The primary responsibility of the Division of Compliance is the Complaint Management System. The Division received 593 complaints from parents, advocates, and organizations during the 1994-95 school year. Compliance advisers generally conduct visits to the school district and contact parents in the course of an investigation. A complaint investigation report is issued to the complaining party, with a copy to the school district. If there are violations that need to be addressed, the adviser will verify that each issue has been resolved and corrective action fulfilled.
Technical assistance is available to districts when needed.
As a function of the Complaint Management System, the Division of Compliance also operates the Special Education ConsultLine. Developed as a result of the Beth v. lawsuit settlement discussions, the ConsultLine is a toll-free telephone service that provides assistance with regulations, and information about special education programs and policy. ConsultLine serves families, organizations and legislative staff representing Pennsylvania's exceptional children. Technical assistance from staff within the Bureau or in the field can also be offered to assist with problems. This service began in February of 1995 and has served approximately 1800 people since that time.