State vs. Due Process Complaints

A state complaint considers whether a school district has violated any state or federal law or regulation. A due process complaint is like a lawsuit, but at the state agency level. It is a hearing like one would expect in court.

State Complaints and Due Process Complaints are often referred to by parents and even district staff interchangeably. Both State Complaints and Due Process Complaints are procedures intended to resolve disputes between parents of students with disabilities and school districts. Although many of the motivators that could drive a parent to decide to file are similar, the two processes are very different.