---
kind: "section"
citation: "20 U.S.C. § 7883"
title: "20"
title_heading: "Education"
number: "7883"
heading: "Complaint process for participation of private school children"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/20/7883"
units:
  - "Chapter 70 — Strengthening and Improvement of Elementary and Secondary Schools"
  - "Subchapter VIII — General Provisions"
  - "Part F — Uniform Provisions"
  - "Subpart 1 — private schools"
---

# §7883. Complaint process for participation of private school children

- (a) **Procedures for complaints—** The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall develop and implement written procedures for receiving, investigating, and resolving complaints from [parents](/usc/20/7801.md?p=38), teachers, or other individuals and organizations concerning violations of [section 7881 of this title](/usc/20/7881.md) by a [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49), [local educational agency](/usc/20/7713.md?p=9-A), [educational service agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=18), consortium of those agencies, or entity. The individual or organization shall submit the complaint to the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) for a written resolution by the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) within 45 days.
- (b) **Appeals to Secretary—** The resolution may be appealed by an interested party to the [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) not later than 30 days after the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49) resolves the complaint or fails to resolve the complaint within the 45-day time limit. The appeal shall be accompanied by a copy of the [State educational agency](/usc/20/7801.md?p=49)’s resolution, and, if there is one, a complete statement of the reasons supporting the appeal. The [Secretary](/usc/20/7801.md?p=46) shall investigate and resolve the appeal not later than 90 days after receipt of the appeal.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 89–10, title VIII, § 8503, formerly title IX, § 9503, as added Pub. L. 107–110, title IX, § 901, Jan. 8, 2002, 115 Stat. 1977; renumbered title VIII, § 8503, and amended Pub. L. 114–95, title VIII, §§ 8001(a)(5), 8017, Dec. 10, 2015, 129 Stat. 2088, 2089, 2111.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2015—Pub. L. 114–95, § 8017, added subsecs. (a) and (b) and struck out former subsecs. (a) and (b) which related to procedures for complaints and appeals to Secretary, respectively.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 2015 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 114–95 effective Dec. 10, 2015, except with respect to certain noncompetitive programs and competitive programs, see section 5 of Pub. L. 114–95, set out as a note under section 6301 of this title.