• You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.

• You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.

• You have the right to have access to a sex/gender equity coordinator, referred to as the Title IX Coordinator (find contact information below), to answer questions regarding sex/gender equity laws.

• You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on sex/gender equity laws.

• You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the California Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex.

• You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.

• You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.

— (California Education Code § 221.8.)

At this time the County Office does not provide the following items related to athletics, but you have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following if any are provided by the County Office in the future:

• Equipment and supplies
• Scheduling of games and practices
• Transportation and daily allowances
• Access to tutoring
• Coaching
• Locker rooms
• Practice and competitive facilities
• Medical and training facilities and services
• Publicity

RCOE’s Title IX coordinator oversees compliance with Title IX requirements and promotes sex equity in RCOE programs.

Maria Gandera, Ed.D.
Executive Director, Personnel Services
Riverside County Office of Education
Riverside, CA 92502
951-826-6653
mgandera@rcoe.us

A complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or retaliation must be filed no later than six months from the date the discrimination or retaliation occurred, or six months from when the complainant first learned of the unlawful discrimination. The Superintendent or designee may extend this timeline by up to ninety days for good cause, upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension.

A student, parent, guardian, employee, individual, or organization may file a written complaint alleging discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and/or bullying on the basis of a protected characteristic under RCOE’s Uniform Complaint Procedure by sending a complaint to RCOE’s Title IX Coordinator:

Maria G. Gandera, Ed.D.
Executive Director, Personnel Services
Riverside County Office of Education
Riverside, CA 92502
951-826-6653
mgandera@rcoe.us

Uniform Complaint Form

If you need assistance putting your complaint in writing, please contact Personnel Services at 951-826-6653 or mgandera@rcoe.us. You may file a complaint anonymously, but RCOE’s ability to investigate and respond may be limited by a lack of information.

You may also file a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. For more information, visit the US Department of Education. Also available is the Electronic Complaint Form for the Office for Civil Rights.

Contact the Office for Civil Rights at:

San Francisco Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 486-5555
(415) 486-5570 (FAX)
(800) 877-8339 (TDD)
ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov

For information about how to file other types of complaints and the procedures for those complaints, contact RCOE’s Title IX coordinator.

Complaints filed under RCOE’s Uniform Complaint Procedure will be investigated and a decision made within sixty calendar days of the RCOE’s receipt, unless the complainant agrees to an extension. RCOE’s compliance officer or designee may interview alleged victims, alleged offenders, and relevant witnesses. The compliance officer may review available records, statements, or notes related to the complaint, including evidence or information received from the parties during the investigation. The compliance officer may visit reasonably accessible locations where discrimination is alleged to have occurred. As appropriate, RCOE’s compliance officer periodically will inform the parties of the status of the investigation. The complainant will be notified when a decision is made. Complaints that are not filed under RCOE’s Uniform Complaint Procedure will be investigated and decided pursuant to the applicable procedure.

What Happens After the Investigation

For complaints filed under the Uniform Complaint Procedure, the compliance officer will prepare and send a final written decision to the complainant and respondent, if any, within sixty (60) working days of RCOE’s receipt of the complaint (unless this deadline is extended by mutual agreement).

The complainant or respondent may appeal RCOE’s decision within fifteen calendar days to the California Department of Education. The appeal must specify the reason for the appeal and whether RCOE’s facts are incorrect and/or the law is misapplied. The appeal must include a copy of the original complaint to RCOE and a copy of RCOE’s decision. For more information, view the California Department of Education’s Uniform Complaint Procedures.

For complaints alleging unlawful discrimination based on state law, the complainant may pursue available civil law remedies, including seeking assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys, sixty calendar days after filing an appeal with the California Department of Education. (California Education Code § 262.3.) Note that this sixty day moratorium does not apply to complaints seeking injunctive relief in state courts or to discrimination complaints based on federal law. (California Education Code § 262.3.)

Complaints may also be filed with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. For contact information, see the section above on “How do I file a complaint of sex discrimination?" For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.

If the compliance officer finds that a complaint has merit, RCOE will take appropriate corrective action.