In May 2000, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit against the state of California claiming that the state had failed in its duty to provide students in the lowest-performing schools with equal educational opportunity. That lawsuit, known as Williams v. State of California, was settled in August 2004. Through its Education Legal Alliance, the California School Boards Association played a key role in settling the case in such a way as to minimize the negative impacts on districts. CSBA continues to support efforts to truly reform school finance in California to provide adequate funding and educational equity for all students.

Complaint Procedures

The Williams Settlement requires districts and county offices of education to establish complaint procedures for complaints regarding deficiencies in textbooks and instructional materials, urgent or emergency facility conditions, and teacher vacancy or misassignment.

NEW: AB 347, signed by the governor on October 12, 2007, requires the complaint procedure to be used deficiencies related to the provision of intensive instruction and services to students who have not passed one or both parts of the high school exit examination after the completion of grade 12.

CSBA's sample Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures

• Williams settlement and the emergency repair plan - 1/08 
• AR 1312.4 - revised 11/07 
• E(1) 1312 Sample complaint form - revised 11/07
• E(2) 1312.4 Sample classroom notice - revised 11/07   
• Williams Uniform Complaint Procedures from the California Department of Education

Other resources:

FACILITIES

• The Office of Public School Construction
• Emergency Repair Program 

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

• CDE: Sample resolution on sufficiency of instructional materials

SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD

• CDE SARC information

COUNTY OFFICE OF EDUCATION MONITORING AND INSPECTION

• California County Superintendents Educational Services Association: Williams implementation

Updates/reports

• ACLU Statewide Impact Report: 2007