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Reading Room (eFOIA Index)Please visit our new Reading Room location at:
www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/frontpage/faq/readingroom.html
Recent Resolutions
General
Publications - General
Documents - General
Federal Register Notices and Regulations - General
Race Discrimination/Title VI
Publications - Title VI
Documents - Title VI
Federal Register Notices and Regulations
- Title VI
Sex Discrimination/Title IX
Publications - Title IX
Documents - Title IX
Federal Register Notices and Regulations
- Title IX
Disability Discrimination/Section 504/ADA
Publications - Section 504/ADA
Documents - Section 504/ADA
Federal Register Notices and Regulations
- Section 504/ADA
OCR Policy/Federal Register
Public Statements and Testimony
Educational Research
Additional ED Resources
Archived Documents
Documents posted in this reading room were published in the Federal Register or were otherwise made available to the public. Policy and legal interpretations announced in these materials may have been superseded or modified by federal court decisions or by later interpretations of the legal requirements involved. Placement of the document in the reading room does not reflect its importance relative to other OCR documents or to court decisions. The list of OCR documents currently available is not all-inclusive.
Some documents are not currently available from this web page but may be requested where either of these icons appears. There is no charge for single copies. Please include your mail address in the request. Other OCR documents that are not currently posted on our web page may be requested using Department of Education Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request procedures.
OCR Fact Sheet PDF (146K) (March 18, 2015) entitled “Addressing the Risk of Measles in Schools while Protecting the Civil Rights of Students with Disabilities.” The Fact Sheet addresses how school officials can implement recommendations and resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) related to protecting children and their families from measles without discriminating on the basis of disability, particularly in the case of students who are medically unable to receive a vaccine because of a disability, and explains what school officials must do to ensure continuity of learning if a student is legitimately excluded from school. Other resources on measles can be found at rems.ed.gov/KeepSchoolsSafeFromDiseases.aspx.
OCR Fact Sheet PDF (158K) (December 16, 2014) entitled “Implementing CDC’s Ebola Guidance for Schools while Protecting the Civil Rights of Students and Others”. The Fact Sheet addresses how school officials can implement Ebola guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) without discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, or disability; explains what school officials must do to ensure a continuity of learning if a student is legitimately excluded from school; and reminds school officials of their responsibility to respond to bullying and harassment. Other resources on Ebola can be found at www.ed.gov/ebola-response.
Dear Colleague Letter PDF (676K) (December 8, 2014) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon and Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, Vanita Gupta, U.S. Department of Justice, concerning the applicability of Federal civil rights laws to juvenile justice residential facilities. The letter provides a reminder that juvenile justice residential facilities receiving Federal funds are subject to the same Federal civil rights obligations as all other public schools, and highlights some of the legal requirements related to access to academic coursework and career and vocational training, students with disabilities, English language learners, and the administration of discipline.
Dear Colleague Letter PDF (179K) (May 14, 2014) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, concerning the applicability of Federal civil rights laws to charter schools. The letter provides a reminder that charter schools are subject to the same Federal civil rights obligations as all other public schools, and highlights some of the legal requirements related to admissions, student discipline, students with disabilities, and English language learners.
"Dear Colleague" letter PDF (179K) | En español PDF (186K)“Dear Colleague” letter (April 24, 2013) from Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Seth Galanter, concerning the prohibition against retaliation under Federal civil rights laws. The letter clarifies the basic principles of retaliation law and describes OCR’s methods of enforcement.
PDF (64K) "Dear Colleague" letter | En español PDF (128K)“Dear Colleague” letter (October 26, 2010) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlynn Ali, concerning recipients' obligations to protect students from student-on-student harassment on the basis of sex; race, color and national origin; and disability. The letter clarifies the relationship between bullying and discriminatory harassment, provides examples of harassment, and illustrates how a school should respond in each case.
PDF (166K) "Dear Colleague" letter“Dear Colleague” letter (January 13, 2009) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe, concerning the obligation of recipients of federal financial assistance from, or funds made available through, the Department to submit a signed assurance of compliance with the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act and the other laws OCR enforces. This letter is a subsequent request to recipients for whom OCR has no record of receiving a signed assurance. The letter contains instructions for completion, and encloses a blank copy of the Assurance of Compliance – Civil Rights Certificate for submission to OCR.
PDF (1.7M) "Dear Colleague" letter“Dear Colleague” letter (July 21, 2006) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe providing information about the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001, part of No Child Left Behind, and the requirement to provide assurances of compliance with this law. The letter encloses a blank copy of OCR's revised Assurance of Compliance -- Civil Rights Certificate.
PDF (1.18M) "Dear Colleague" letterJoint DOJ/OCR Letter on Segregated Proms: " Dear Colleague" letter (September 20, 2004) addressing the issue of civil rights violations inherent in allocation of extracurricular awards or honors on the basis of race, or violations inherent in racially separate proms or dances.
Title IX Responsibilities: "Dear Colleague" letter (August 4, 2004) reminding postsecondary institutions of Title IX responsibilities.
Title IX Responsibilities: "Dear Colleague" letter (April 26, 2004) reminding chief state school officers and state and local education agencies that the Title IX regulations require recipients to designate a Title IX coordinator, adopt and disseminate a nondiscrimination policy, and put grievance procedures in place to address complaints of discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities.
First Amendment: "Dear Colleague" letter (July 28, 2003) reaffirming that OCR's regulations and policies do not require or prescribe speech, conduct or harassment codes that impair the exercise of rights protected under the First Amendment.
Federal Register Notices and Regulations - General
January 7, 2015: (Press Release) Dear Colleague Letter PDF (499K) | En español PDF (809K) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, and Vanita Gupta Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Justice, regarding schools’ obligations to ensure that English Learner (EL) students can participate meaningfully and equally in school and to communicate information to limited English proficient (LEP) parents in a language they can understand. The guidance, fact sheets, and other resources (including translated versions of the guidance and fact sheets) are available on OCR’s EL Students and LEP Parents web page.
October 1, 2014: (Press Release) Dear Colleague letter PDF (469K) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon about ensuring students have equal access to educational resources without regard to race, color, or national origin. The guidance, fact sheet, and resources for technical assistance are also available on the Resource Comparability Materials homepage.
Dear Colleague Letter PDF (469K) | En español PDF (308K)
Fact Sheet PDF (179K) | En español PDF (510K) | Chinese simplified PDF (299K) | Chinese traditional PDF (431K) | Korean PDF (352K) | Russian PDF (254K) | Tagalog PDF (180K) | Vietnamese PDF (233K)
"Dear Colleague" letter PDF (172K) (May 8, 2014) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, Deputy General Counsel Philip H. Rosenfelt, U.S. Department of Education, and Jocelyn Samuels, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Justice, regarding schools' enrollment procedures and the obligation to enroll all residents of school age regardless of their race, color, national origin, immigration, or citizenship status.
"Dear Colleague" letter PDF (172K) | En español PDF (177K) | Arabic PDF (269K) | Chinese PDF (230K) | Korean PDF (244K) | Tagalog PDF (155K) | Vietnamese PDF (214K)Questions and Answers about Dear Colleague PDF (326K) | En español PDF (196K) | Arabic PDF (234K) | Chinese PDF (259K) | Korean PDF (386K) | Tagalog PDF (185K) | Vietnamese PDF (314K)
Fact Sheet about Dear Colleague PDF (569K) | En español PDF (237K) | Arabic PDF (203K) | Chinese PDF (253K) | Korean PDF (289K) | Tagalog PDF (156K) | Vietnamese PDF (248K)May 6, 2014: Dear Colleague Letter PDF (99K) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, Philip H. Rosenfelt, Deputy General Counsel, U.S. Department of Education, and Acting Assistant Attorney General Jocelyn Samuels, U.S. Department of Justice, concerning the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Schuette v. Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action. The letter provides information about the Schuette decision and reiterates the Departments’ support for the voluntary use of race and ethnicity to achieve diversity in education.
"Dear Colleague" letter | En español PDF (644K)
"Dear Colleague" letter PDF (282K) | En español PDF (253K)
Questions and Answers PDF (305K) | En español PDF (334K)
Title VI Enforcement Highlights Office for Civil Rights (July 2012)
PDF (1.26M)
"Dear Colleague" letter (May 6, 2011) (Archived) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali, General Counsel Charles P. Rose, U.S. Department of Education, and Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Justice, regarding schools' enrollment procedures.
"Dear Colleague" letter PDF (130K) | En español PDF (131K)“Dear Colleague” letter (October 26, 2010) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlynn Ali, concerning recipients' obligations to protect students from student-on-student harassment on the basis of sex; race, color and national origin; and disability. The letter clarifies the relationship between bullying and discriminatory harassment, provides examples of harassment, and illustrates how a school should respond in each case.
PDF (166K) "Dear Colleague" letterFederal Register Notices and Regulations - Title VI
“Dear Colleague” letter PDF (297K)
Supporting the Academic Success of Pregnant and Parenting Students Under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 PDF (251K)
Know Your Rights PDF (412K) | En español PDF (410K)
Questions and Answers on Title IX and Single-Sex Elementary and Secondary Classes and Extracurricular Activities PDF (544K) (December 1, 2014). These questions and answers clarify the legal requirements under the Department’s Title IX regulations governing single-sex elementary and secondary classes and extracurricular activities.
Title IX Enforcement Highlights Office for Civil Rights (June 2012)
PDF (948K)
“Dear Colleague” letter (October 26, 2010) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlynn Ali, concerning recipients' obligations to protect students from student-on-student harassment on the basis of sex; race, color and national origin; and disability. The letter clarifies the relationship between bullying and discriminatory harassment, provides examples of harassment, and illustrates how a school should respond in each case.
PDF (166K) "Dear Colleague" letter"Dear Colleague" letter (April 20, 2010) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali providing recipients with information about the standards OCR uses to assess compliance with Part Three of the "three-part test." The test is used to determine whether institutions are meeting the Title IX regulatory requirement to accommodate students' athletic interests and abilities.
PDF (4.2 MB) "Dear Colleague" letterFederal Register Notices and Regulations - Title IX
Final regulatory amendments to the Department’s regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 to permit additional options for single-sex classes, extracurricular activities, and schools at the elementary and secondary education levels. These regulatory amendments were published by the Department of Education on October 25, 2006, and take effect on November 24, 2006. These amendments were published at 71 Federal Register 62530-62543 and will be codified at 34 C.F.R. part 106. (October 25, 2006) PDF (167K)
Publications - Section 504 and ADA/Title II
Documents - Section 504 and ADA/Title II
November 12, 2014: Dear Colleague letter PDF (159K) and accompanying Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) PDF (418K) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, Acting Assistant Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Michael K. Yudin, and Vanita Gupta, Acting Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Justice, concerning effective communication for students with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities in public elementary and secondary schools.
Dear Colleague Letter PDF (159K) | En español PDF (159K)
FAQ PDF (418K)
October 21, 2014: (Press Release) Dear Colleague letter PDF (363K) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon, concerning the obligation of elementary and secondary schools to respond to the bullying of students with disabilities, including those students who are not eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act but are entitled to services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. The guidance discusses the actions schools must take when bullying interferes with the education of a student with a disability who is bullied on any basis, and provides insight into how OCR analyzes complaints involving bullying of students with disabilities.
504 Disability Rights Enforcement Highlights (October 2012)
PDF (1M)
“Dear Colleague” letter (October 26, 2010) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Russlynn Ali, concerning recipients' obligations to protect students from student-on-student harassment on the basis of sex; race, color and national origin; and disability. The letter clarifies the relationship between bullying and discriminatory harassment, provides examples of harassment, and illustrates how a school should respond in each case.
PDF (166K) "Dear Colleague" letter"Dear Colleague" letter (June 29, 2010) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Russlynn Ali and Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas E. Perez, U.S. Department of Justice, concerning the obligation of colleges and universities to ensure that students with disabilities have equal access to emerging technologies in education. The letter, a joint guidance from the Departments of Justice and Education, reminds colleges and universities of the legal standards in regard to accessibility, and applies those standards to electronic book readers. The letter states that it is impermissible under federal law for colleges and universities to use electronic book readers or similar technology in a teaching or classroom environment as long as the device remains inaccessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision and reasonable accommodation or modification for this type of technology do not exist or are not available.
PDF (150K) "Dear Colleague" letter"Dear Colleague" letter (October 17, 2008) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe providing recipients with information regarding disclosure of disability on report cards and transcripts for students with disabilities attending public elementary and secondary schools. The purpose of this guidance is to clarify how federal laws apply to statements on report cards and transcripts when these statements identify students as students with disabilities. PDF (7M)
"Dear Colleague" letter (July 25, 2008) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe commemorating the 18th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This letter discusses the broad impact that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the ADA have had on aspects of education. The linked pamphlet “So You Want to Go Back to School” (July 2008) provides information for wounded veterans who are qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 504 and ADA with an overview of their rights and responsibilities regarding academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, and reasonable modifications to school policies and practices at postsecondary institutions. PDF (1.61M)
"Dear Colleague" letter (December 26, 2007) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe addressing the rights of students with disabilities to participate in schools’ and school districts’ accelerated programs, such as Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate classes or programs. PDF (2.8M)
“Dear Colleague” letter and “Dear Parent” letter (March 16, 2007) from Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Stephanie Monroe, providing information about the legal rights and responsibilities of students with disabilities as they transition from high school to institutions of postsecondary education.
PDF (568K) "Dear Colleague" letter
PDF (306K) "Dear Parent " letter
Joint "Dear Colleague" Letter (April 14, 2005) to Chief State School Officers concerning the document "Helping the Student with Diabetes Succeed: A Guide for School Personnel," co-authored by the Office for Civil Rights and published in 2003 under the auspices of the National Institutes for Health and the Centers for Disease Control. PDF (165KB)
Federal Register Notices and Regulations - Section 504 and ADA/Title II
Federal Register Notices and OCR Policy - Section 504/ADA
Notice of Interpretation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 for new construction and alterations in light of recent revisions, by the Department of Justice, of regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act 77 Fed. Reg. 14972 (March 14, 2012). PDF (237K) TEXT (36K)
Regulations - Section 504/ADA
Final regulatory amendments to the Department’s regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 to permit additional options for single-sex classes, extracurricular activities, and schools at the elementary and secondary education levels. These regulatory amendments were published by the Department of Education on October 25, 2006, and take effect on November 24, 2006. These amendments were published at 71 Federal Register 62530-62543 and will be codified at 34 C.F.R. part 106. (October 25, 2006) PDF (167K)
Public Statements and Testimony
Norma V. Cantú, Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights.Testimony before the Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the House Education and the Workforce Committee. (June 22, 1999)
See OCR's Civil Rights Data pages
See Archives
Additional U.S. Department of Education Resources
ED Pubs On-Line Ordering System
Database of ED Publications in ERIC
ED Legislation, Regulations, and Policy Guidance
National Center for Education Statistics Electronic Catalog
More information about ED Publications and Products