The U.S. Department of Education’s office for civil rights uses a three-part test to determine if there is general compliance with Title IX. Schools need only meet one part of the test.
- Demonstrate that sports-participation opportunities for each gender are substantially proportionate to enrollment. The percentage of female athletes in the athletic program needs to match the percentage of girls in the student body.
- Demonstrate a history and continuing practice of expansion in the girls’ athletics program. The ocr considers efforts taken in the most recent three years as evidence of program expansion.
- Demonstrate that the interests and abilities of members of the underrepresented sex have been fully accommodated. If there is sufficient interest and ability among the underrepresented sex to play a particular sport, and that interest is not accommodated by the school administration, the school fails this prong of the test.
