Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs Complaint Process

The Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs encourage stakeholders to discuss their concerns with appropriate program personnel who have the authority to address the concerns. Concerns should be expressed as soon as possible to allow early resolution at the lowest possible level. Informal resolution shall be encouraged.

As defined by TAC 228.70: a candidate or former candidate in an Educator Preparation Program (EPP), an applicant for candidacy in an EPP, an employee or former employee of an EPP, a cooperating teacher, a mentor, a Director of Educator Preparation Services in a school district, charter school, or private school may submit, in accordance with subsection (c)(1) of this section, a formal complaint about an EPP for investigation and resolution.

Any of the above aforementioned, hereinafter referred to as the complainant, who have a complaint may seek resolution without fear of retaliation.

For filing a formal complaint, please follow the guidelines listed below.

Filing a Complaint

A formal public complaint is a signed written statement of complaints or concerns regarding the customer service provided by employees of the Education Service Center, Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs. A formal written public complaint must include the facts upon which the complaint is based.

For a complaint regarding the Educator Certification Programs please provide a written and signed copy of the Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs Complaint Form to the Region 13 Educator Preparation Program office in person or by mail, fax, or email to:

Anonymous or unsigned complaints will not be processed. It is also important to know that the sender of complaints that are received by fax or email must be verified. The sender must provide a full name, address, and phone number that matches the information found on the Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs Complaint Form. Verification of sender will be conducted by phone and documented in an email reply message to sender.

Complaint Procedures

The Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs have established the following procedures for responding to a formal complaint from the public regarding an issue involving the Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs.

1. Any complainant, wishing to submit a complaint about one of the Educator Certification Programs (EPPs) shall initially file a formal complaint using the Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs Complaint Form to appropriate Program Coordinator.
   1. If the complaint is against one of the Program Coordinators, then the complainant should notify in writing the Senior Coordinator for Educator Quality.
2. The Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs Complaint Form must be signed and dated by the complainant, and submitted within 30 business days of the alleged incident. The Coordinator will make a determination on a case-by-case basis as to whether complaints submitted after the deadline will be considered.
3. The Coordinator will acknowledge receipt of your complaint within 10 working days. After the complaint is received, an investigation will take place. The investigative period may last up to 30 business days; extenuating circumstances may cause a deviation from the defined time frames. The Coordinator shall conduct the investigation. The Coordinator will gather all facts pertaining to the complaint. This procedure ensures a thorough investigation, affording all involved parties an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint.
4. The Coordinator shall send a written resolution to the complainant with the outcome(s), reason(s) for the decision, any remedies afforded, if any within 30 days of receipt of the complaint.

Appeal

1. If the complainant wishes to file an appeal of the resolution, the complainant shall notify the Senior Coordinator, Department of Educator Quality in writing with a copy of the initial Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs Complaint Form and copy of the Coordinator’s written resolution. The written appeal must be signed by the complainant, and submitted within 10 business days of the Coordinator’s resolution. The Senior Coordinator, Department of Educator Quality will make a determination on a case-by-case basis as to whether appeals submitted after the deadline will be considered.
2. An investigation shall follow the submission of the appeal. Within 30 business days of receiving the appeal, the Senior Coordinator for Educator Quality shall submit a decision in writing to the complainant with the outcome(s), reason(s) for the decision, any remedies afforded, if any. Extenuating circumstances may cause a deviation from the defined time frames. The Senior Coordinator for Educator Quality shall also forward a copy of the resolution to the Department of Educator Quality to be filed in the participant’s electronic folder.
3. The next step in the complaint process is the Deputy Executive Director for Academic Services and the final appeal would be to the Executive Director of the Region 13 Education Service Center.

TEA Complaint

If any complainant has an unresolved complaint and appeal decision regarding the Region 13 Educator Preparation Programs and wishes to report it to the Texas Education Agency (TEA), the complainant will need to follow the required steps outlined by TEA. Information can be found on the TEA website at: https://tea.texas.gov/texas-educators/preparation-and-continuing-education/complaints-against-educator-preparation-programs