Williams Settlement & Complaint Procedures

We turn oversight into partnership, guiding districts through Williams settlement requirements with a focus on
student-centered improvements.

The Williams Settlement Legislation stems from a class-action lawsuit, Williams v. State of California, enacted into law in September 2004. As a result of the settlement, California legislators passed five pieces of legislation to ensure all students have access to the following:

Standards-aligned textbooks and instructional materials
Qualified teachers who are appropriately certificated and assigned
Facilities that are clean, safe, and in good repair
Accurate reporting on the School Accountability Report Card (SARC)
Uniform Complaint Procedures (UCP) to provide guidance on how to file Williams Monitoring and Annual Reports

The MCOE Williams Monitoring team helps prepare and guide Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in Williams compliance by providing support to district, charter, and school site administrators in preparation for annual Williams "validation visits" in August and September.

MCOE's Williams Team also monitors schools identified by California Department of Education, in accordance with Ed. Code § 1240, subdivision (I). The CDE list of schools identified 18 schools in Mendocino County eligible for Williams Monitoring.

Conducting annual visits to schools during the first four weeks of class
Determining whether all students have sufficient access to instructional materials in all core subject areas
Ensuring that school facilities are maintained in "good repair" and that buildings and grounds are safe, clean and functional
Verifying the accuracy of School Accountability Report Cards relevant to instructional materials, facilities, and teacher credentialing
Ensuring the school has posted the district's Uniform Complaint Procedures or adheres to the charter school's mandatory complaint procedure requirements, and that district quarterly UCP reports are submitted