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Williams Act

Education Code (EC) Section 35186 created a procedure for the filing of complaints concerning deficiencies related to instructional materials, conditions of facilities that are not maintained in a clean or safe manner or in good repair, and teacher vacancy or misassignment. All other issues fall into either a General Complaint or a Uniform Complaint. 

A Williams Act Complaint concerns deficiencies related to:

  • instructional materials
  • conditions of facilities that are not maintained in a clean or safe manner or in good repair
  • teacher vacancy or misassignment.

The complaint and response are public documents as provided by statute. Complaints may be filed anonymously. However, if you wish to receive a response to your complaint, you must provide your contact information.

These complaints should be sent directly to the Assistant Superintendent, Human Resources.

Williams Uniform Complaint Form
Link to Administrative Regulation 1312.4

Williams Act Background

On December 10, 2004, the San Francisco County Superior Court approved the notice of settlement in Eliezer Williams, et al. v. State of California, et al. This is a landmark case to provide all students equal access to instructional materials, safe schools, and quality teachers. Briefly, it says:

  • There should be sufficient textbooks and instructional materials.

  • School facilities must be clean, safe, and maintained in good repair.

  • There should be no teacher vacancies or misassignments.

  • Parents, guardians, pupils, and teachers may file a complaint if they feel that any of these requirements are not being met.

The court ordered that the California Department of Education make available information regarding the provisions of the settlement and the process by which students on whose behalf the lawsuit was filed may file objections to the settlement. In keeping with the court’s order, four documents are posted and available for downloading on CDE’s website, www.cde.ca.gov/eo/ce/wc/index.asp.

The four documents are: