Complaints Process – Students & Parents

Filing a Complaint

Should a student, or their parent, be dissatisfied with the educational services they received, are receiving, should have received, or need, they can file a complaint based on a procedure that consists of a maximum of three steps.

Step 1

Contact the person directly concerned, or their immediate supervisor

• The student or their parent must first approach the person directly concerned or their supervisor.
• The complaint may be verbal, but it is better if it is made in writing.
• The person who receives the complaint has 10 working days to respond.

Step 2

Contact the person responsible for processing complaints

• If the student or their parent is still dissatisfied with how the complaint is being handled, or if the 10-day deadline has expired, they may then approach the Complaints Officer at the School Board.
• The complaint may be verbal, but it is better if it is made in writing.
• The Complaints Officer has 15 working days to respond.

Step 3

Contact the Regional Student Ombudsman

• If the student or their parent is still dissatisfied with how the complaint is being handled, or if the 15-day deadline has expired, they may contact their Regional Student Ombudsman, Me Marc-Antoine Joseph, who will help them draft their written complaint.
• The student or their parent may choose the form of communication that best suits them among the following:

Online: pne.gouv.qc.ca/formulaire
Phone or text message: 1-833-420-5233
Email: plaintes-pne@pne.gouv.qc.ca

• Regional Student Ombudsmen have 20 working days to examine the complaint and issue their conclusions. If they deem that the complaint is substantiated, they may make recommendations to the School Board.
• However, before the conclusions are sent, the National Student Ombudsman examines them. They have up to 5 working days to decide whether to examine the complaint in turn. If so, they then have 10 working days to complete the examination and, if need be, to substitute their conclusions or recommendations for those of the Regional Student Ombudsman.
• The Regional Student Ombudsman then informs the complainant and the School Board of the conclusions and any recommendations.
• The School Board has 10 working days to inform the complainant and the Regional Student Ombudsman of whether it intends to follow up on the conclusions and recommendations made to it, or of its reasons if it has decided not to act on them.