Legal Notifications

Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act

The Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act (AHERA) is a federal regulation that became effective in 1988. This rule required local education agencies to identify asbestos-containing building materials (ACBM) in public and private schools by visually inspecting school buildings for suspect materials, sampling such materials to determine if they are or are not ACBM.

The rule requires local education agencies to submit asbestos management plans to the state. The plan was submitted to the state in 1989 and is strictly adhered to.

For AHERA compliance the schools conduct a six-month inspection performed by the District Asbestos Management Coordinator or their designee and a three-year inspection by NorthStar Environmental Testing, an asbestos consulting service. All friable asbestos found during these inspections is immediately removed or repaired in compliance with AHERA regulations.

The Green Bay Area Public School District’s present strategy for management of asbestos is to remove or repair all friable asbestos found during inspections, remove all asbestos floor tile damaged and friable, remove all damaged and friable ceiling tile, and remove all plaster, wallboard and insulation on all heating and water piping before building additions, renovation or retrofit.

There remains ACBM in all Green Bay Area Public School District schools that is not a health hazard to students or school personnel. The Asbestos Inspection Reports and Asbestos Management Plans is available for review at the Facilities and Related Services office at the District Office Building, 200 South Broadway, by appointment only, when such appointment is made with the IEQ Coordinator at least one working day in advance. Copies of the documents are available from the Facilities and Related Services office and will be charged in accordance with the District’s fee schedule for public records requests and will be provided in accordance with the timelines consistent with public records requests.

The Board of Education has appointed the District’s Manager of Facilities Maintenance and Internal Service Systems as the District’s designated Asbestos Management Coordinator.

The Green Bay Area Public School District adheres to a standards-based approach to curriculum development. School Board Policy 330 further outlines this commitment, stating that “the Board of Education shall adopt District learning standards and benchmarks that address what students should know and be able to do at various stages of their educational experience within the District. The learning standards shall be aligned with the state academic standards, but determined at the local level. The standards and benchmarks shall guide all curriculum and instruction decisions in addressing the individual needs of all students. The District's curriculum and instruction program will also be aligned with applicable state law requirements.”

State law requires the District to provide the parents and guardians of all enrolled students notice of the academic standards in mathematics, science, reading and writing, geography, and history that have been adopted by the School Board and that will be in effect during each school year. Accordingly, the District academic standards that will be in effect in these specific content areas for this school year are listed below. Electronic links to the detailed version of the applicable standards are provided. If a parent or guardian would like to review a copy of any of the standards in an alternative format, they may contact the Director of Curriculum. The following chart lists curricular content areas and the Board-adopted standards that guide curriculum development and classroom instruction:

Additionally, with regards to emphasizing content-area literacy in all subjects, Wisconsin and the Green Bay Area Public School District have adopted the Wisconsin Standards for Disciplinary Literacy. Additional resources relative to this commitment are located here.

GREEN BAY AREA PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICT CONFIDENTIALITY OF PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH CHILD FIND ACTIVITIES

This information in this publication is available in Hmong, Somali and Spanish by contacting the Green Bay Area Public School District at (920) 448-2000.

The Green Bay Area Public School District is required to locate, identify, and evaluate all children, with disabilities, including children with disabilities attending private schools in the school district, and homeless children. The process of locating, identifying, and evaluating children with disabilities is known as child find. This agency conducts the following child find activities each year: The school district has a special education screening program to locate and screen all children with disabilities who are residents of the district and who have not graduated from high school.

Upon request, the school district will screen any resident child who has not graduated high school to determine whether a special education referral is appropriate. A request may be made by contacting Jacqueline Hauser, Director of Special Education, Green Bay Area Public School District, at 920-448-2136, or by writing to her at 200 South Broadway, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54303. Throughout the school year, the school district conducts developmental screening of preschool children. The early learning development team assesses each child’s overall development, including motor, communication, and social skills. The information is used to provide the parent with a profile of their child’s current development and to provide suggestions for follow-up activities. Parents learn about community services available to them and speak with representatives of agencies serving families. The information from screening is also used to determine whether a child should be evaluated for a suspected disability. When school staff reasonably believes a child is a child with a disability, they refer the child for evaluation by a school district Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team. For more information, you may contact the early learning development team at 920-448-2102. This notice informs parents of the records the school district will develop and maintain as part of its child find activities. This notice also informs parents of their rights regarding any records developed.

The school district gathers personally identifiable information on any child who participates in child find activities. Parents, teachers, and other professionals provide information to the school related to the child’s academic performance, behavior, and health. This information is used to determine whether the child needs special education services. Personally identifiable information directly related to a child and maintained by the school is a pupil record.

Pupil records include records maintained in any way including, but not limited to, computer storage media, video and audiotape, film, microfilm, and microfiche. Records maintained for personal use by a teacher and not available to others and records available only to persons involved in the psychological treatment of a child are not pupil records.

The school district maintains several classes of pupil records.

• "Progress records" include grades, courses the child has taken, the child's attendance record, immunization records, required lead screening records, and records of school extra-curricular activities. Progress records must be maintained for at least five years after the child ceases to be enrolled.
• "Behavioral records" include such records as psychological tests, personality evaluations, records of conversations, written statements relating specifically to the pupil's behavior, tests relating specifically to achievement or measurement of ability, physical health records other than immunization and lead screening records, law enforcement officers' records, and other pupil records that are not "progress records." Law enforcement officers' records are maintained separately from other pupil records. Behavioral records may be maintained for no longer than one year after the child graduates or otherwise ceases to be enrolled, unless the parent specifies in writing that the records may be maintained for a longer period of time. The school district informs parents when pupil records are no longer needed to provide special education. At the request of the child's parents, the school district destroys the information that is no longer needed.
• "Directory data" includes the student's name, address, telephone listing, date of birth, major field of study, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, photographs, degrees and awards received, and the name of the school most recently previously attended by the student.
• "Pupil physical health records" include basic health information about a pupil, including the pupil's immunization records, an emergency medical card, a log of first aid and medicine administered to the pupil, an athletic permit card, a record concerning the pupil's ability to participate in an education program, any required lead screening records, the results of any routine screening test, such as for hearing, vision or scoliosis, and any follow-up to the test, and any other basic health information, as determined by the state superintendent.

Any pupil record relating to a pupil's physical health that is not a pupil physical health record is treated asa patient health care record under Wis. Stat. §§ 146.81 to 146.84. Any pupil record concerning HIV testing is treated as provided under Wis. Stat. § 252.15.
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and Wis. Stat. § 118.125, afford parents and students over 18 years of age ("eligible students")the following rights with respect to education records:

• The right to inspect and review the student's education records within 45 days of receipt of the request. Parents or eligible students should submit to the school principal a written request that identifies the records(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected. The school district will comply with the request without unnecessary delay and before any meeting about an individualized education program, or any due process hearing, and in no case more than 45 days after the request has been made. If any record includes information on more than one child, the parents of those children have the right to inspect and review only the information about their child or to be informed of that specific information. Upon request, the school district will give a parent or eligible student a copy of the progress records and a copy of the behavioral records. Upon request, the school district will give the parent or eligible student a list of the types and locations of education records collected, maintained, or used by the district for special education. The school district will respond to reasonable requests for explanations and interpretations of the records. A representative of the parent may inspect and review the records.
• The right to request the amendment of the student's education records that the parent or eligible student believes is inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the Green Bay Area Public School District to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the district decides not to amend the record, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and the right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or eligible student when notified of the right to a hearing.
• The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information in the student's education records, except to the extent that federal and state law authorizes disclosure without consent. The exceptions are stated in 34 CFR 99.31, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act regulations; Sec. 9528, PL107-110, Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 and Wis. Stat. §§ 118.125(2)(a) to (m) and sub. (2m). One exception that permits disclosure without consent is disclosures to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the district as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the school board; a person or company with whom the district has contracted to perform a special task (such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. Upon request, the district discloses education records without consent to officials of another school district in which a student seeks or intends to enroll, or is already enrolled if the disclosure is for purposes of the student’s enrollment or transfer. Also the district discloses "directory data" without consent, unless the parent notifies the district that it may not be released without prior parental consent.
• The right to file a complaint with the U. S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the District to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the Office that administers FERPA is: Family Policy Compliance Office, U.S. Department of Education, 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20202-4605.

Green Bay Area Public School District Annual Notice of Special Education Referral and Evaluation Procedures - 2025-2026 School Year

The Green Bay Area Public School District is required to evaluate a child for eligibility for special education services. A request for evaluation is known as a referral. When the district receives a referral, the district will appoint an Individualized Education
Program (IEP) team to determine if the child has a disability, and if the child needs special education services. The district locates, identifies, and evaluates all children with disabilities who are enrolled by their parents in private (including religious) schools, elementary schools and secondary schools located in the school district.

A physician, nurse, psychologist, social worker, or administrator of a social agency who reasonably believes a child brought to him or her for services is a child with a disability has a legal duty to refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in
which the child resides. Before referring the child, the person making the referral must inform the child's parent that the referral will be made. Others, including parents, who reasonably believe a child is a child with a disability may also refer the child, including a homeless child, to the school district in which the child resides.

Referrals must be in writing and include the reason why the person believes the child is a child with a disability. A referral may be made by contacting Jacqueline Hauser, Director of Special Education, Green Bay Area Public School District, at 920-448-2136,
or by writing her at 200 South Broadway, Room 219, Green Bay, Wisconsin, 54303.

Directory Data

Educational Options 2026-27 - English | Español

Date Completed: March 2026

A local wellness policy guides efforts to create a healthier school environment. Effective wellness policies support a culture of well-being by establishing healthful practices and procedures for students, staff, and families. Schools/districts participating in the federal Child Nutrition Programs are required to complete an assessment of their local wellness policy, at minimum, once every three years. This report summarizes policy objectives and details the results of the most recent evaluation. For questions regarding the results, contact Lynette Kiehnau.

Section 1: Policy Assessment

Overall Rating: 2.8

Ratings are based on a four-point scale to measure success in meeting/complying with each policy objective.

0 = objective not met/no activities completed
1 = objective partially met/some activities completed
2 = objective mostly met/multiple activities completed
3 = objective met/all activities completed

Section 2: Progress Update

At this time, District priorities towards the Wellness Policy have not changed.  The needs of the community have not changed nor have there been any community requests to change the policy.  All of our  wellness goals are met.  We could use  stronger language but we use the minimum requirement.  When new health science, information and technology emerges, we would evaluate the policy to meet those new standards.  As new federal or state guidance or standards are issued, our District complies with those new standards but they may not be expressly defined in the Wellness Policy but are defined in other Board Policies.

Section 3: Model Policy Comparison

A required component of the triennial assessment is to utilize the Rudd Center’s Wellness School Assessment Tool (WellSAT) for comparison of the Local Wellness Policy to a Model Wellness Policy. The WellSAT includes 67 best practice policy items related to nutrition education; nutrition standards for foods; physical education and activity; wellness promotion and marketing; and implementation, evaluation, and communication. The comparison identified policy strengths and areas for improvement.

Local Wellness Policy Strengths

Our Wellness Policy’s strengths are generally in the areas of Nutrition Standards and Nutrition and Physical Education. The strengths of these areas stem from compliance with federal and state requirements and alignment to state education standards.

Areas for Local Wellness Policy Improvement

As noted above, the main areas for improvement are related to the strength of the requirements in areas of district discretion. The language of our policy currently provides recommendations and encouragement related to district policy guidance.

We would like to note that the comprehensive score reflects elements that are not included in our specific wellness policy. However, many of these WellSAT elements are described in other district policies.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Wisconsin Statute 118.019(3) encourages all school boards to make available to students instruction in topics related to human growth and development. The kindergarten through grade 12 program in the Green Bay Area Public School District offers information and instruction appropriate to each grade level. The program includes instruction in the following areas:

• Self-esteem, responsible decision making and personal responsibility.

• Interpersonal relationships.

• Discouragement of adolescent sexual activity.

• Family life and skills required of a parent.

• Human sexuality.

• Sex stereotypes and protective behavior.

Complete curriculum materials dealing with these areas are available upon request for inspection in the district curriculum office.

Parents may choose to opt their children out of instruction in human growth and development. Students who have been exempted from human growth and development instruction will still receive instruction in knowledge of physiology and hygiene; sanitation; the effects of controlled substances and alcohol upon the human system; symptoms of disease and the proper care of the body; and knowledge of effective means by which students may recognize, avoid and prevent and halt physically or psychologically intrusive or abusive situations which may harmful to students as required by Wis. Stat. 118.01(2)(d)(2c) and 118.01(2)(d)(8). Contact your child’s teacher for this option.

Indoor Environmental Quality

The Green Bay Area Public School District has implemented an Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) Management Plan. The Plan is available to staff, students, parents, and the public for review and outlines the District’s procedures for ensuring the quality of indoor air for each school within the District. 

The Plan is available for review at the Facilities and Related Services office at the District Office Building, 200 South Broadway, by appointment only, when such appointment is made with the IEQ Coordinator at least one working day in advance. Copies of the documents are available from the Facilities and Related Services office and will be charged in accordance with the District’s fee schedule for public records requests and will be provided in accordance with the timelines consistent with public records requests.

Non-Discrimination Notice: 2025-26 School Year

The Green Bay Area Public School District prohibits all forms of unlawful discrimination against students and other persons in all aspects of the District’s programs and operations. Accordingly, consistent with Wis. Stat. § 118.13, no person shall unlawfully be denied admission to any public school in this District, or be denied participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be discriminated
against in any curricular, extracurricular, pupil service, recreational or other program or activity because of the person's sex, race, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation or physical, mental, emotional or learning disability. The District likewise requires and enforces nondiscrimination in a manner consistent with the rights and obligations established under all applicable federal civil rights laws, including the current provisions of Titles IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (race, color, religion, sex, or national origin), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (disability), the Americans with Disabilities Act (including Title II of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in state and local government services), and the civil rights provisions associated with the District’s participation in federal meal programs.

The District prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the education program it operates, and the District is required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and 34 C.F.R. ch. 106 not to discriminate in this manner. Title IX’s requirement not to discriminate in any education program or activity extends to District students, certain admissions processes and District
employment.

All District career and technical education opportunities are offered to students on a nondiscriminatory basis. The District offers career and technical education programs in Animal Science, Architecture and Construction, Automotive Technician, Business Management, Culinary Arts, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Information Technology, Manufacturing, Marketing,
and Plant Sciences.

Admission to these programs is based on interest and aptitude, age appropriateness, course prerequisites, and class space available. The District will take steps to assure that lack of English language skills will not be a barrier to admission and participation in all educational and vocational programs.

Children of homeless individuals and unaccompanied homeless youth (youth not in the physical custody of a parent or guardian) as identified under federal law shall have equal access to the same free, appropriate public education, including comparable services, as provided to other children and youth who reside in the District. Homeless children and youth shall not be required to attend a separate school or program for homeless children and shall not be stigmatized by school personnel.

The District shall provide legally-required accommodations and appropriate educational services or programs for students who have been identified as having a disability, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. The District shall also provide for the reasonable accommodation of a student's sincerely held religious beliefs with regard to examinations and other academic
requirements. Requests for religious accommodations shall be made in writing and approved by the building principal.

When acceptable to the complaining party, the District encourages informal resolution of discrimination complaints and related concerns. However, a formal complaint resolution procedure is available to address allegations of unlawful discrimination and/or any alleged violation of the District’s equal educational opportunities policies.

Any questions concerning this notice, the District’s nondiscrimination and equal educational opportunities policies, policy compliance, or the District’s complaint procedures may be directed to the following persons:

Vicki Bayer, Superintendent
200 S. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303
Email Vicki
(920) 448-2184

Abby Tilkens, Associate Legal Counsel – Discrimination and Title IX Coordinator
200 S. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303
Email Abby
(920) 448-2284

Michael Friis, Executive Director of Human Resources
200 S. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303
Email Mike
(920) 448-2013

Christina Gingle, Section 504 Coordinator
200 S. Broadway, Green Bay, WI 54303
Email Christina
(920) 448-2081

Discrimination-related complaints may be filed with the District’s Title IX Coordinator (sex discrimination and sexual harassment issues and complaints) or the Section 504 Coordinator (disability rights, disability-based discrimination issues, and Americans with Disabilities Act issues and complaints) for all student and all non-employment related matters.

By following all required procedures and timelines, complaints of unlawful student discrimination may also be filed externally with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, the Chicago office of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, or, in appropriate circumstances, with any state or federal court or other agency of competent jurisdiction. In order to work collaboratively with the parent/guardian to seek a timely and amicable resolution, the District requests an appeal first to the Deputy Superintendent, and subsequently to the Superintendent of Schools and Learning, prior to submitting an appeal to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
P.O. Box 7841
Madison, WI 53707-7841
(800) 441-4563

Office for Civil Rights, Denver Office
U.S. Department of Education
Cesar E. Chavez Memorial Building
1244 Speer Boulevard, Suite 310
Denver, CO 80204-3582
Telephone: 303-844-5695
FAX: 303-844-4303;
TDD: 800-877-8339
Email: OCR.Denver@ed.gov

The Green Bay Area Public Schools hires quality personnel for all its positions. If no fully certified teachers are available for a position, the next most qualified person is hired and enrolled in course work to complete the certification. This sometimes happens in bilingual or special education, for example. The District provides numerous professional learning sessions to help staff review the latest strategies to instruct students. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) requires schools to offer parents the opportunity to request information on the following staff qualifications:

1. Whether the teacher has met Wisconsin licensing criteria to serve the grade assigned.
2. Whether the teacher is teaching under an emergency or provisional status.
3. Whether the teacher is teaching in the field of discipline of the certification of the teacher.
4. The professional qualifications of a paraprofessional providing services to the student.

To obtain this information, contact the Human Resources Department at (920) 448-3583.

Wisconsin Public Records Law Notice

Wis. Stat. §19.34(1), requires the Green Bay Area Public School District to adopt, prominently display and make available for inspection and copying at its offices, for the guidance of the public, a notice containing a description of its organization and the established times and places at which, the legal custodian from whom, and the methods whereby, the public may obtain
information and access to records in its custody, make requests for records, or obtain copies of records and the costs thereof. This statute also requires the District to separately identify each position in the District that constitutes a local public office.

Notice is hereby provided of the following information required by the Wisconsin Public Records Law:

Description of the District

The Green Bay Area Public School District is a Wisconsin public school district providing instruction to students in grades preK-12. The District is comprised of four (4) high schools, two (2) instrumentality charter schools, four (4) middle schools, three (3) K-8 schools, twenty-four (21) elementary schools, one (1) alternative school, and three (3) early learning centers. The
District is governed by a school board made up of seven (7) members.

Records Custodian

Vicki Bayer, Interim Superintendent of Schools and Learning
Green Bay Area Public School District
200 South Broadway. Green Bay, WI 54303

Means of Requesting Records

All requests to inspect or copy records shall be made to the records custodian and may be made orally or in writing. Upon location of the records, records will be available for inspection and copying during regular business hours of the District Office, which are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except for holidays and other such exceptions as may be established in connection with the school calendar. 

Costs of Obtaining Records

The District may charge the requestor a fee for the actual, necessary and direct cost of reproduction and transcription of records, and in some instances, there may be additional fees for the location of records and postage/mailing fees. The District has established a Fee Schedule, detailing fees for various records. The District’s policy and rule regarding access to public records, as well as the fee schedule for obtaining records can be found online at: Board Docs/Policies/Policy 823.

Local Public Offices

The District has deemed the following positions in the District as “local public offices” as defined by Wis. Stat. §19.32(1dm):

• School Board members
• Board officers
• Superintendent of Schools and Learning
• Deputy Superintendent
• Associate Superintendent
• Chief Financial Officer
• Chief Operations Officer
• Legal Counsel
• Executive Director of Technology and Information
• Executive Director of Human Resources
• Executive Director of Finance
• Director of Communications and Public Relations
• Associate Director of Community Partnerships and Grants
• Building Principals

Interactive Media Policy for Open Records Preservation and Production

To the extent feasible, the Green Bay Area Public School District (GBAPSD) preserves some online content. All online/interactive media (websites, social media channels) may not be preserved in all forms.

The District recommends utilizing tools such as the Internet Archive Wayback Machine for previous versions of GBAPS websites.
Anyone can access both school and District Facebook and Twitter accounts at any time, at no charge. Currently both Facebook and Twitter allow access to all public posts since the creation of the specific account.

The District cannot control third-party comments, deletions or edits.

Directory of all official GBAPSD Social Media
For a directory of all GBAPS Open Records Requests and Responses please contact the Legal Department. 

Community members (student, parent, or otherwise) who are deaf or hard of hearing and require sign language interpreting, please contact the school office sponsoring the event at least 7-10 days in advance and provide notification for the need of an interpreter.  

Standards Resources

2024-25 Notice of State Assessments - English | Spanish | Somali | Hmong

The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) gives parents certain rights regarding the school district’s conduct of surveys.  If surveys would be conducted pertaining to protected information such as illegal behavior or religious practices, parents will be notified in advance of the survey and be able to opt their child out of participating in the survey.

Notice of the Green Bay Area Public School District's Policies on Sex Discrimination, the District's Title IX Coordinator and Procedures for Reporting or Filing a Complaint of Sex Discrimination

Title IX Nondiscrimination Policy Statement  

As mandated by the current provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and under the regulations set forth in Chapter 106 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations (“the federal Title IX regulations”), the District does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of sex in any education program or activity that the District operates. Title IX’s requirement not to discriminate in any education program or activity extends to cover, but is not limited to, District students, certain admissions processes, and District employment. Inquiries regarding how Title IX and the federal Title IX regulations apply to the District may be referred to the District’s Title IX Coordinator (as designated below), to the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education, or to both. 

The District’s commitment to nondiscrimination under Title IX and under other state and federal laws is further defined in the following policies of the School Board. The Board of Education policies are published on the District’s website.

• Policy 411, Equal Educational Opportunities 
• Rule 411-Rule (1), Equal Educational Opportunities Complaint Procedures 
• Rule 411-Rule(2), Nondiscrimination Guidelines Related to Students who are Transgender and Students Non-Conforming to Gender Role Stereotypes 
• Policy 411.1, Harassment and/or Bullying By or Toward Students 
• Rule 411.1, Guidelines for Responding to Reports of Harassment and/or Bullying By or Toward Students 
• Policy 411.11, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence 
• Rule 411.11, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence Complaint Procedures
• Policy 511, Equal Opportunity Employment 
• Rule 511, Employment Discrimination Complaint Procedures 
• Policy 512, Workplace Harassment and/or Bullying 
• Rule 512, Guidelines for Responding to and Reporting Workplace Harassment and/or Bullying

District Title IX Coordinator

The Title IX Coordinator for the District is: 
Abby Tilkens 
Green Bay Area Public School District 
200 South Broadway 
Green Bay, WI 54303 
(920) 448-2284 
astilkens@gbaps.org 

Reporting Sex Discrimination

Any person (including a person who is not claiming to have been personally harmed/victimized by the alleged discrimination) may report a concern or allegation regarding prohibited sex discrimination (including sexual harassment) to the District. Such reports may be submitted as follows: 

1.  In person, by mail, by telephone, by electronic mail, or through an online portal or webpage provided for this purpose (where available) to the District’s Title IX Coordinator using the contact information for the District’s Title IX Coordinator as listed above. In person reports should be made when the Title IX Coordinator is reasonably available during regular working hours. Reports submitted by telephone, mail, electronic mail, or through an online portal or webpage (where available) may be made at any time. 
2. By reporting the alleged sexual harassment to any District employee who shall be responsible for forwarding the complaint to the District’s Title IX Coordinator for review and action as necessary. 
3. By any other means that results in the Title IX Coordinator actually receiving the person’s verbal or written report. 

Filing Formal Complaints of Title IX Sexual Harassment

As required by the federal Title IX regulations, the District has established a formal grievance process for investigating and resolving “formal complaints” of “sexual harassment,” as those terms are defined in the regulations. 

An individual who is alleged to be the victim of conduct that could constitute sexual harassment under the federal Title IX regulations (i.e., a Title IX “complainant”), or a parent or guardian who has a legal right to act on behalf of such an individual, may file a formal complaint of sexual harassment. No Title IX complainant is obligated to file a formal complaint, but a qualifying formal complaint is necessary for the District to start an investigation using the District’s formal Title IX grievance process. 

Complainants are expected to file formal complaints of sexual harassment with a District Title IX Coordinator by submitting a document or electronic submission in person, by U.S. mail, or by electronic mail, using the contact information specified above. In addition, the District will accept submissions of a formal complaint through an online portal or webpage provided for this purpose (where available) so long as the electronic submission contains the complainant’s physical or digital signature or otherwise indicates that the complainant is the person filing the formal complaint. 

Additional requirements for formal complaints of Title IX sexual harassment, including a description of the required content for a formal complaint, are set forth in Board of Education Policy 411.11. 

District Response to Reports and Complaints of Sex Discrimination and to Formal Complaints of Sexual Harassment under Title IX

The District has established grievance procedures through which the District structures its response to reports that allege unlawful discrimination on the basis of sex in any education program or activity of the District. Those procedures are set forth in Rule 411-Rule (1) and Rule 511, as published on the District’s website. The purpose of such procedures is to provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of any report or complaint of alleged sex discrimination, excluding formal complaints of sexual harassment under Title IX (which are subject to a different process). 

Any time that the District has actual knowledge of sexual harassment or allegations of sexual harassment that could constitute a violation of Title IX, the District has obligations to respond to such knowledge in a manner that is not deliberately indifferent and in a manner that treats the alleged victim(s) of sexual harassment and the alleged perpetrator(s) of sexual harassment equitably. Such a response includes, but is not limited to, offering supportive measures to a complainant and investigating and resolving any formal complaint that presents allegations of Title IX sexual harassment using the formal grievance process that the District has adopted for such formal complaints. District procedures for responding to alleged sexual harassment under Title IX, including the formal grievance process, are set forth in Rule 411.11, as published on the District’s website.

Parent/ Guardian Annual Public Records Notice Under Wis. Stat. 118.07(6)(b). 

State law requires the Green Bay Area Public School District to provide this informational notice to parents and guardians on an annual basis. No response is required.

The Green Bay Area Public School District is subject to the Wisconsin Public Records Law (WPRL). By submitting a request to the Superintendent of Schools and Learning that sufficiently describes the records being sought, parents, guardians, and other members of the public may request access to District records under the WPRL. Fees authorized by law may apply. The District individually evaluates and responds to records requests as required by law. Under the WPRL, governmental records are presumed to be open to public inspection and copying, but there are exceptions. A public records request may encompass records regarding school employee discipline. A requester often has a right to inspect or copy such employment-related records. However, the WPRL does apply some special District processing procedures to such records; and, in some situations, such records or portions of such records are not disclosable. See, for example, Wis. Stat. § 19.36(10)(b), §19.356(2)(a)1, and §19.356(9). The WPRL is codified in Subchapter II of Chapter 19 of the Wisconsin Statutes. 

Through UnitedHealthcare, UMR and HealthSCOPE Benefits creates and publishes the Machine-Readable Files on behalf of the Green Bay Area Public School District. 

Wisconsin's Informal Guidebook on Dyslexia & Related Conditions guidebook

WISCONSIN ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURE FOR COMPLAINTS OR APPEALS UNDER THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT OF 2015 (ESSA)

The Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), in accordance with the Every StudentSucceeds Act (ESSA) and the applicable federal regulations, has established these complaintprocedures. They are created for the use of individuals or organizations who wish to register a complaint that the State Education Agency (SEA) or Local Education Agency (LEA) has violated laws and/or regulations governing state-administered programs funded under ESSA. The Wisconsin DPI's complaint and appeal process, established under Wis. Admin. Code PI § 1, is integrated into this complaint procedure. The following procedures will be adhered to by the
Department’s personnel when receiving and resolving any complaints filed with the state agency alleging that the SEA or LEA is in violation of any federal statute or regulation that applies to a listed, state administered ESSA-funded program.

I. Applicability

This complaint and appeal procedure is applicable to the programs identified in the State Consolidated Plan as described § 8304 of the ESSA (20 U.S.C. § 6301) and Private School Equitable Participation as described in § 8501 of the ESSA (20 U.S.C. § 6301).

II. Filing an Appeal or Complaint

In accordance with 34 C.F.R. § 299.12 and Wis. Admin. Code PI § 1.03, the following procedures for filing a complaint or appeal alleging a violation of federal law or regulation by the SEA or LEA in the administration or implementation of the programs listed in the ESSA State Consolidated Plan shall be followed.

A. The SEA will respond to all written signed complaints filed with the Department; it will respond to all requests to review a problem referred by the United States Department of Education (USDE).

B. The written complaint or appeal must include:

1. A statement that the state or LEA has violated a requirement of a federal statute or regulation that applies to any applicable program listed above.
2. The facts on which the statement is based, i.e., sufficient information as to when, where and the nature of activity that is perceived to be in violation of law and/or regulation.
3. A description of any relief sought.

C. If the complainant or appellant is a minor, the complaint or appeal shall also be signed by his or her guardian, unless the statute or rule under which the complaint or appeal is filed prohibits this requirement. Complaints shall be directed to:

Federal Policy Advisor
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
P. O. Box 7841
125 S. Webster Street
Madison, WI 53707-7841

III. Timelines of Appeal and Complaint Procedure

In accordance with 34 C.F.R. § 299.11, the following timelines to resolve an appeal or complaint filed under this procedure are established.

A. The time limit for resolving the complaint in writing, including a provision for carrying out an independent on-site investigation, if necessary, after the SEA receives a complaint shall not exceed 60 state agency work days.

B. An extension of the time limit under paragraph (A) of this section applies only if exceptional circumstances exist with respect to a particular complaint.

1. Should exceptional circumstances exist with respect to the nature of the particular complaint filed, an extension of time may be necessary and will be granted or denied as determined by the SEA. Complainant and other involved parties will be advised accordingly.
2. When the complaint is related to a short-term program such as Title I Basic Grants Summer or Title I Summer or Regular term migrant programs, the SEA will employ an emergency status timeline and make every effort to resolve the complaint within a period of 10 days from receipt.

IV. Review of SEA’s Final Decision

A. Complainants shall be notified and have the right to request the Secretary to review the final decision of the SEA, at the Secretary’s discretion.
B. The SEA reserves the right to request the Secretary of Education to review the final decision of the state.