Submit a Complaint
The Investigative Unit is housed in the Arizona State Board of Education and is authorized to investigate complaints related to the professional conduct of certificated education staff. The Investigative Unit does not have the authority to investigate allegations related to the provision of special education.
The Dispute Resolution Unit is available to resolve disputes involving students with disabilities who are eligible for special education services and does not have the authority to investigate allegations of teacher misconduct.
Investigative Unit
The Arizona State Board of Education rules in Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.), Title 7, Chapter 2, Articles 7 and 13, provide for the adjudication of disciplinary issues and regulation of the conduct of educators. Please visit the State Board site to report immoral or unprofessional conduct.
Contact the Investigative Unit
Special Education Dispute Resolution
The special education dispute resolution unit is authorized to investigate issues that arise when a provision of IDEA part B or its implementing federal and state laws and regulations are alleged to have been violated or when a student eligible for special education services is not provided with a free and appropriate public education. The dispute resolution unit has the following processes available to resolve special education disputes: state administrative complaint, mediation, request for due process hearing and facilitated IEP. Please visit the dispute resolution webpage for information related to the mediation and facilitated IEP programs. To access the model complaint forms for filing a state administrative complaint or a request for due process hearing, please click the links below.
The State Complaint falls under the State’s general supervisory authority and is a process through which members of the community can alert the state education agency (SEA) of potential noncompliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in public schools. The SEA is only authorized to investigate those allegations pertinent to special education procedure as referenced in the IDEA, its implementing regulations, the Arizona Revised Statutes (A.R.S.), and Title 7 of the Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.).
Learn More About State Complaints
Due Process is the most formal of the dispute resolution options and may be used to resolve any matter relating to the identification, evaluation, placement of a child, or the provision of a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to the child. A due process complaint can be filed by a parent, the school, or a student who has reached the age of majority (18 in Arizona).
Open Enrolllment Complaints
If you feel a district public school has violated Open Enrollment law, pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-816 and A.R.S. § 15-816.01, please fill out the form below. If your child attends a public charter school, they will need to contact the Arizona State Board of Education for Charter Schools. All complaints submitted to the Arizona Department of Education are not anonymous, and all contact information is required for ADE to investigate your complaint. ADE is unable to investigate complaints when it is unable to contact the complainant to get more information when required.
Complete the following form to submit your complaint; all fields are required.
