Chapel Hill Independent School District
Mount Pleasant, Texas

#06-99-1099

Voluntary Resolution Agreement

The Chapel Hill Independent School District (CHISD), Mount Pleasant, Texas, voluntarily agrees to the implementation of a plan to resolve the allegations of racial discrimination filed in complaint 06-99-1099. The complaint was filed with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR). The CHISD does not admit to violating any federal laws or to discriminating against any student and/or employee by entering into this voluntary resolution agreement.

To resolve the allegations in this complaint and to ensure compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and its implementing regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 100, the CHISD agrees to take the following voluntary action steps:

1. Effective immediately, the CHISD reaffirms that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any academic, extracurricular, or other program or activity operated by the district.
2. The CHISD notice of nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin shall be published in the CHISD Student/Parent and Employee handbooks.
1. The notice in these documents will indicate that the policy includes prohibition against racial harassment/hostile environment because this type of harassment denies students the right to an education free of discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin.
2. The modified Student/Parent and Employee handbooks will be distributed by September 30, 1999. If the handbooks cannot be reprinted before September 30, 1999, an insert containing the above mentioned policies will be attached to the handbook presently available. Any subsequent revision of the handbook should contain the revised notice.
3. No later than October 30, 1999, the CHISD shall provide OCR with documentation which establishes that the above actions have been taken.
3. The CHISD will adopt, publish and disseminate written policies against discrimination on the basis of race, including specific policies against racial harassment involving school administrators, staff, and students.
1. These non-discrimination policies will include an explanation of racial harassment, with legal definitions and examples; and, these policies will include a statement of possible disciplinary sanctions. The CHISD will submit a copy of the adopted policy to OCR by July 31, 1999, along with a statement as to how it will be disseminated.
2. The adopted policy will be published and disseminated in all student, parent, teacher, and other employee handbooks beginning with the 1999-2000 school year. The CHISD will provide copies of all handbooks to OCR by October 30, 1999.
4. The CHISD will review its grievance procedures to ensure that the grievance procedures incorporate appropriate due process standards and provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging racial harassment/hostile environment.
1. The procedures will provide that if the official with whom the complaint is to be filed is the alleged offender, then the complaint may be filed with his/her supervisor.
2. If necessary, the grievance procedures will be revised and the CHISD will post its revised grievance procedures at each school facility by September 1, 1999. The procedures should include how, where, and with whom to file a complaint. By July 30, 1999, the CHISD will provide OCR with a copy of any revised procedures.
3. By September 30, 1999, these grievance procedures will be published in student/ parent, and employee handbooks. By October 30, 1999 , the CHISD shall provide OCR with documentation which establishes that the grievance procedures have been published in student/parent and employee handbooks.
5. By October 1, 1999, the CHISD will develop a centrally administered system that will identify and record student on student and employee on student incidents which are racially motivated or that have racial overtones.

   The system will also identify and record complaints filed with the district (central office and campus) by students/parents who allege racial harassment, including assaults, against a student(s) or a staff member of CHISD.

1. The system will contain information that identifies the race/ethnicity of the complainant/alleged injured party, race/ethnicity of the alleged perpetrator(s), investigative findings and actions taken by the CHISD, and the resolution of any racial harassment complaint.
2. The data produced by the system will be maintained for at least three years. The CHISD will provide OCR with a copy of the cumulative data produced by the system by February 15, 2000, July 1, 2000, February 15, 2001, July 1, 2001, February 15, 2002, and July 1, 2002.
6. The CHISD will train school district personnel to deal with incidents of racial harassment/hostile environment. The training will be designed to enable school personnel to respond to racial incidents in a reasonable, timely and effective manner. Training will be provided by persons who are not employees of the CHISD. As part of this training, teachers and staff will be trained to report alleged racial harassment incidents to supervisory and/or administrative staff. Documentation regarding the training provided, including the dates and times of the training, the names and credentials of the trainers, a list of participants at the training, and copies of the materials disseminated at the training will be provided to OCR by December 31, 1999.
7. By December 31, 1999, the CHISD will develop proactive programs in race relations for students and employees. By December 31, 1999, the CHISD will provide OCR with a description of the proactive programs in race relations that it has developed for its students and employees, indicating the proposed dates for implementing the programs and the anticipated participation rates by race/ethnicity.

On behalf of the Chapel Hill Independent School District, Mount Pleasant, Texas:

Signature:_____________________  Date:_____________________
Mr. Ronnie Stanley, Superintendent