Federal Programs

This complaint resolution procedure applies to all programs administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education under the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA). A complaint is a formal allegation that a specific federal or state law or regulation has been violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted by school district personnel or by Department of Education personnel.

Any parent or guardian, surrogate parent, teacher, administrator, school board member, or another person directly involved with an activity, program, or project operated under the general supervision of the Department may file a complaint. Such a complaint must be in writing and signed; it will provide specific details of the situation and indicate the law or regulation that is allegedly being violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted.

The written, signed complaint must be filed and the resolution pursued in accordance with MRH District Policy KL. Complaints are best resolved by addressing them at the level where the concern originated through communication with appropriate staff members. A complaint may be appealed by addressing the issue to the Board of Education by submitting a request to the superintendent or the secretary of the Board. If the issue cannot be resolved at the local level, the complainant may file a complaint with the Missouri Department of Education. If there is no evidence that the parties have attempted in good faith to resolve the complaint at the local level, the Department may require the parties to do so and may provide technical assistance to facilitate such resolution.

Any persons directly affected by the actions of the Department may file a similarly written complaint if they believe state or federal laws or regulations have been violated, misapplied, or misinterpreted by the Department itself.

Anyone wishing more information about this procedure or how complaints are resolved may contact local district or Department personnel.  

Families with concerns or complaints may follow the district and state concern and complaint policies and procedures found online and linked below.

The Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 outlines the formal complaint procedures that applies to all programs administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

ESSA Complaint Procedures

(Located in the Student Handbooks and Policy books; refer to board policy KL.)

Upon your request, MRH is required to provide you in a timely manner, the following information: 

• Whether a teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction. 

• Whether a teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived. 

• Whether your child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications. 

• What baccalaureate degree major the teacher has and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of discipline of the certification. 

In addition to the information that parents may request, districts must provide to each individual parent:

• Information on the achievement level of the parent’s child in each of the state academic assessments as required under this part; and 

• Timely notice that the parent’s child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by, a teacher who is not highly qualified.