School Level » A school-level complaint form, available on the school’s website, may be filed with the principal. » The principal will conduct an informal conference within 5 days and provide a written decision within 10 days. » If unsatisfied with the school-level decision, a county-level complaint may be filed within 5 days.
County Level » A county-level complaint form, available on the county’s website, may be filed with the county superintendent within 5 days of receiving a school-level decision. » The county superintendent will conduct an informal conference or a formal hearing within 10 days. » The county superintendent will provide a written decision within 10 days of an informal conference or 20 days of a formal hearing. » If unsatisfied with the county-level decision, a state-level complaint may be filed within 15 days.
State Level » A state-level complaint form, available on the West Virginia Department of Education’s (WVDE) website, may be filed within 15 days of receiving a county-level decision. » The state-level complaint requires inclusion of all prior documentation and hearing records. » The State Superintendent or their designee will provide a written decision within 30 days. » The State Superintendent may issue a corrective action plan or refer the matter for a Special Circumstance Review under WVBE Policy 2322: West Virginia System of Support and Accountability. » The State Superintendent’s decision is final.
The formal complaint procedure allows members of the public to seek a remedy for violations of state law by state, county, or school officials. The formal complaint procedure is not the appropriate process to express disagreement with authorized decisions made by state, county, or school officials, if those decisions fall within the authority of the state, county, or school officials and do not constitute a violation of any state law. This process is not to be used for any situation in which the state, county, or school has no authority to act. Refer to WVBE Policy 7211 for more detailed information regarding complaint limitations.