PUBLIC NOTICE OF NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY
School District of Mauston

Federal and State Statutes prohibit discrimination against qualified handicapped/disabled persons, including both students and staff members, by school districts receiving federal financial assistance. This includes all programs or activities of the school district receiving federal funds regardless of whether the specific program or activity involved is a direct recipient of federal funds.

The School District of Mauston does not discriminate against individuals, including all students, staff and as identified below, on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital or parental status, sexual orientation, or physical, mental-emotional or learning disability or handicap in its education programs or activities.

To ensure compliance with Federal and State Statutes, the School District of Mauston will:

1. Prohibit discrimination against qualified handicapped/disabled persons in any aspect of School District employment solely on the basis of disability.
2. Make facilities, programs, and activities accessible, usable and open to qualified handicapped/disabled persons.
3. Ensure that students who are handicapped/disabled are identified, evaluated, and provided with appropriate educational services.
4. Provide free appropriate education at elementary and secondary levels, including nonacademic and extracurricular services and activities to qualified handicapped/disabled persons.
5. Prohibit exclusions of any qualified handicapped/disabled person solely on the basis of handicap/disability from participation in any preschool education or daycare program or activity or any adult education or vocational program or activity.
6. Provide each qualified handicapped/disabled person with the same health, welfare, and other social services as are provided other persons.
7. The person in the School District of Mauston who is responsible for ensuring compliance with Section 504 is the Director of Student Services, (or his/her designee), c/o School District of Mauston, 510 Grayside Avenue, Mauston WI 53948. Telephone: (608) 847-5451, ext. 6602.

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.

The School District encourages informal resolution of complaints under this policy. If any person believes that the School District, or any part of the school organization, has failed to follow the law and rules of §118.13, Wis. Stats., or in some way discriminated against pupils on the basis listed above, he/she may bring or send a complaint to the 504 Coordinator at 510 Grayside Avenue, Mauston, WI 53948, phone (608)847-5451, ext. 6602.

The following procedures shall be followed in addressing the complaint(s):

• Step 1 - A person who believes he/she has a valid basis for a grievance under Section 504 or the ADEA shall prepare and file a written statement of the complaint, including evidence/documentation supporting the need for additional services and/or the inadequacy of the services provided for the child, with the District’s Title IX District Coordinator, Mary O’Brien. The complaint will be acknowledged within forty-five (45) days, in writing.
• Step 2 - The Title IX District Coordinator will investigate the complaint and provide a written reply to the complainant on behalf of the Board of Education within ninety (90) days of receipt of the complaint unless the parties agree to an extension of time.
• Step 3 - If a complainant wishes to appeal a negative determination by the Board, the complainant may appeal directly to the State Superintendent within thirty (30) days of the decision on behalf of the Board of Education. Appeals should be addressed to: State Superintendent, Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, 125 S. Webster Street, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, Wisconsin 53707-7841. Appeals relating to the identification, evaluation, educational placement or the provisions of a free appropriate public education of a child with a disability under State or Federal law shall be resolved through procedures authorized by Chapter 115, Subchapter V., Wis. Stats.

Discrimination complaints may also be filed with the federal government at: Office Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Citigroup Center, 500 W. Madison Street, Suite 1475, Chicago, Illinois 60661. Questions about this policy may be addressed to Joel Heesch, Superintendent, 510 Grayside Avenue, Mauston, WI 53948 (608) 847-5451.