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Monterey County Office of Education
Leadership, Support and Service to Prepare All Students for Success
Dr. Deneen Guss, County Superintendent of Schools
- About MCOE
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County Board
Board Meeting Schedule for 2020
- Download the 2020 Board of Education Meeting Schedule
- Download the 2019 Board of Education Meeting Schedule
- Download the Filling a Board Vacancy board policy
The Monterey County Board of Education is comprised of seven members who represent individual Trustee Areas of the county. Each member is elected by the voters of his or her Trustee Area and serves a four-year term. The Board supports and guides the Monterey County Office of Education in providing leadership and services to the school districts.
What We Do
The primary responsibilities of the Monterey County Board of Education are to work with the Monterey County Superintendent of Schools to establish the direction and priorities for the Monterey County Office of Education through its budgetary determinations and to provide leadership to support the success of public education.
Governance
Collaborate with the county superintendent of schools so that the shared vision, goals and policies of the county office of education can be implemented. Adopt, evaluate and update policies consistent with law and the county board's vision and goals. Maintain a cooperative and supportive working relationship with local school districts, their school boards and the community. Provide community leadership on educational issues and advocate on behalf of students and public education at the local, state and federal levels. Fill by appointment any vacancy that occurs during the elected term of the county superintendent of schools.
Fiscal
Adopt the annual budget and review interim fiscal reports of the county superintendent of schools. Authorize changes to the budget during the fiscal year. Establish the salary of the county superintendent. Review and accept the professional annual accounting audit of the county school's expenditures and financial record keeping. Acquire or dispose of real property as necessary for the county's educational programs. Contract with and employ any persons for special services and advice in financial, economic, accounting, engineering, legal, or administrative matters. Approve contracts for equipment and construction, maintenance or leasing of classroom or office facilities.
Educational
Approve the curriculum and maintain accountability for student learning in schools and programs operated by the county office of education. Adopt policies to ensure that a safe and appropriate educational environment is provided for all the students of the county office of education.
Judicial
Conduct hearings on student expulsion appeals and denied interdistrict transfers. Serve as the County Committee on School District Organization by overseeing the reorganization of school districts through territory transfers or unification and the establishment or rearrangement of governing board trustee areas in the school districts of the county. Conduct public hearings when appropriate.
Charter Schools
Grant reviews, if requested, of petitions to establish a charter school if the district school board denies the original petition request. Evaluate petition requests to establish a charter school that will serve pupils for whom the county office of education is responsible. Provide supervisory oversight for any charter school whose petition was accepted by the county office of education.
Our Philosophy
We, the Members of the Monterey County Office of Education, must do everything measured by the following standards:
- We must make every decision in consideration of the children and the public schools that serve them.
- We must be passionate in our commitment to excellence-excellence in education; excellence in teaching; excellence in administration; excellence in governance.
- We must conduct ourselves with dignity and civility.
- We must never allow political partisanship to shape our agenda.
- We must continue to represent and serve all of our constituents-county schools, urban districts, suburban districts, rural districts, small districts.
- We must embrace, value and celebrate the diversity of our county's residents.
- Therefore, We resolve to support the Mission of the Monterey County Office of Education.
How We Function
In California's public education system, a trustee is a person elected or appointed to serve on a board of education. Individual board members bring unique skills, values and beliefs to the County Board of Education. In order to govern effectively, individual board members must work with each other and the superintendent to ensure that a high quality education is provided to each student.
To be effective, an individual board member:
- Keeps learning, and achievement for all students as the primary focus.
- Values, supports and advocates for public education.
- Recognizes and respects differences of perspective and style on the board and among staff, students, parents, and the community.
- Acts with dignity, and understands the implications of demeanor and behavior.
- Keeps confidential matters confidential.
- Participates in professional development and commits the time and energy necessary to be an informed and effective leader.
- Understands the distinctions between board, superintendent and staff roles, and refrains from performing management functions that are the responsibility of the superintendent and staff.
- Understands that authority rests with the board as a whole and not with individual board members.
K-12 School Board Best Practices
The Monterey County Board of Education believes California K-12 schools are public institutions that belong to the communities they serve. Responsibility for their fiscal health and effectiveness is granted to locally elected boards. To fulfill these responsibilities, boards must have maximum autonomy and flexibility. The California School Boards Association provides professional guidance, training and resources to school board members to build strong governance teams. For more information, visit the California School Boards Association's Effective Governance webpage.
Roles and Responsibilities
Citizen oversight of local government is the cornerstone of democracy in the United States. School board members are locally elected public officials entrusted with governing a community’s public schools. The role of the school board is to ensure that school districts are responsive to the values, beliefs and priorities of their communities. Boards fulfill this role by performing five major responsibilities:
- Setting direction
- Establishing an effective and efficient structure
- Providing support
- Ensuring accountability
- Providing community leadership as advocates for children, the school district and public schools
For more information about roles and responsibilities of school boards, please visit the California School Boards Association's Role and Responsibilities webpage.
Contacts
Carla Strobridge Stewart
Assistant to the County Superintendentcstewart@montereycoe.org
Phone: 831.784.4244
Forms/Links
Social Media
The MCOE prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived ancestry, age, color, disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics.
Accessibility Statement | Non-discrimination Policy | Sexual Harassment Policy | Uniform Complaint Procedures | Title IX NotificationCopyright © 2014 Monterey County Office of Education | WebMaster | Contact MCOE: 831.755.0300 | 901 Blanco Circle, Salinas, CA 93901
Accessibility Statement
Welcome to the Monterey County Office of Education’s Website
We want everyone who visits our MCOE website to feel welcome and to easily find the information they need. Our website will be maintained in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We will ensure each webpage conforms to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA standards. These guidelines were established by the World Wide Web Consortium, an international community with a shared vision to make all websites accessible to individuals with visual, hearing or cognitive disabilities.
How to Report Issues
If you have difficulty accessing information on our website due to a disability, please contact us at webmaster@montereycoe.org. and provide the URL (web address) of the material you tried to access, the problem you experienced, and your contact information (name, email address and phone number) so that we may contact you to provide the information in another format.
Title IX Notification
Title IX - Sex-Based Discrimination is Prohibited
What is Title IX?
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”) is a federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in all educational programs and activities, including athletic programs. No person shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity operated by the Monterey County Office of Education. Title IX protects all participants in the County’s educational programs and activities, including students, parents, employees, and job applicants. The Monterey County Office of Education does not discriminate on the basis of sex. Discrimination on the basis of sex can include sexual harassment and sexual violence.
In addition to Title IX, the California Education Code prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in schools. (California Education Code §§ 220-221.1.) Other state and federal laws also prohibit discrimination and ensure equality in education. Please refer to Board Policies 5145.3 and Administrative Regulations 5145.3 for more information on the Monterey County Office of Education’s anti-discrimination policies.
What are my rights under Title IX?
You have the following rights under Title IX, to the extent applicable at the Monterey County Office of Education:
- You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and you shall not be discriminated against based on your sex.
- You have the right to be provided with an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.
- You have the right to inquire of the athletic director of your school or appropriate Monterey County Office of Education personnel as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school.
- You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships if the Monterey County Office of Education offers any.
- You have the right to receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of all of the following related to athletics, if any are provided by the Monterey County Office of Education Programs:
- Equipment and supplies;
- Scheduling of games and practices;
- Transportation and daily allowances;
- Access to tutoring;
- Coaching;
- Locker rooms;
- Practice and competitive facilities;
- Medical and training facilities and services; and
- Publicity.
- You have the right to have access to a sex/gender equity coordinator, referred to as the Title IX Coordinator, to answer questions regarding sex/gender equity laws.
- You have the right to contact the State Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation to access information on sex/gender equity laws.
- You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or the California Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or if you believe you have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex.
- You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against.
- You have the right to be protected against retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.
California Education Code § 221.8.
The Monterey County Office of Education has a responsibility to respond promptly and effectively to sex-based discrimination, including sexual harassment and sexual violence. If the Monterey County Office of Education knows or reasonably should know about sex discrimination, it must take action to eliminate the sex discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. The Monterey County Office of Education must resolve complaints of sex discrimination promptly and equitably. Information on filing a complaint alleging sex-based discrimination is below, including contact information for the County’s Title IX Coordinator.
For more information specific to anti-discrimination in Monterey County Office of Education employment, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.
Learn more about your rights under Title IX:
- Visit the website of the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights and the webpage on sex discrimination.
- Review United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, Know Your Rights documents:
- Visit the website of the California Department of Education Office of Equal Opportunity and the webpage on Gender Equity/Title IX
Review related Monterey County Office of Education policies and regulations
Who is the Title IX Coordinator?
The Monterey County Office of Education has a Title IX Coordinator who oversees the County’s compliance with Title IX requirements and promotes sex equity in the County’s programs. Contact the County’s Title IX Coordinator:
Personnel-Related
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator
831.784.4195
lbutler@montereycoe.org
Student-Related
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Title IX Coordinator
831.755.1405
evela@montereycoe.org
The Uniform Complaint Procedure is available on the Human Resources Forms page.
If you need assistance putting your complaint in writing, please contact the Human Resources Department for Personnel related complaints and the Student Services Department for Student related complaints. You may file a complaint anonymously, but the County Office of Education’s ability to investigate and respond may be limited by a lack of information.
You may also file a discrimination complaint with the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights website. The electronic complaint form for the Office for Civil Rights is available on the Office for Civil Rights' Website. Contact the Office for Civil Rights at:
San Francisco Office Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: 415.486.5555
Fax: 415.486.5570
TDD: 800.877.8339
Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.gov
For information about how to file other types of complaints and the procedures for those complaints, please contact the Human Resources Department at Monterey County Office of Education at 831.784.4195.
When must a complaint be filed?
A complaint alleging unlawful discrimination or retaliation must be filed no later than six months from the date the discrimination or retaliation occurred, or six months from when the complainant first learned of the unlawful discrimination. The Superintendent or designee may extend this timeline by up to ninety days for good cause, upon written request by the complainant setting forth the reasons for the extension.
How will a complaint be investigated?
Complaints filed under the County’s Uniform Complaint Procedure will be investigated and a decision made within sixty calendar days of the County’s receipt, unless the complainant agrees to an extension. The County’s compliance officer or designee may interview alleged victims, alleged offenders, and relevant witnesses. The compliance officer may review available records, statements, or notes related to the complaint, including evidence or information received from the parties during the investigation. The compliance officer may visit reasonably accessible locations where discrimination is alleged to have occurred. As appropriate, the County’s compliance officer periodically will inform the parties of the status of the investigation. The complainant will be notified when a decision is made.
Complaints that are not filed under the County’s Uniform Complaint Procedure will be investigated and decided pursuant to the applicable procedure.
What happens when the investigation is complete?
For complaints filed under the Uniform Complaint Procedure, the compliance officer will prepare and send a final written decision to the complainant and respondent, if any, within 60 calendar days of the County’s receipt of the complaint (unless this deadline is extended by mutual agreement).
The complainant or respondent may appeal the County’s decision within fifteen calendar days to the California Department of Education. The appeal must specify the reason for the appeal and whether the County’s facts are incorrect and/or the law is misapplied. The appeal must include a copy of the original complaint to the Monterey County Office of Education and a copy of the County’s decision. For more information, visit the California Department of Education’s webpage on Uniform Complaint Procedures.
For complaints alleging unlawful discrimination based on state law, the complainant may pursue available civil law remedies, including seeking assistance from mediation centers or public/private interest attorneys, sixty calendar days after filing an appeal with the California Department of Education. (California Education Code § 262.3.) Note that this sixty day moratorium does not apply to complaints seeking injunctive relief in state courts or to discrimination complaints based on federal law. (California Education Code § 262.3.)
Complaints may also be filed with the United States Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, within 180 days of the alleged discrimination. For contact information, see the section above on “How do I file a complaint of sex discrimination?” and/or visit U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights website.
If the compliance officer finds that a complaint has merit, the Monterey County Office of Education will take appropriate corrective action.
How do I get more information?
For more information regarding Title IX and sex equity in education or in Monterey County Office of Education employment, please contact the County’s Title IX Coordinator.
Personnel-Related
Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources, Title IX Coordinator
831.784.4195
lbutler@montereycoe.org
Student-Related
Assistant Superintendent of Student Services, Title IX Coordinator
831.755.1405
evela@montereycoe.org