidential resource, assisting parents and community members in addressing complaints, conflicts, and other school-related issues.
The District Ombudsperson is guided by the following principles:- Independence;
- Neutrality/impartiality;
- Confidentiality; and
- Informality
The purpose of the District Ombudsperson is to ensure the complaint process is followed and that all members of the West Contra Costa Unified School District receive fair and equitable treatment in matters of concern or complaint.
The District encourages the early, informal resolution of complaints at the site level whenever possible. If parents or guardians have a concern, they should first contact the principal at their child's school. Please see our Schools Directory for principal contact information for each school site.
If you have additional questions or are not satisfied with the resolution offered by your child's school principal, please contact the appropriate Executive Director or the Office of the Ombudsperson.
Contact Us
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Educational Equity - Title IX
Location: 1108 Bissell Ave.
Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1118
Fax: (510) 236-0662Dr. Camille Johnson
Associate Superintendent of Human Resources & Division Head
Jose Espinoza
Director
Office of Educational Equity / Title IX Coordinator / Equity Compliance Officer
WCCUSD Nondiscrimination Policies and Procedures
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Non-Discrimination Policy: View the Announcement of Non-Discrimination/Harassment
The West Contra Costa Unified School District prohibits discrimination, intimidation, harassment (including sexual harassment), or bullying based on a person’s actual or perceived ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, immigration status, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
For questions or complaints, contact Equity Compliance Officer/Title IX Coordinator: Jose Espinoza, 1108 Bissell Avenue Richmond, CA 94801, (510) 231-1118, jespinoza2@wccusd.net and Section 504: Executive Directors' Office by school area. Area 1: Dr. DiShawn Givens (dishawn.givens@wccusd.net), Area 2: Jawan Eldridge (jeldridge@wccusd.net), Area 3: Jose De Leon (jdeleon@wccusd.net), 1108 Bissell Ave., Richmond, CA 94801, (510) 231-1483.
Politica de No Discriminación: Anuncio de No Discriminación/Acoso
El Distrito Escolar Unificado de West Contra Costa prohíbe la discriminación, la intimidación, el acoso (incluyendo el acoso sexual) o la intimidación en base a las características reales o percibidas de descendencia, color, discapacidad, género, identificación con un género determinado, expresión de pertenencia a un género, estado migratorio, nacionalidad, raza u origen étnico, religión, edad, además de sexo, orientación sexual, o asociación con una persona o grupo de personas con una o más de estas características ya sean reales o percibidas.
Para preguntas o quejas, comuníquese con el personal de la Oficial de Cumplimiento de la Equidad/Coordinador del Título IX: Jose Espinoza, 1108 Bissell Avenida, Richmond, CA 94801, (510) 231-1118, jespinoza2@wccusd.net y con Sección 504: Oficina del Director Ejecutivo por área escolar. Área 1: Dra. DiShawn Givens (dishawn.givens@wccusd.net), Área 2: Jawan Eldridge (jeldridge@wccusd.net), Área 3: Jose De Leon (jdeleon@wccusd.net), 1108 Bissell Ave., Richmond, CA 94801, (510) 231-1483.
How to File a Formal Complaint
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Title IX Complaints
Federal Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), implemented at 34 C.F.R. § 106.31, subd. (a), provides that no person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any academic, extracurricular, research, occupational training, or other education program or activity operated by a recipient which receives federal financial assistance.
Sexual harassment under Title IX means conduct on the basis of sex that satisfies one or more of the following:
- An employee of the school district conditioning the provision of an aid, benefit or service of the school district on an individual’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct (quid pro quo);
- Unwelcome conduct determined by a reasonable person to be so severe, pervasive and objectively offensive that it effectively denies a person equal access to the recipient’s education program or activity; or
- “Sexual assault” as defined in 20 U.S.C. 1092(f)(6)(A)(v), “dating violence” as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(10), “domestic violence” as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(8), or “stalking” as defined in 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(30).
Any person may report sex discrimination, including sexual harassment (whether or not the person reporting is also the alleged victim) in one of the following ways:
- In person, by mail, by telephone or by e-mail, using the contact information listed below for the District’s Title IX Coordinator;
- By any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator receiving the person’s verbal, written report, or Title IX Complaint Form (English) (Spanish).
Contact information for the District’s Title IX Coordinator is as follows:
Jose Espinoza
Director, Office of Educational Equity | Title IX Coordinator | Equity Compliance Officer
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1118
Email: jespinoza2@wccusd.netFor more information on filing and processing of Title IX complaints, please see the following:
For Complaints Concerning Student-Victims: District Board Policy BP 5145.7 and Administrative Regulation AR 5145.7 – Sexual Harassment and AR 5145.71 – Title IX Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures.
For Complaints Concerning Employee-Victims: BP 4119.11/AR 4119.11 – Sexual Harassment.
NOTE: For student complaints: See Uniform Complaint Procedures; For employee complaints: See BP 4030/AR 4030- Nondiscrimination in Employment and BP 1312.1/AR 1312.1- Complaints Concerning District Personnel.
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Uniform Complaint Procedure (UCP) Complaints
The Uniform Complaint Procedures (“UCP”) apply to complaints alleging a violation of applicable state and federal laws and regulations governing educational programs. The UCP shall be used to investigate and resolve allegations made by a student, or a student’s duly authorized representative, involving unlawful discrimination, intimidation, or bullying based on a protected characteristic.
The UCP also shall be used for allegations of a violation of specific federal and state programs that use categorical funds, such as Adult Education, Career Technical Education, Child Care and Development. A full list of complaints covered by the UCP can be found under BP 1312.3.
UCP complaints can be filed by completing the Complaint Form (English) (Spanish) and returning it to:
Jose Espinoza
Director, Office of Educational Equity | Title IX Coordinator | Equity Compliance Officer
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1118
Email: jespinoza2@wccusd.netMore information about the UCP process is available from the California Department of Education at https://www.cde.ca.gov/re/cp/uc/.
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Williams Complaints
A Williams Complaint may be filed regarding instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils, and teacher vacancies or misassignments and may be filed anonymously. Williams Complaints are filed with the principal of the school in which the complaint arises. The District has a Complaint Form (English) (Spanish) available for these types of complaints. Additional procedures are defined in AR 1312.4 - Williams Complaints.
For questions regarding Williams Complaints, please contact:
Insufficient Textbooks and Instructional Materials:
Dr. Paul Mansingh
Director of Curriculum & Instruction
State & Federal ProgramsWEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1400 Marina Way South, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4505
Email: PMansingh@wccusd.netTeacher Vacancy or Misassignment:
Dr. Sylvia Greenwood
Director of Human Resources, Certificated Personnel
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1181
Email: SGreenwood@wccusd.netFacilities Conditions:
Michael Leuthold
Director of Maintenance
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
125 So. 8th St., Richmond, CA 94804
Phone: (510) 231-1109
Email: michael.leuthold@wccusd.netChris Kornahrens
Director of Operations
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
2550 Moraga Rd., San Pablo, CA 94806
Phone: (510) 307-7895
Email: chris.kornahrens@wccusd.net -
Complaints Concerning District Personnel
Complaints Concerning District Personnel (not alleging unlawful discrimination)
Complaints regarding school district employees may be communicated in writing by completing the Complaint Concerning District Personnel Form (English) (Spanish) and addressing it to:
Dr. Sylvia Greenwood
Director of Human Resources, Certificated Personnel
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1181
Email: SGreenwood@wccusd.netDenise Steen
Interim Director of Human Resources, Classified Personnel
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 307-4521
Email: DSteen@wccusd.netJose Espinoza
Director, Office of Educational Equity | Title IX Coordinator | Equity Compliance Officer
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1118
Email: JEspinoza2@wccusd.netAdditional procedures for complaints concerning District employees that do not allege unlawful harassment are set forth in BP 1312.1/AR 1312.1- Complaints Concerning District Employees.
Unlawful Discrimination Complaints (Employees)
The Board prohibits district employees from discriminating against or harassing any other district employee or job applicants on the basis of the person's actual or perceived race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, military and veteran status, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sex, or sexual orientation.
Complaints from District employees alleging unlawful discrimination may be communicated in writing and addressed to:
Associate Superintendent of Human Resources &Division Head
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1108 Bissell Avenue, Richmond, CA 94801
Phone: (510) 231-1185Email: Camille.Johnson@wccusd.netAdditional procedures for complaints concerning District employees that allege unlawful harassment are set forth in BP 4030/AR 4030- Nondiscrimination in Employment.
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Special Education Complaints
Complaints regarding the identification, assessment, or educational placement of a student may be directed to the Special Education Department:
Guthrie Fleischman
Division Head, SELPA Director, Special Education
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
3000 Parker Road, Richmond, CA 94806
Phone: (510) 307-4630
Email: GFleischman@wccusd.netPerlita VickroyDirector, Special Education Elementary, VI, WATR
WEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICTChavon Pangilinan-GreenDirector, Special Education Secondary, Transition Supervision Home HospitalWEST CONTRA COSTA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT -
Charter School Complaints
Complaints regarding students and/or employees at Charter schools.
West Contra Costa Unified School District - Authorized Charter Schools
Contact: Margarita Romo, Business Services Coordinator
Email: margarita.romo@wccusd.net
Phone Number: (510) 307-7866- Amethod Benito Juarez Elementary
- Amethod Richmond Charter Academy
- Aspire Richmond California College Prep
- Aspire Richmond Technology Academy
- Leadership Public Schools
- Richmond College Prep
- Summit Public Schools Tamalpais
- Voices College-Bound Language Academies
Contra Costa County Office of Education - Authorized Charter Schools
Contact: Neil McChesney, Coordinator, Charter School Oversight
Email: nmcchesney@cccoe.k12.ca.us
Phone Number: (925) 942-3381- Caliber Beta Academy
- Invictus Charter of Richmond
- Making Waves Academy
- Manzanita Charter School
- Summit Public Schools K2
State Board of Education - Authorized Charter School
Complaints can be emailed to Charters@cde.ca.gov.- Amethod John Henry High School
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U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Comisión de Igualdad de Oportunidades en el Empleo (EEOC) de EE. UU.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces Federal laws that protect you from discrimination in employment. If you believe you’ve been discriminated against at work or in applying for a job, the EEOC may be able to help.
EEOC "KNOW YOUR RIGHTS": DISCRIMINATION IN THE WORKPLACE IS ILLEGAL
La Comisión Para la Igualdad de Oportunidades en el Empleo (EEOC, por sus siglas en inglés) de los EE. UU. hace cumplir las leyes federales que lo protegen contra la discriminación en el empleo. Si cree que ha sido discriminado(a) en el trabajo o al solicitar un trabajo, la EEOC puede ayudarle.
EEOC "CONOZCA SUS DERECHOS: LA DISCRIMINACIÓN EN EL LUGAR DE TRABAJO ES ILEGAL (Spanish)
Formal Complaint Procedures
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Note: During physical school closures we request that Title IX and UCP complaints be filed via email.