Access to Quality Educational Resources
History
Eli Williams and thousands of other public school students in California faced horrendous school conditions: a math class interrupted by rats, classrooms so hot students would faint, too few textbooks for instruction preventing students from studying at home, and classes that continued for an entire year without ever being assigned a teacher.
Public Advocates and other civil rights organizations filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Eli Williams and nearly a hundred other students. In 2004, plaintiffs and the State of California reached a settlement establishing—for the first time—that students have a right to prepared teachers, updated and accurate textbooks/instructional materials of their own, and clean and safe facilities.
In addition to providing nearly $1 billion in funding to help lowest-performing schools meet these new standards, the settlement provided a legal too— “Williams complaints”— for parents and community members to use when students are denied the right to quality teachers, textbooks, and facilities.
Williams complaints are still used today; they are a simple and efficient way to enforce students’ rights and win tangible improvements in their schools. The complaint process includes a mandatory timeline to ensure the district promptly fixes the problem.
Williams Complaint Process
You can file a Williams complaint if you experience:
Unsafe or unhealthy facility conditions
- Non-functioning or closed bathrooms or other unsanitary restroom conditions
- Broken heating, ventilation, fire sprinkler, or air-conditioning systems
- Pest, insect, vermin, or rodent infestations
- Broken windows that pose a safety or security risk
- Exterior doors or gates of a school that will not lock
- Hazardous or uninhabitable conditions at a school such as structural damage, asbestos, lead paint, etc.
- Gas leaks
- Electrical power failure at a school
- Or any other school facility condition that poses a threat to the health or safety of students or staff
On the complaint, describe the problem or condition, where it is located, and how it poses a threat to health or safety.
Insufficient textbooks/ instructional materials
- A student doesn’t have a book to use in class and at home or must share a book
- A student’s book is missing pages
- A student’s book is in poor or unusable physical condition
- A student is given only photocopies of a portion of the textbook because of a textbook shortage
- A student’s book or instructional materials are out of date
- A student doesn’t have the proper lab equipment;
- A student’s book or instructional materials do not accurately portray the contributions of people of all genders and the role and contributions of Latinx Americans, LGBTQ+ Americans, and other ethnic, cultural, and socioeconomic status groups
- Or a student’s district prohibits the use of a textbook, instructional material or curriculum that contains inclusive and diverse perspectives
On the complaint, identify the problem, the course/grade level, name of textbook or instructional material, teacher’s full name, and any other important details.
Teacher vacancies or misassignments
- A class is not assigned a permanent teacher by the end of the first FOUR weeks of the class
- A class is taught only by one or more substitute teachers;
- A class is taught by a teacher who lacks the proper credentials to teach the subject matter
- A class with one or more English Learners is assigned to a teacher who lacks the proper authorization to teach English Learners
On the complaint, identify the problem, course/grade level, and teacher’s full name
Learn more about how to file a complaint and how to organize a campaign.
How to file a Williams complaint
1. Get the complaint form
2. Fill out complaint form
3. Turn in the complaint form
4. The district has 30-40 days to investigate
5. Get response within 45 working days
6. Take action if you are unsatisfied with the response you received
- Get the complaint form: Ask your school. By law, a notice must be posted in each classroom describing your rights and where to find complaint forms. Or, download a complaint form.
- Fill out complaint form: Any person or organization may file a complaint, including students, teachers, parents, and community organizations. The complaint can be filed anonymously. BUT, if you want a response from the principal or district, include your name and contact information and check the box to show you want a response. Add additional pages if necessary and be as specific as possible. (e.g. describe the classroom and course where the problem is taking place.)
- Turn in the complaint form: Email the complaint form to your principal, district office and to your County Superintendent. Click here to find the contact information for your County Superintendent. If submitting a printed version of your complaint, make sure to save a dated copy for yourself. You may submit the complaint in a language other than English and if requested, you may be entitled to a response in that language. If a school bans inclusive or diverse books or fails to provide sufficient instructional materials, you can bypass the district and file complaints directly with the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, but you must identify the basis (e.g., emergency need, lack of district objectivity, etc.).
- Wait for the investigation: The principal or district must investigate and resolve valid complaints within 30 working days (excludes weekends and holidays) from receiving the complaint. If you file only with your principal they have 10 days to forward your complaint to the district, then the district must take action within 40 working days of the date the complaint was filed with the principal.
- Get response within 45 working days: If you put your name on the complaint, the principal/district must respond to you in writing within 45 working days to inform you how your complaint was resolved. For textbook or instructional material issues, you do not need to wait for the district to act. You can contact your County Superintendent and your district’s fiscal auditor directly. They can step in to fix the problem and impose financial penalties on the district if needed.
- Request further action if you are unsatisfied You have the right to speak at a school board meeting to explain why the response was unsatisfactory and request that the board take action. Or, for facility emergencies or urgent threats, you may appeal in writing to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within 15 days of receiving the response by email or mail. You also have the right to appeal textbook or instructional material issues to the State Superintendent, who will provide a written report to the State Board and propose a solution if needed.
Resources List
- Download the above guide as a pamphlet here, Spanish here.
- Identifying Williams Issues at Your School: Schools Eligible for Extra Williams Monitoring
CA Commission on Teacher Credentialing Website: Allows you to look up a teacher’s credential.
Sample Public Records Act Request: Use this sample letter to request information on the names of teachers at your school and the courses they are assigned to teach. You will need this information to determine whether or not teachers at your school are “misassigned.”
Facility Inspection Worksheet (English) (Spanish)
Facility Inspection Tool (FIT)Used by districts to conduct their own self-evaluations. Provides a detailed list of types of building conditions to be on the lookout for as you inspect your school.
How to File a Complaint: Brochure about the Williams complaint process. (English) (Espanol) (中文 – Chinese)
Williams Complaint Form
A Complaint Form is not necessary to file a complaint. If you cannot access a form or prefer to handwrite or type out your complaint, simply write “This is a Williams Complaint” at the top of the page.