Department of Elementary and Secondary Education Logo
Problem Resolution System Office

PRS Additional State and Federal Resources

PRS staff are available by phone and email between 8:45 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. every business day to discuss your issues, answer your questions, and if needed, to help you to file a complaint with the Department. PRS can assist you if a publicly funded education provider is not implementing the requirements of any federal or state education related law or regulation under our authority. If your concerns are outside the authority of the Department to resolve, PRS staff will suggest next steps you can take or other resources you can access to resolve your issue, some of which are listed below.

Issues involving bias motivated threats, harassment or violence can be addressed through:

Office of the Attorney General
Civil Rights Division
One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108
http://www.mass.gov/ago/
Phone: 617-963-2917

The US Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights works to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence through vigorous enforcement of civil rights in our nation's schools.

U.S. Department of Education-Office of Civil Rights
8th Floor
5 Post Office Square
Boston, MA 02109-3921
Phone: 617-289-0111
Facsimile: 617-289-0150
Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov

The Bureau of Special Education Appeals conducts due process hearings and renders rulings and decisions concerning eligibility, evaluation, placement, individualized education programs (IEP), provision of special education and procedural protections for students with disabilities:

Bureau of Special Education Appeals
14 Summer St., 4th Floor
Malden, MA 02148
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/bureau-of-special-education-appeals
Phone: 781-397-4750

Issues involving school health and nurses can be directed to:

Massachusetts Department of Public Health
250 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02108
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs
Phone: 617-624-6000

Issues involving the care and welfare of children can be directed to:

The Department of Families and Children (DCF)
600 Washington St.
Boston, MA 02111
http://www.mass.gov/eohhs/gov/departments/dcf/
Phone: 1-800-792-5200

Issues related to the provision of public records can be addressed to:

Secretary of the Commonwealth
Public Records Division
McCormack Building
One Ashburton Place, Room 1719
Boston, MA 02108
www.sec.state.ma.us
Phone: 617-727-7030

Issues related to the Open Meeting Law:

One Ashburton Place
Boston, MA 02108-1518
www.mass.gov/ago/openmeeting
Phone: 617-727-2200

Issues or concerns about a child or youth who is receiving services directly from a state agency, or services that are funded by a state agency, may be directed to:

Office of the Child Advocate
Mail: One Ashburton Place, 5th Floor, Boston, MA 02108
Complaint Line: 617-979-8374
Online Form: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/file-a-complaint-with-the-oca
Email: childadvocate@mass.gov

Last Updated: January 8, 2020

 
Contact Us

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Voice: (781) 338-3000
TTY: (800) 439-2370

Directions

Disclaimer: A reference in this website to any specific commercial products, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name is for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.