Table of Contents
What is a grievance?
A grievance is the school district’s formal complaint process. You can file a grievance when you think the school has violated your child’s rights under the Texas Education Code, your district’s student code of conduct, your district’s board policies, or the Constitution. It is your school district’s time to stop, look, and listen to your concerns. It forces the district to formally respond to you within a fixed timeline when your informal attempts at resolving a problem have failed.
It is very important to pay attention to the timelines for a grievance in your district, which can be found in the FNG (LOCAL) policy on your school district’s board policy website. You are usually required to file a grievance within 60 days after learning about the issue which is the subject of your grievance.
Generally, school districts will encourage parents to resolve their issue informally, meaning the parent should contact the appropriate teacher, principal or other campus administrator directly so that the dispute can be resolved at the lowest possible administration level.
However, a student or parent has the right to have the issue resolved formally according to the school district’s applicable complaints/grievance policy. Starting the 2025-2026 school year, districts must ensure grievance procedures are clearly posted on the school’s website and must be also included in the student handbook. If you are having trouble locating the policy, contact the superintendent’s office to request a printed copy of the policy.
Although most school districts have a three tiered procedure similar to what is described below, each policy may be slightly different. It is important to locate and review your own school district’s policy in regards to timelines; who to file a grievance with; and a description of each of the levels in your district’s grievance procedure.
When to use local level grievances
These tend to be useful to address violations of district policies or specific personnel concerns, but not special education specific complaints (that are better addressed to the Texas Education Agency). Appropriate issues for the grievance process include, but are not limited to: transportation, classroom assignments, campus transfers, student grading, interpersonal communications, disagreements with school staff, and extracurricular activities.
Requirements
The formal complaint process usually requires that a student or parent timely file a written complaint on a form provided by the district. The district provides this form online on its website. If the student or parent is unable to access the online form, the parent may need to contact the district directly and the district will make the form available in an alternate format.
Typical procedure and timelines
A complaint could potentially move through three levels if it fails to be resolved at the previous level. Each subsequent level requires action by personnel higher on the level of hierarchy in the school.
Level One: An initial complaint must be filed no later than 60 days from the date on which the student or parent knew or had reason to know of the facts giving rise to the complaint. If the student or parent attempts to resolve the matter informally, the complaint may be filed within the later of:
- 90 days from the date on which the student or parent knew or had reason to know of the facts giving rise to the complaint, or
- 30 days from the date on which the district provided information to the student or parent how to file the complaint.
- After the complaint is filed, the principal or appropriate administrator must hold a hearing within 10 days after the filing and you will receive at least 5 business days’ notice of the hearing. The district representative will issue a written decision within 20 days after the hearing.
Level Two: A complaint typically reaches the second level if the student or parent does not receive the relief requested at Level One. The parent or student must file an appeal notice on a form provided by the district within 20 days after the date on which a Level One decision on the complaint was made.
The next level of appropriate administrator should hold a hearing within 10 days after the date on which the appeal notice is filed. The hearing shall be limited to the issues and documents considered at Level One. The next level of appropriate administrator shall provide the student or parent with a written decision within 20 days after the hearing.
Level Three: A complaint reaches the third level if the parent or student did not receive the requested relief at the Level Two. At the third level, the student or parent will submit to the Board of Trustees a request for review. The request must be in writing and must filed within 20 days after the date on which the Level Two decision was made.
The Board of Trustees must hold a meeting to discuss the complaint within 60 days after the date on which the Level Two decision was made, and make a decision within 30 days after the meeting.
If you disagree with the Board of Trustees’ decision, you may be able to appeal to the Commission of Education.
Updated: October 21, 2025
Published: August 13, 2020
Publication Code: ED24
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Disclaimer: Disability Rights Texas strives to update its materials on an annual basis, and this handout is based upon the law at the time it was written. The law changes frequently and is subject to various interpretations by different courts. Future changes in the law may make some information in this handout inaccurate.
The handout is not intended to and does not replace an attorney’s advice or assistance based on your particular situation.
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