Policies/Practices

NCLB Written Complaint Procedures

Island Park UFSD

NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND WRITTEN COMPLAINT AND APPEAL PROCEDURES

Title 34, General Provisions of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), and the New York State Education Department (NYSED) require the District to implement procedures for receiving and resolving complaints concerning violations of ESEA Title I, Parts A, C, and D, or of the General Education Provisions Act; or of Section 100.2(ee) Academic Intervention Services of the Regulations of the Commissioner.

The following procedures apply for filing NCLB complaints/appeals with the Island Park School District:

Any public or nonpublic school parent or teacher, other interested person, or agency may file a complaint concerning violations of ESEA Title I, Parts A, C, and D, or of the General Education Provisions Act, or of Section 100.2(ee).

Complaints

A complaint must:

be written;
be signed by the person or agency representative filing the complaint;
specify the requirement of law or regulation being violated and the related issue, problem, and/or the concern;
contain information/evidence supporting the complaint; and,
state the nature of the corrective action desired.

The complaint should be sent to the following address:

Superintendent of Schools
Island Park UFSD
150 Trafalgar Blvd
Island Park, New York 11558

The District has a thirty (30) business day period in which to resolve a complaint. Copies of correspondence, related documents, investigative reports, and summary reports involved in the complaint resolution will be maintained by the District for five years. Records will be made available to interested parties in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Sections 84-89).

Appeals

An appeal must contain:

A copy of original signed complaint;
A copy of the local school district’s response to the original complaint or a statement that the school district failed to respond in thirty (30) business days; and,
A statement identifying those parts of a local school district’s response which the party wishes to appeal.

Filing Complaints/Appeals

If the district fails to resolve the complaint within 30 business days, or fails to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the complainant, the complaint/appeal should be sent to the following address:

Title I School and Community Services Office
Room 365 EBA
New York State Education Department
89 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12234

The Island Park School District will also disseminate free of charge, the following information about the State Complaint and Appeal Procedures to parents of students, and appropriate private school officials or representatives. [General Provisions Regulations, 34 CFR Sections 299.10-299.12]

NYSED will review complaints pertaining to:

New York State’s administration of the ESEA Title I Basic Grant, Migrant Education, or Neglected or Delinquent Program; or,
an appeal from the decision of the District regarding an action by the Island Park UFSD

Note: NYSED will refer any complaints that do not meet any of the above criteria, including complaints concerning the District’s administration of its Title I Program, back to the District for possible resolution.

Within sixty (60) business days of the receipt of the complaint/appeal, NYSED staff will complete an on-site review (if necessary) and/or records examination and will notify all parties of its findings. An extension of the 60-day complaint resolution period is permitted under CFR Part 299.11 (b), for exceptional circumstances.

An appeal must be requested and postmarked within 20 business days of receipt of the District’s response to the original complaint.

The Title I representative in the NYSED office who is assigned as the program manager for the LEA against which the complaint is made and other Department staff as may be appropriate shall conduct the review of complaints or appeals.

NYSED’s response to the complaint shall contain:

the names of persons interviewed;
the records or other evidence examined;
relevant dates/times/locations/events;
summary of findings; and,
nature of corrective action to be taken including applicable timelines.

Failure of the District to take corrective action within the time period stipulated in the complaint resolution shall be cause for NYSED to withhold all, or a portion of, the ESEA Title I allocation to the District.

Copies of correspondence, related documents, investigative reports, and summary reports involved in the complaint/appeal resolution will be maintained by NYSED for five years. Records will be made available to interested parties in accordance with the provisions of the New York State Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law Sections 84-89).

Exceptional circumstances for extending the 60-day limit for NYSED review of complaints and appeals for relief from a District action may include, but need not be limited to, such occurrences as:

illness of involved parties;
cancellation of scheduled on-site reviews due to unscheduled school closings;
the need for extended review activities beyond those specified in the written notification; and/or
any other mutual agreement to changes in review scope or activity.

When exceptional circumstances are identified, the revised date for the completion of the complaint review will be provided in writing to all parties involved in the complaint or appeal. All parties to the complaint have the right to initiate a request for an extension beyond the 60 business day complaint resolution period based on exceptional circumstances. All such requests must be presented to the State Education Department.

Procedures for Adjudicating Appeals from the Decision of a State Education Agency

Parties dissatisfied with NYSED’s complaint resolution may file an appeal directly with the United States Department of Education at the following address.

United States Department of Education
Compensatory Education Programs
400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.
Room 3W230, FOB #6
Washington, D.C. 20202-6132

New Policies 2016-17

Compensatory Programs

The district offers programs for students in Grades 1-8 who encounter difficulties in mastering reading, writing and/or mathematics; and, for those students who have limited English proficiency and are in need of English as a Second Language services. Each year, student records are screened by the staff to ensure that all eligible students are included in these programs. Additionally, all new entrants, including kindergarten students, are screened to determine whether or not they are eligible to participate in one or more of the compensatory education programs. Questions regarding eligibility should be directed to the student's principal.

District Accounting Practices

Island Park Schools Financial Controls

You may be interested in knowing the purchase and payment protocol followed in Island Park. The financial control system outlined below has been reviewed by our internal auditor (Pappas and Co, LLP), who indicates that it is accurate, sound, and working effectively in accordance with rigorous New York State government accounting practices. As you examine the chart below, please note that there are a number of individuals or groups involved in the requisition, purchase and payment process. We believe that the segregation of duties among several designated employees provides less opportunity for error and/or improper action. You should also note that in addition to the oversight of our internal auditor, the district’s treasurer claims auditor, and accountant, are involved in monitoring activities regularly and the district employs the accounting firm of R.S. Abrams & Co., LLP to conduct an annual external audit. The District's protocols and financial documents are also reviewed by the office of the NYS Comptroller.

Action	Responsibility
Request for purchase or service	Administrator, Faculty or Staff Member
Purchase order generated	School or Business Office Staff
Purchase order reviewed	Superintendent
Purchase order coded and approved	Deputy Supt/Purchasing Agent
Funds encumbered and order placed	Business Office Staff
Service completed or material received with delivery slip signed	School Office or Maintenance Staff
Invoice received and processed for payment	Business Office Staff
Payment request approved	Superintendent
Checks prepared and signed	Treasurer
Checks and voucher package reviewed and approved	Claims Auditor
Warrant reviewed and approved	Claims Auditor
Request for payments reviewed	Board of Education
Cancelled checks returned and accounts balanced monthly	Treasurer
Accounts reconciled monthly	Treasurer
Accounts reviewed monthly	Administrative Ass’t for Business
Accounts closed at conclusion of fiscal year	Administrative Ass’t for Business
Accounts audited at conclusion of fiscal year	External Auditor
Purchasing & Accounts Payable monitored semi-annually; audited every 3 years	Internal Auditor