Title IX prohibts discrimination, harassment, exclusion, denial, limitation on the basis of actual or perceived sex, sexual orientation, gender, or gender identity or expression. Title IX applies to both male and female students and employees in any educational institution receiving federal funding.

 A Uniform Complaint Procedures or UCP complaint is a written statement alleging discrimination, harassment, or a violation of a federal or state law or regulation.  A UCP complaint must be filed by way of the Uniform Complaint Procedures as written in the California Code of Regulations, Title 5, sections 4600-4687.  Issues that may involve filing a complaint using the UCP are under various state and federal programs that use categorical funds such as Adult Education, Career Technical And Technical Education and Training Programs, Child Care and Development Programs, Child Nutrition Programs, Consolidated Categorical Aid Programs, Federal Safety Planning Requirements, Migrant Education, and Special Education Programs.  The UCP process will also be used when addressing complaints alleging failure to comply with the prohibition against requiring students to pay fees or other charges for participation in educational activities.

A Williams Complaint, another type of UCP complaint, regards instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils, and teacher vacancy or misassignment and may be filed anonymously.  Local educational agencies (LEAs) shall have a complaint form available for these types of complaints, but will not reject a complaint if the form is not used as long as the complaint is submitted in writing.