§ 38-356 — Complaint resolution services.

District of Columbia § 38-356

• Jurisdiction: District of Columbia
• Title 38: Educational Institutions.
• Ch. 3A: Ombudsman for Public Education.

Text

(a) The Office of Ombudsman shall provide complaint resolution services, which shall be available to current and prospective public school students and their parents or guardians.

(b) Participation in complaint resolution services provided by the Office of Ombudsman shall be voluntary.

(c) Before submitting a complaint to the Office of Ombudsman, the complainant shall make reasonable efforts to resolve the issue at the school level.

(d) Complainants may submit complaints by phone, in writing, or electronically.

(e) Except as provided in subsection (f) of this section, the Office of Ombudsman shall review and investigate each complaint and shall do one or more of the following:

(1) Resolve the complaint;

(2) Refer the complainant to another agency or department;

(3) Require the complainant to submit documentation to support the complaint;

(4) Provide an opportunity for the complainant to meet with the subject of the complaint;

(5) Conduct mediation proceedings;

(6) Dismiss the complaint as unfounded; or

(7) Take any other action determined necessary and appropriate by the Ombudsman.

(f) The Ombudsman may refrain from investigating a complaint if the Ombudsman reasonably believes one or more of the following:

(1) It is plain from the face of the complaint that an adequate remedy is presently available, such that investigation is unwarranted;

(2) The complaint relates to a matter that is outside the jurisdiction of the Ombudsman;

(3) The complaint relates to an act of which the complainant has had knowledge for an unreasonable length of time before the complaint was submitted;

(4) The complainant does not have a sufficient personal interest in the subject matter of the complaint;

(5) Investigation of the complaint would not facilitate an action authorized pursuant to subsection (e) of this section;

(6) The complaint is made in bad faith; or

(7) The resources of the Ombudsman are insufficient for adequate investigation.

Legislative History

June 12, 2007, D.C. Law 17-9, § 606a; as added Feb. 22, 2014, D.C. Law 20-76, § 102(e), 61 DCR 39