Source: http://www.maine.gov/doe/specialed/support/dispute/procedures/complaintinvestigation.html
Timestamp: 2015-01-31 08:17:53
Document Index: 579548671

Matched Legal Cases: ['§99', '§7206', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300', '§ 300']

Maine DOE - Due Process Complaint Investigation Procedures
Home → Special Education→ Support & Supervision → Effective Dispute Resolution→ Procedures & Forms → Due Process Complaint Investigation Procedures Special Education Home
An organization or individual may file a written complaint at any time in the calendar year with the Commissioner of the Maine Department of Education (the Commissioner), alleging that a public agency (such as a school administrative unit, Child Development Services site, private school or the Maine Department of Education) has failed to comply with Maine Special Education Laws and Regulations or the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA 2004) and its regulations. The complaint investigation process may also be used for the enforcement of a mediation agreement made under the Maine Unified Special Education Regulations (MUSER), Chapter 101, §§XVI.2 or 3.B(6) or for the enforcement of a resolution agreement made under MUSER, Ch. 101, §XVI.11.D, however, a party may choose to go to a court of competent jurisdiction for the enforcement of such agreements.
If an interested party requests a complaint investigation of a public agency and the complaint involves one or more specific families and/or students, in order for the interested party to receive any document containing personally identifiable information about a family and/or student and to participate in a mediation (along with a family and/or student), the form or letter requesting the complaint must be signed by that parent or adult student as well as the interested party. If the form is not signed by the parent or adult student, the interested party: shall not receive any document from the public agency, its representative or the Department with personally identifiable information about the family and/or student; and shall not participate in a mediation associated with the complaint investigation. Receipt of Complaint and Notification
Notify both parties of the date, time and place scheduled for a complaint investigation meeting. The meeting will take place after mediation (where the parties have agreed to participate in mediation) and before the date by which the documentation is due. Dismissal of a Complaint
The complaint investigator, upon receipt of a copy of the complaint, will send out to the complainant and the respondent a memorandum of draft allegations that are to be investigated. The draft allegations memorandum will also identify allegations that will not be investigated due to a legal insufficiency, such as would lead to the dismissal of a complaint. In the memo, the complaint investigator will request that the complainant do the following: 1) respond to the draft allegations by a certain date if that party believes the draft allegations are incorrect or incomplete; 2) submit by a certain date a response to the complaint (in the case of the respondent) and documents supporting that party’s positions; and 3) submit by a certain date the contact information for interviewees for the case. B. Complaint Investigation Meeting
At the complaint investigation meeting, held prior to the date by which the documents and contact information are due, the parties will work to clarify the allegations, stipulate to agreed facts and identify categories of documents to be submitted and interviewees to be contacted. The purpose of the meeting is to make the investigation process more efficient by identifying more precisely the scope and nature of the dispute and of the investigation. The meeting is not intended to be an opportunity for advocacy or resolution. If a complainant nevertheless intends to be represented at the meeting by an attorney or advocate, the attorney or advocate, or a person employed by that person’s firm or agency, shall provide the complaint investigator, the respondent and the Due Process Office with at least seven (7) days written notice prior to the complaint investigation meeting that they will be representing the parent at the meeting. An attorney may represent a respondent in a complaint investigation meeting only when an attorney represents the complainant. C. Data Collection
The complaint investigator will carry out an independent investigation and review all relevant information concerning the alleged violation(s). The complaint investigator, as an agent of the Commissioner, is authorized to review all relevant educational records while conducting a complaint investigation (34 C.F.R. §99.35(a) of the implementing regulations for the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act). The respondent shall comply with any reasonable request for copies of records within 5 calendar days of its receipt of the request.
the date the complaint was received; the date the complainant and respondent were notified; the date the complaint investigator was appointed;
the date the respondent’s response to the complaint was received; if applicable, the reason any extension of time frames beyond 60 days was granted;
all findings of fact and conclusions of law relating to each allegation; and the reasons for the final decision regarding each allegation.
May withhold financial aid from the respondent until it complies with the Commissioner’s order; and/or Shall refer the matter to the Attorney General or his/her designee, who shall take appropriate action to bring the respondent into compliance.
If a parent or adult student decides during the CAP compliance monitoring period that they do not wish to take advantage of some or all of the CAP items, they may contact the case manager and discuss their reason(s) for no longer wanting to do so. The case manager may then request that the parent or adult student send a written waiver for those CAP items. Providing the case manager has no concerns about the cause of the parent or adult student’s decision to waive the CAP items, the case manager will write a letter to the Superintendent about the waiver and will relieve the respondent of the obligation to fulfill the affected CAP requirements. If, however, a parent or adult student claims that the reason for no longer wanting to take advantage of the CAP items is that the respondent has pressured them to do so or has refused to provide or follow through on a CAP item, the case manager will report this to the Attorney General’s Office.
If, after the CIR is issued, a party wishes to take some or all of the complaint investigation allegations to a forum where more formal procedures are used, the party may file for a due process hearing. More information about the hearing process and a copy of the hearing request form may be obtained from the Due Process Office, voice: (207) 624-6644 and TTY: (888)577-6690 or from the Maine Department of Education website at: www.maine.gov/education/speced/rules/07regs.rtf. What if, after the complaint is filed, the respondent requests a due process hearing?
If, after the complaint is filed, the respondent requests a due process hearing under MUSER §XVI.5 that involves all of the issues raised by the complaint, the complaint will be held in abeyance until the conclusion of the hearing. If the due process hearing involves some but not all of the issues raised by the complaint, only those issues not involved in the hearing will continue to be investigated. The due process hearing decision will be binding on all issues covered by it.
Appendix Applicable Statutes and Regulations
Title 20-A M.R.S.A. §7206. Investigation of noncompliance.
§XVI.4.A Minimum State Complaint Procedures.
(a) Carry out an independent on-site investigation, if it determines that an investigation is necessary; (b) Give the complainant the opportunity to submit additional information, either orally or in writing, about the allegations in the complaint; (c) Provide the SAU with the opportunity to respond to the complaint, including, at the discretion of the SAU, a proposal to resolve the complaint; (d) Provide an opportunity for a parent who has filed a complaint (or individual or organization who has filed a complaint, with the authorization of the parent)and the 05-071 Chapter 101, Maine Unified Special Education Regulation page 155 SAU to voluntarily engage in mediation consistent with Section XVI.2 of this Chapter and 34 CFR § 300.506; (e) Review all relevant information and make an independent determination as to whether the SAU is violating a requirement of Part B or Part C of the Act or of this chapter; and
(f) Issue a written decision to the complainant that addresses each allegation in the complaint and contains-- (i) Findings of fact and conclusions; and
(b) Negotiations; and (c) Corrective actions to achieve compliance.
(a) If a written complaint is received that is also the subject of a due process hearing under Section XIV.5 of this chapter [§ 300.507 or §§ 300.530 through 300.532], or contains multiple issues of which one or more are part of that hearing, the Department shall set aside any part of the complaint that is being addressed in the due process hearing until the conclusion of the hearing. However, any issue in the complaint that is not a part of the due process action shall be 05-071 Chapter 101, Maine Unified Special Education Regulation page 156 resolved using the time limit and procedures described in paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section. (b) If an issue raised in a complaint filed under this section has previously been decided in a due process hearing involving the same parties--
(ii) The Department shall inform the complainant to that effect. (c) A complaint alleging a SAU's failure to implement a due process hearing decision shall be resolved by the Department [20 U.S.C. 1221e-3 and 34 CFR 300.152] B. Filing a Complaint. (1) An organization or individual may file a signed written complaint under the procedures described in paragraph (A) of this section.
(2) The complaint must include: (a) A statement that a public agency , SAU has violated a requirement of Part B or Part C of the Act or of this part chapter; (b) The facts on which the statement is based;
(d) If alleging violations with respect to a specific child -- (i) The name and address of the residence of the child; (ii) The name of the school or the early intervention services provider the child is attending;
(iii) In the case of a homeless child or youth (within the meaning of section 725(2) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a(2)), available contact information for the child, and the name of the school the child is attending; 05-071 Chapter 101, Maine Unified Special Education Regulation page 157 (iv) A description of the nature of the problem of the child, including facts relating to the problem; and
(v) A proposed resolution of the problem to the extent known and available to the party at the time the complaint is filed. (3) The complaint must allege a violation that occurred not more than one year prior to the date that the complaint is received in accordance with paragraph (1) of this section [§ 300.151] unless a longer period is reasonable because the complainant is requesting compensatory services for a violation that allegedly occurred not more than two years prior to the date that the written complaint is received by the Department. (4) The party filing the complaint must forward a copy of the complaint to the SAU serving the child at the same time the party files the complaint with the Department. [20 USC 1221e-3 and 34 CFR 300.153]