Compliance and Americans with Disabilities Act

The School Board of Polk County, Florida, Policies 1122, 2260, 3122 and 4122, Florida Educational Equity Act, Section 1000.05, F.S., Rule 6A‐19.000 through 6A‐19.010, FAC, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Section 504, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as amended, Vocational Guidelines, Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act 36 C.F.R. 108.9.

Annual Notice of Nondiscrimination for CTE Programs (Postsecondary)

The School Board of Polk County, Florida, offers the following Career and Technical programs, wherein participants may earn industry certification: Administrative Office Specialist, Airframe & Power Plant, Automotive Collision Technology Technician, Automotive Service Technology, Building Trades with Construction Design, Computer Systems & Information Technology, Cosmetology, Dental Assisting, Diesel Systems Technician, Digital Design, Drafting, Electricity Energy Technician, Fire Fighter, HVAC/Refrigeration, Legal Administrative Specialist, Massage Therapy, Medical Assisting, Medical Coding & Billing, Network Support, Patient Care Assistant, Patient Care Technician, Pharmacy Technician, Practical Nursing, Professional Culinary Arts & Hospitality, Surgical Technology and Welding Technology

The PCPS District is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and educational opportunities. No person shall be discriminated against or harassed in any educational program, services or activities or employment conditions or practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, pregnancy, age, homelessness, disability, marital status, genetic information, or other legally protected classification.

Admission is open to students with limited English proficiency. In order to eliminate barriers, the PCPS District assesses each student’s ability to benefit from specific programs through placement tests and counseling, and, if necessary, will provide services or referrals to better prepare students for successful participation.

Annual Notice of Nondiscrimination for CTE Programs (Career Academies)

The School Board of Polk County, Florida, offers Career Academies from 8 established career cluster areas. Admission to these programs is based on career interests, aptitude, and schedule availability. Career Academies are open to all eligible high school students in the district.

Students may earn industry certification in the following areas of study:

The District is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and educational opportunity. No person shall be discriminated against or harassed in any educational program, services or activities or employment conditions or practices on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, pregnancy, age, homelessness, disability, marital status, genetic information, or other legally protected classification.

Admission is open to students with limited English proficiency. In order to eliminate barriers, the district assesses each student’s ability to benefit from specific programs through placement tests and counseling, and, if necessary, will provide services or referrals to better prepare students for successful participation.

The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies, reports of alleged violations, concerns about compliance and the grievance procedure(s), etc.:

Employees: For matters involving Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII, and Florida’s Educational Equity Act, direct all inquiries to the District’s ADA/EEO Coordinator.

Students: For matters involving Section 504 contact the District’s Section 504 Coordinator.

Title IX: For all Title IX related matters, whether involving employees and/or students, contact the District’s Title IX Coordinator.

Introduction to The Compliance and ADA Handbook

The School Board has established policies prohibiting discrimination and harassment of students and employees by another student, employee or anyone doing business with the school district. 

Policy on Discrimination

Policy 1122 Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity The School Board does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including sexual orientation, transgender status, or gender identity), disability (including HIV, AIDS, or sickle cell trait), pregnancy, marital status, age (except as authorized by law), religion, military status, ancestry, or genetic information, which are classes protected by State and/or Federal law (collectively, "protected classes") in its programs and activities, including employment opportunities.

It is the legal obligation and the policy of the Board to employ only those persons who are best qualified, with or without reasonable accommodations.

The Superintendent shall appoint Compliance Officer(s) whose responsibility will be to require that Federal and State regulations are complied with and that any complaints are dealt with promptly in accordance with the law. The Superintendent shall also require that proper notice of nondiscrimination for Title II, Title VI, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendment Act of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act will be provided to staff members and the general public.

Any sections of the District's collectively bargained agreements dealing with hiring, promotion, and tenure will contain a statement of nondiscrimination similar to that in the Board's statement above.

The Compliance and ADA Department

The name(s), title(s), and contact information of this/these individual(s) will be published annually on the District's web site.

Any employee or applicant for employment who believes he or she has been discriminated against or has been harassed by another employee, student, or other third party is encouraged to use the Educational Equity Complaint Procedure or may complain directly to the building Principal or the Compliance Officer. Although certain cases may require additional time, the Compliance Analyst will attempt to complete an investigation into allegations of discrimination within forty-five (45) calendar days of receiving the formal complaint.

Definitions

Please reference the definitions listed below to determine the nature of the allege offense. If the complaint does not meet the definition of discrimination or harassment, it should be addressed with the building administrator/department supervisor. 

Informal / Formal Complaint Process