About
The complaint procedures described here shall be used to address any complaint governed by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 alleging that a student, while in an education program or activity in which a district school exercises substantial control over the context and respondent, was subjected to one or more of the following forms of sexual harassment: (34 CFR 106.30, 106.44)
- Quid Pro Quo (Something for Something): A ‘district employee’ conditioning the provision of a district aid, benefit, or service on the student’s participation in unwelcome sexual conduct.
- Hostile Environment: A hostile environment occurs when there is unwelcome sex-based conduct that, given the totality of the circumstances, is subjectively and objectively offensive and so severe or pervasive that it limits or denies a person’s ability to participate in or benefit from the recipient’s education program or activity.
- Severe: Sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, or stalking as defined in 20 USC 1092 or 34 USC 12291
All other sexual harassment complaints or allegations brought by or on behalf of students shall be investigated and resolved in accordance with BP/AR 1312.3 – Uniform Complaint Procedures. The determination of whether the allegations meet the definition of sexual harassment under Title IX shall be made by the district’s Title IX Coordinator.
Because the complainant has a right to pursue a complaint under BP/AR 1312.3 for any allegation that is dismissed or denied under the Title IX complaint procedure, the Title IX Coordinator shall ensure that all requirements and timelines for BP/AR 1312.3 are concurrently met while implementing the Title IX procedure.
Title IX Coordinator
DSUSD community members may contact the Title IX Coordinator to file a complaint regarding gender equity or sex-based harassment, discrimination, intimidation, and bullying because of actual or perceived disability, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race, ethnicity, color, ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, or association with a person or group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
Lisa McColl, Ed.D.
Resolution and Compliance Officer
Title IX Coordinator
47-950 Dune Palms Road, La Quinta, CA 92253
760-771-8788
[email protected]
Title IX Training
How do I report a Title IX Complaint?
Acts of verbal, nonverbal, or physical aggression, intimidation, or hostility that are based on sex, gender identity, or gender expression, regardless of whether they are sexual in nature, where the act has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact on the student's academic performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment are prohibited under state and federal law.
- An alleged victim of sexual harassment or the student’s parent/guardian may submit a report of sexual harassment to the district’s Title IX Coordinator or any other available school employee, who shall forward the report to the Title IX Coordinator within one day of receiving the report.
- Upon receiving such a report, the Title IX Coordinator shall inform the complainant of the right to file a formal complaint and the process for filing a formal complaint.
- A formal complaint, with the complainant’s physical or digital signature, may be filed with the TItle IX Coordinator in person, by mail, by email or by any other method authorized by the district.
Board Policies (AR 4119.12 / 4219.12 / 4319.12 / 5145.71)
Title IX Investigation Procedure
All complaints shall be appropriately investigated in a timely manner. Within 10 business days after the Title IX Coordinator receives the complaint, they shall begin an investigation into the complaint. The investigation shall include an opportunity for the complainant, the complainant’s representative, or both to present the coordinator or designee with any evidence, or information leading to evidence, to support the allegations in the complaint.
DSUSD shall issue a written decision based on the evidence within 90 calendar days from receipt of the written complaint. Any complainant who is dissatisfied with the District's final written decision may file an appeal in writing with the California Department of Education within 15 calendar days of receiving the District's decision.
Complaints made by or on behalf of students may also be filed with the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights, 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 under certain circumstances.
For information regarding filing a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), OCR provides an online complaint filing system.
The OCR can also be contacted through 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
Phone: 415-486-5555
Email: [email protected]