On April 24, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released a three-document guidance package regarding the role and responsibility of Title IX coordinators. As summarized in a statement by Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, the guidance package emphasizes the responsibility of school districts, colleges, and universities to designate a “well-qualified, well-trained” Title IX coordinator “and to give that coordinator the authority and support necessary to do the job.”
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination in education programs and activities. Since the issuance of implementing regulations in 1975, school districts, colleges, and universities receiving federal financial assistance from the Department of Education have been required to designate at least one employee to coordinate the recipient’s compliance with Title IX.
The guidance package consists of three documents:
- The 7-page Dear Colleague Letter outlines several factors to consider when designating a Title IX coordinator; describes a Title IX coordinator’s responsibilities and authority; and reminds institutions of several ways to support Title IX coordinators.
- The 2-page Letter to Title IX Coordinators thanks the Title IX coordinator, refers the Title IX Coordinator to the other documents in the guidance package, and offers technical assistance.
- The 26-page Title IX Resource Guide addresses Title IX’s scope; a Title IX coordinator’s responsibilities and authority; Title IX administrative requirements (g., grievance procedures, notice of nondiscrimination); Title IX’s application to various issues (e.g., recruitment, admissions, and counseling; financial assistance; athletics; sex-based harassment; pregnant and parenting students; discipline; single-sex education; employment; retaliation); and requirements to collect and report to ED certain information about Title IX coordinators.
More information about Title IX and other OCR guidance documents on Title IX-related issues can be found on OCR’s website.