Civil Rights
Read more about civil rights and schools, enforcement by the Education Department's office for civil rights, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX, and more
How a Federal Office Investigates and Resolves Discrimination Complaints Against Schools
What is OCR, how do you file a complaint, and what relief can it offer for students or staff whose civil rights may have been violated?
Federal
Betsy DeVos Tells a Top Critic: Obama Civil Rights Approach 'Harmed Students'
The U.S. secretary of education's handling of various civil rights issues has raised big concerns for Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., top Democrat on the Senate education committee.
Federal
Democratic Senators, Tri-Caucus to Betsy DeVos: Protect Students' Civil Rights
The Trump administration is sending some very troubling signals on civil rights, dozens of House Democratic lawmakers and seven senators wrote in a recent letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Federal
Dozens of Democratic Senators Express Concerns About DeVos and Civil Rights
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and 33 other Democratic senators have major concerns with the direction of the civil rights enforcement under U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos.
Federal
Black Caucus Dumps Trump Meeting, Says DeVos Won't Protect Civil Rights
A letter from the Congressional Black Caucus highlighted proposed Trump administration budget cuts and its decision to nix a school diversity program among the reasons for refusing another meeting with the president.
Equity & Diversity
Advocates: New Federal Stance on Transgender Rights Muddies the Waters
The department has instructed regional directors to focus on incidents where transgender students might have been harassed and bullied, but did not address questions about facilities access.
Federal
Opinion
No, Education Isn't the Civil Rights Issue of Our Time
Dressing up school choice in the language of civil rights doesn't make it any more just, argues Dave Powell.
Equity & Diversity
San Diego School District's Anti-Islamophobia Plan Sparks Controversy
The plan, which the district hopes to have in place by the start of next school year, has drawn praise from Muslim advocates and civil rights groups, but sharp criticism from others.
Federal
Advocacy Groups Urge DeVos to Rethink Approach to Civil Rights
A coalition of advocacy organizations are concerned about U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos' early moves with respect to civil rights, including her pick as acting head of the office for civil rights.
English Learners
District Pays Out $150K to Settle Immigrant's Discrimination Lawsuit
A lawsuit filed in federal court last November by EdLaw New England alleges that the district denied the student his "constitutional and statutory rights."
Equity & Diversity
Top Democrats Tell DeVos: Immigrant Student Rights Must Be Protected
Lawmakers cautioned that the educational rights of undocumented students could be trampled on as the new administrations expands its immigration enforcement actions.
Law & Courts
Attention Turns to Courts in Battle Over Transgender-Student Rights
All eyes will be on the Supreme Court later this month when it hears a case that could either expand or curtail the rights of transgender students.
Special Education
Disability Advocates Keep Up Pressure on DeVos Nomination
Special education policy is in the spotlight as disability advocates band together to oppose President Donald Trump's nomination of Betsy DeVos for education secretary.
Social Studies
Opinion
A Different Kind of Politics
We need a different kind of politics beyond binary thinking -- in education and more broadly. This is active citizenship, beyond left and right. We have profound resources in our history.
Every Student Succeeds Act
Key Federal Studies Face Hazy Future Under Trump
After fending off threats from congressional Republicans for years, some big federal studies that yield troves of data on education face an even more uncertain future.