Department of Education

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................Z-1

Amounts Available for Obligation ............................................................................................Z-2

Obligations by Object Classification ........................................................................................Z-3

Summary of Changes .............................................................................................................Z-4

Authorizing Legislation............................................................................................................Z-5

Appropriations History.............................................................................................................Z-6

Activity:

Office for Civil Rights .......................................................................................................... Z-7
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Appropriations Language

For expenses necessary for the Office for Civil Rights, as authorized by section 203 of the 

Department of Education Organization Act, $106,797,000.

NOTE

A full year 2017 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the budget was prepared; therefore, 

the budget assumes this account is operating under the Further Continuing Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 114-254). 

The amounts included for 2017 reflect the annualized level provided by the continuing resolution.
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Amounts Available for Obligation

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation and Adjustments 2016

2017

Annualized CR 2018

Discretionary appropriation:

Discretionar y budget authority:Appropriation.................................................. $107,000 $107,000 $106,797

Discretionar y budget authority:Across-the-board-reduction (P.L. 114-254) .... 0 -203 0

Discretionar y budget authority: Subtotal, appropriation............................... 107,000 106,797 106,797

Discretionar y budget authority:Unobligated balance, expiring ........................ -309 0 0

Total, direct obligations............................. 106,691 106,797 106,797
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Obligations by Object Classification

(dollars in thousands)

Obj ect class number Object Class 2016

2017

Annualized CR 2018

Change from 

2017 to 2018

11.10 Full-time permanent $58,211 $59,642 $56,431 -$3,211

11.31 Full-time temporary 1,114 972 1,004 32

11.32 Part-time 1,376 864 892 28

11.33 Consultants 0 0 0 0 

11.51 Overtime 7 8 8 0

11.52 Awards 396 35 35 0

11.80 Other Compensation 21 0 0 0 

Subtotal R ow

 Subtotal, Personnel Comp. 61,125 61,521 58,370 -3,151

12.00 Benefits 19,534 19,851 19,123 -728

Subtotal R ow

 Subtotal, Per. Comp. & Ben. 80,659 81,372 77,493 -3,879

21.00 Travel 654 414 424 10

22.00 Transportation of things 1 0 0 0 

23.10 Rental Payments to GSA 8,345 8,672 9,106 434

23.31 Communications 79 72 72 0

23.32 Postage/fees 4 24 24 0

Subtotal R ow

 Subtotal, 23 8,428 8,768 9,202 434

24.00 Printing & Reproduction 15 12 12 0

25.21 Other Services 1,146 1,134 1,052 -82

25.22 Training/Tuition/Contracts 98 324 270 -54

25.30 Goods/Services from Gov't 2,274 2,563 2,420 -143

25.40 Operations/Maint of Facilities 0 1 1 0 

25.71 Operations/Maint of Equipment 0 15 15 0 

25.72 IT Services/Contracts 13,012 11,965 15,688 3,723

Subtotal R ow

 Subtotal, 25 16,530 16,002 19,446 3,444

26.00 Supplies 141 59 58 -1

31.10 IT Equipment/Software 142 170 162 -8

31.30 Other Equipment 112 0 0 0

Subtotal R ow

 Subtotal, 31 254 170 162 -8

32.00 Building Alterations 9 0 0 0 

Total Row

Total, obligations 106,691 106,797 106,797 0
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Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

2017 Annualized CR ......................................................................... $106,797

2018.................................................................................................. 106,797

Net change ................................................................ 0

Increases:

2017

Annualized CR

Change from

Annualized CR

Built in:

Built in Increase in rent for annual increases for tax and 

operating costs escalations.

8,672 +434

Program:

Program Increase in travel. 414 +10

Program Increase in information technology services/ 

contracts mostly for the Civil Rights Data Collection, 

Case and Activity Management System, and IT 

Security. 11,965 +3,723

Subtotal, increases +4,167

Decreases:

2017

Annualized CR

Change from

Annualized CR

Built in:

Built in Net decrease in personnel compensation due to FTE 

reductions, partially offset by an increase in pay for 

the proposed 1.9% pay and anticipated benefits 

increases. $81,372 -$3,879

Program:

Program Decrease in other services. $1,134 -$82

Program Decrease in training. 324 -54

Program Decrease in goods/services from government. 2,563 -143

Program Decrease in supplies. 59 -1

Program Decrease in IT equipment/software. 170 -8

Subtotal, decreases -4,167

Net Change +0
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B

Z-5

Z-5

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2017 

Authorized

2017 

Annualized CR

2018 

Authorized

2018 

Request

Civil Rights (DEOA)..................................................... Indefinite $106,797 Indefinite $106,797

Total appropriation................................................... 106,797 106,797
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Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance Footnote AppropriationFootnote

2009 $96,826 $96,0401 $89,6121 $96,826

2009 Transfer 0 0 0 -60

2010 103,024 103,024 103,0242 103,024

2011 105,700 103,0243 105,7002 102,8184

2012 107,772 102,8185 102,8185 102,624

2013 102,624 102,6246 102,6246 98,356

2014 98,356 N/A7 98,3562 98,356

2015 102,000 N/A7 102,0008 100,000

2016 130,691 100,0009 100,0009 107,000

2017 137,708 100,00010 110,00010 108,50010

2018 106,797

 1 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2009 

appropriations bill, which proceeded in the 110th Congress only through the House Subcommittee and 

the Senate Committee.

2 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only. 3 The level for the House allowance reflects the House-passed full-year continuing resolution. 4 The level for appropriation reflects the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations 

Act, 2011 (P.L. 112-10). 5 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowance 

reflects Senate Committee action only.

6 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2013 

appropriations bill, which proceeded in the 112th Congress only through the House subcommittee and the 

Senate Committee.

7 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action.

8 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only.

9 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular annual 2016 appropriations 

bill, which proceeded in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee.

10 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2017.
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Office for Civil Rights

(DEOA, section 203)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2018 Authorization: Indefinite

Budget Authority:

Annual Fund 2017 

Annualized CR

2017

Appropriation 2018

Change from

Annualized CR

Personnel compensation 

and benefits costs $81,372 83,261 $77,493 -$3,879

Non-personnel costs 25,425 25,239 29,304 +3,879

Total 106,797 108,500 106,797 0

FTE 569 582 523 -46

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The mission of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is to ensure equal access to education and to 

promote educational excellence throughout the Nation through vigorous enforcement of civil 

rights laws. This is in alignment with the Department’s mission to promote educational 

excellence and ensure equal access.

OCR’s law enforcement function is to ensure that institutions, programs, and activities that 

receive financial assistance from the Department and other covered entities comply with the 

Federal civil rights laws enacted by Congress. OCR fulfills this responsibility by enforcing six 

civil rights laws and their implementing regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of 

race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, and a statute that ensures equal access to 

school facilities for the Boy Scouts of America or other groups identified by Congress as 

patriotic societies. These laws are:

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibiting race, color, and national origin 

discrimination);

• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (prohibiting sex discrimination);

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (prohibiting disability discrimination);

• Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (prohibiting age discrimination); 

• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (prohibiting disability discrimination in 

State and local Government services, whether or not programs receive Federal financial 

assistance); and

• Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2002 (prohibiting public elementary and 

secondary schools, local educational agencies, and State educational agencies from 

denying equal access or a fair opportunity to meet, or discriminating against, any group 

officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America or any other youth group listed as a 

patriotic society in Title 36 of the United States Code).
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Under Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and the Age Discrimination Act, OCR has jurisdiction over 

institutions that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department and institutions for 

which OCR has been delegated authority from other Federal agencies. Under Title II, OCR has 

jurisdiction over public elementary and secondary education systems and institutions, public 

institutions of higher education and vocational education (other than schools of medicine, 

dentistry, nursing, and other health-related schools), and public libraries, regardless of whether 

these institutions receive Federal financial assistance. Under the Boy Scouts Act, OCR has 

jurisdiction over public elementary schools, public secondary schools, local educational 

agencies and State educational agencies that receive funds made available through the 

Department.

The six civil rights laws for which OCR has enforcement responsibility extend to a wide range of 

entities, including: all State educational agencies; local educational agencies; postsecondary 

institutions, including proprietary schools and community colleges; State vocational 

rehabilitation agencies and their sub-recipients; as well as libraries, museums, and correctional 

institutions. More than 80 million individuals are beneficiaries of the financial assistance these 

institutions and agencies receive on behalf of the Department.

OCR Program Information

Organizational Structure and Staffing

For fiscal year (FY) 2018, the Office for Civil Rights is requesting a staffing level of 523 full-time 

equivalents (FTE) employment to support its mission. Of the 523 requested, approximately 

90 percent will be located in 12 enforcement offices throughout the country, with the remaining 

10 percent located in OCR’s headquarters office. The headquarters and DC metropolitan

enforcement offices are located in Washington, DC, and the remaining 11 regional offices are 

located in: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, San 

Francisco, Seattle, and Cleveland.

The Office of Civil Rights is headed by an Assistant Secretary who is appointed by the President 

and confirmed by the Senate. The staff in the immediate office of the Assistant Secretary may

include a Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement, a 

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy, a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Operations 

and Outreach, and a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Operations, depending 

on which positions the Administration chooses to utilize.

The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary performs functions as assigned by the Assistant 

Secretary such as assisting and advising the Assistant Secretary in the overall direction and 

management of the agency.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement manages the overall operations of the 

12 regional offices that are responsible for ensuring that recipients of Federal assistance and 

other covered entities comply with the Federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination. The 

vast majority of OCR’s staff members work in the agency’s 12 regional offices. Their main 

function is to investigate complaints from the public that allege a violation of one or more of the 

statutes that OCR enforces and to determine the compliance status of recipients. Time and 

resources permitting, employees launch proactive investigations of recipients, which is 
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described in more detail below on page Z-11 under “Personnel Compensation and Benefits 

(PC&B) Costs”. Enforcement staff also monitor recipients’ compliance with voluntary settlement 

agreements. In addition, they develop and provide technical assistance to foster greater 

understanding of the statutes that OCR enforces.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy oversees the Headquarters’ Program Legal Group 

that provides a range of legal services including: developing policy guidance, developing 

technical assistance materials, consulting on novel cases from the regional offices, regulation 

development, and helping to ensure that civil rights issues are appropriately addressed within 

the Department’s programs and initiatives and among Federal Agencies. The Program Legal 

Group also has responsibility for administration of the Civil Rights Data Collection.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Operations and Outreach has responsibility for 

overseeing OCR’s strategic and operational planning, establishing and maintaining effective 

collaboration with other components of the Department, and ensuring effective outreach and 

communication between OCR and external stakeholders and the public.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Operations has the responsibility for 

overseeing and directing areas of planning, developing, and implementing budget, operational,

and administrative policy for OCR.

Boston

New York City

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C.

(Headquarters and 

field office)

Regional Offices

Field Offices

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

2018 Headquarters & Regional Staff

Seattle

San

Francisco Denver

Kansas

City

Chicago

Atlanta

Dallas

Cleveland

wegional & Cield hffices: 471 CTE

Ieadquarters: 52 CTE

Total Staff Level: 523 CTE
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Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

Footnotes

2013...................................................................................... 98,356

2014...................................................................................... 98,356

2015.................................................................................... 100,000

2016.................................................................................... 107,000

2017.................................................................................... 108,500

FY 2018 BUDGET REQUEST

For FY 2018, the Administration requests $106.797 million for the Office for Civil Rights, 

supporting an FTE level of 523. This funding request is level with the FY 2017 annualized 

Continuing Resolution level and supports the resources essential for OCR to deliver on its 

statutory and regulatory mandates. A full-year 2017 appropriation was not enacted at the time 

of the FY 2018 Budget was prepared; therefore, the Budget is built off the Further Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2017 (P.L. 114-254). The amounts included for 2017 reflect the annualized 

level provided by the continuing resolution. The Department of Education Appropriations Act, 

2017, provided $108.5 million, an increase of $1.5 million or 1.4 percent above the 2016 level.

• The Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) request of $77.5 million is a decrease of 

$3.9 million from the FY 2017 annualized level. The FY 2018 request will support an FTE 

level of 523, a proposed January 2018 cost-of-living pay raise of 1.9 percent, and 

associated benefit increases, including transit benefits.

• Non-Personnel costs, excluding centralized services, will be $4.9 million, an increase of 

$2.9 million over the FY 2017 annualized level. The majority of non-personnel funds are for 

the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC): $3.6 million; software support to operate OCR’s 

Case and Activity Management System (CAMS): $430,000; Online Discrimination Complaint 

Form Enhancement: $102,000; and travel: $508,000.

• OCR’s FY 2018 share of the Department’s centralized services (overhead) amount of 

$24.4 million reflects an increase of $1 million above the FY 2017 annualized level due to 

increases in rent, Information Technology (IT) security, the Department’s new Portfolio of 

Integrated Value-Oriented Technologies (PIVOT) network contract (the replacement to

Education Department Utility for Communications, Applications and Technical Environment

[EDUCATE]), and physical security.
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FY 2018 Budget

(dollars in millions)

Total: $106.8

FTE: 523

Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) Costs

OCR accomplishes its mission primarily by responding to complaints and initiating proactive 

investigations, both of which require significant investments in human capital. Proactive 

investigations include compliance reviews and directed investigations. OCR initiates 

compliance reviews to determine whether recipient practices comply with civil rights regulations. 

OCR initiates directed investigations to address possible discrimination that is not currently 

being addressed through OCR’s complaint resolution, compliance review, or technical 

assistance activities. The statutes and implementing regulations enforced by OCR require 

recipients to ensure nondiscrimination in their programs and activities that receive Federal 

financial assistance. The regulations require OCR “to make a prompt investigation whenever a 

compliance review, report, complaint, or any other information indicates a possible failure to 

comply” with laws protecting students from discrimination in academic institutions that receive 

Federal funding. Therefore, PC&B costs historically have been the biggest component of 

OCR’s budget as well as the key factor in OCR being able to accomplish its mission.

For FY 2018, PC&B costs are 73 percent of the request, or $77.5 million, $3.9 million less than

the FY 2017 annualized level. The request supports 523 FTE, a decrease of 46 FTE from the 

FY 2017 annualized level of 569 FTE. The decrease is needed to cover the 1.9 percent pay 

raise, CRDC, and central services increases. OCR will rely on attrition to reduce its FTE level 

by 46.

*Non-Personnel:

Travel

Trans. of things

Communications

Printing

Copier rentals

Training

Supplies

Non-IT equip./ 

furniture

Technology

Building alterations

PC&B

$77.5 M

72%

(includes 

Overtime & 

Awards)

Centralized 

Services

$24.4 M

23%

*NonPersonnel

$4.9 M

5%
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The chart above shows trends in FTE levels and caseload. While some of the decline in FTE 

since 1980 may be attributed to technological advances that improved efficiency, the FTE 

decline from 2010 to 2015 was a result of decreased funding ($103 million in FY 2010 to 

$100 million in FY 2015). Since FY 2006, the number of complaints nearly tripled through 

FY 2016, while the number of investigative staff only increased by 5 percent over the same 

period. In FY 2016, complaint receipts increased by 61 percent, or by 6,328 compared to the 

previous year. This spike in receipts is primarily attributed to one individual that filed 6,201 Title 

IX complaints against school districts and elementary and secondary schools. Attributing for 

this one individual brings the increase in total complaint receipts down to a much smaller 

increase of 127.

In FY 2018, OCR staff must handle its increased complaint workload while maintaining existing

operations. At the reduced FTE level, the number of days to complete investigations may

continue to increase, and OCR may have difficulty meeting the performance target levels for 

complaints resolved within 180 days (80 percent) and complaints pending over 180 days 

(<25 percent) as established pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act 

(GPRA). In the first quarter of FY 2017, OCR failed to meet the targets for both of these 

performance measures. OCR only resolved 72 percent of cases within 180 days, and the 

percentage of complaints pending over 180 days was 36 percent.

Prior to FY 2016, the caseload grew by nearly 500 additional cases per year since FY 2006. 

The FY 2016 ratio of cases per investigative staff was 41 to 1, increased over the 2015 ratio of 

26 to 1 largely due to the 6,201 complaints submitted by one individual. This ratio will likely 

continue to increase through FY 2018 due to fewer staff.

OCR’s core functions include the following: resolving complaints of discrimination; initiating 

directed investigations/compliance review; providing technical assistance to help institutions 

1980 1990 2000 2006 2010 2014 2015 2016

FTE 1148 815 712 630 585 544 540 563

Complaints Received 3,497 3,384 4,897 5,805 6,933 9,989 10,392 16,720

1148

815

712

630

585

544 540 563

3,497 3,384 

4,897 5,805 

6,933 

9,989 

10,392 

16,720 

 3,000

 5,000

 7,000

 9,000

 11,000

 13,000

 15,000

 17,000

 19,000

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

Complaints 

Received

FTE Usage

FTE Usage vs Complaints Received

(Fiscal Years 1980-2016)
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achieve voluntary compliance with civil rights laws; providing policy guidance to clarify schools’ 

responsibilities; and collecting civil rights data. The FY 2018 Budget request supports these

core functions of OCR. This funding is more critical than ever due to the following issues:

1. Increased workload. OCR has a high number of cases per staff, as reflected on 

Table A on page Z-14. The workload for each investigative staff member has 

increased significantly from 2006 to 2016. Despite the small increase in FTE 

achieved in FY 2016, the ratio of cases to staff is still well above the optimal level 

experienced in 2006. Although 58 percent of OCR cases were dismissed in 

FY 2016, processing each case to make a dismissal determination still requires staff 

resources. In FY 2016, the average age of case dismissals was 59 days (57 days 

for cases without multiple complaints filed by one individual).

OCR’s performance measures are based on the percentage of complaints resolved 

within 180 days and percentage of complaints pending over 180 days. In FY 2015, 

86 percent of cases met this standard. However, in FY 2016, only 78 percent of 

cases were resolved in 180 days, an 8 percent drop in one year. 

OCR’s other performance measure requires that fewer than 25 percent of its cases 

remain pending over 180 days. In FY 2015, OCR failed to meet this performance 

measure. The percentage of pending complaints over 180 days was 34 percent, or 

9 percent higher than the performance target level. In FY 2016, OCR met this 

performance measure, with 23 percent. However, the number of cases pending over 

180 days at the end of FY 2016, was 2,715, which is several times higher than the 

number of such cases pending over 180 days in prior fiscal years (for example, in 

FY 2006 it was 308).

2. Increased number of complex (including multi-jurisdiction) cases. Multijurisdiction cases tend to be among those that are more complex and require 

additional time; the number of such cases has more than doubled over the past 

eleven years (FY 2006 to FY 2016, see Table A on page Z-14). For FY 2018, OCR

will direct resources toward resolving complex systemic cases more efficiently, 

including those that require analysis of a vast amount of data and statistical 

expertise. OCR only has one part-time statistical expert on staff facilitating the 

resolution of cases that involve statistical data analysis.

3. Increased number of cases to be monitored. OCR has a high number of

monitoring cases per staff. When an investigation results in a resolution agreement 

outlining a number of corrective steps the institution must take, the case remains 

open and OCR enters into a period of monitoring to ensure the institution faithfully 

adheres to the terms of the resolution agreement. This work is critical to ensuring 

satisfaction of the civil rights laws OCR enforces and can include review of progress 

reports and documents, additional site visits and interviews, and other negotiations. 

The number of cases in monitoring has increased by 159 percent in the past 11 

years. In addition to the caseload where investigation and case resolution are 

required, each investigator must work on an average of 6.6 monitoring cases, 

compared to 2.7 in FY 2006 (see Table A on page Z-14).
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4. Significant need for technical assistance. OCR’s ability to provide technical 

assistance has been decreasing over time due to the growing volume of complaints. 

Providing technical assistance to schools and the public is pivotal to increasing the 

public’s understanding of how OCR interprets and enforces civil rights laws and 

preventing civil rights violations from occurring.

5. Critical information technology and web-based capacity. OCR must direct 

resources toward improving and maintaining OCR’s website, facilitating increased 

use of technology in enforcement and technical assistance activities, and monitoring

and maintaining OCR’s database investments (including CRDC, CAMS, and Online 

Discrimination Complaint Form).

Table A: Caseload per Staff in FY 2006, FY 2015, and FY 2016

Caseload per Staff FY 2006 FY 2015 FY 2016

Number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity 

Specialists (excluding managers) 391 397 412

Complaints Received & Proactive Investigations 

Launched 5,816 10,411 16,7331

# of cases per staff 15 26 41

# of multi-jurisdiction cases 766 1,400 1,656

Monitoring Caseload 1,054 2,399 2,734

# of monitoring cases per staff 2.7 6.0 6.6

Investigated Cases2 4,803 5,756 7,396

# of investigated cases per staff 12 14 18

 1 Note: In FY 2016 complaint receipts increased by 61% or by 6,328 compared to the previous year. This spike in 

receipts is primarily attributed to one individual that filed 6,201 Title IX complaints against school districts and 

elementary and secondary schools. This increase is partially responsible for the number of cases per staff increasing 

to 41.

2 Criteria: The selection of investigated cases is based on cases either still pending or cases that progressed beyond 

dismissal and were resolved with administrative closure, no violation, Early Complaint Resolution, or change with or 

without a resolution agreement.
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Table B: Impact of FTE per Staff Based on 15,000 Complaint Receipts & 3,570 Monitoring 

Cases Projected in FY 2018

Number/Staff Level 2018 

Request

Projected (through FY17) number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists

(excluding managers) 385

Decreased number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists for FY 2018 -27

Projected Total for FY 2018 358

# of cases per staff 42

# of monitoring cases per staff 10

To address steady increases in the number of complaints received and decreased staffing 

levels, OCR must make difficult choices, including cutting back on initiating proactive 

investigations.

OCR’s administrative staff provide help and support tools for the Enforcement staff’s improved 

efficiency. Support activities include: 1) providing information technology and web support for 

OCR’s enforcement and technical assistance activities, and OCR’s website; and 2) supporting

the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Awards & Overtime

OCR is requesting $35,000 for awards and $8,000 for overtime for a total of $43,000, the same 

as the FY 2017 annualized level. The request will cover performance mandated awards for the 

eligible Senior Executive Staff. OCR will be unable to reward other staff based upon their 

performance due to funding constraints.

Non-Personnel Costs

The total request for Non-Personnel activities in FY 2018, excluding departmental centralized 

services, is $4.9 million, an increase of $2.9 million above the FY 2017 annualized level. The 

requested non-personnel funds would provide program support to resolve complaints of 

discrimination filed by the public and ensure that institutions receiving Federal financial 

assistance are in compliance with the civil rights laws enforced by OCR. Of the requested 

increase, $2.6 million would support an increase in the CRDC.

Detailed information on OCR’s non-personnel projects are provided below.

Information Technology Services/Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) — OCR is requesting 

$3.6 million for the CRDC, an increase of $2.7 million above the FY 2017 annualized level. 

Twenty-eight percent, or $778,000, of this increase will cover pre-collection activities for the 

2017-18 CRDC data collection that were delayed due to the funding shortfall in FY 2017. The 

increase will also support collection and post-collection activities for the 2017-18 CRDC 

process. It will also support operations and maintenance, minor enhancements, and web 

hosting for the CRDC reporting website.
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In order for the CRDC to be useful to OCR, the Department, State educational agencies, local 

educational agencies, and other stakeholders, the data must be collected, analyzed and 

distributed in a timely manner. Other Department offices and Federal agencies also benefit 

from the valuable data within the CRDC to increase awareness around key issues and provide a 

source of national, school-level data. In addition, under section 1111(h)(1)(C)(viii) of the Every 

Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), States and districts are required to include data from the CRDC 

on: (1) in-school suspensions; (2) out-of-school suspensions; (3) expulsions; (4) school-related 

arrests; (5) referrals to law enforcement; (6) incidences of violence, including bullying and 

harassment; (7) number and percentage of students enrolled in preschool; and (8) number and 

percentage of students enrolled in accelerated coursework to earn postsecondary credit while in 

high school (e.g., advanced placement, international baccalaureate) on their annual report 

cards. States and districts will begin to produce report cards as required by ESSA using the 

CRDC data from the 2017-18 school year.

Because of OCR’s funding constraints in FY 2016 and FY 2017, the Department will continue to 

work with OCR to conduct 2015-16 collection activities and prepare for the 2017-18 collection 

activities. In FY 2017, OCR was unable to report 2015-2016 CRDC data to the public through 

the website for the first time since 1998. As a result of limited funding in FY 2018, OCR will not 

be able to support necessary updates and system enhancements to the CRDC Reporting 

website for the third consecutive fiscal year, which may jeopardize the functionality of the 

website.

CRDC collection consists of five major phases: I) notification and guidance to school districts, 

II) preparing for data submissions, III) survey submission window, IV) finalizing data files, and V) 

data upload to the CRDC website. Pre-collection includes phases I and II, collection activities 

comprise of phase III, and post-collection include phases IV and V. All phases and costs are 

listed in detail on the CRDC chart on page Z-18. OCR anticipates phase V of the 2017-18 

CRDC to be funded in FY 2019.

The CRDC provides data on leading civil rights indicators related to access and barriers to 

educational opportunity at the pre-K through 12th grade school levels. Although OCR has 

conducted the CRDC since 1968, the last few years have seen substantial improvements in

both the quality and the usability of the data. OCR developed pre-submission analytic reports to 

assist districts in reducing errors, and this effort is complemented by new tip sheets, FAQs, and 

guidance documents posted to the CRDC website.

With respect to improved usability, the CRDC has become more accessible and understandable 

for the general public, researchers, and policymakers. In FY 2016, OCR released data from the 

2013-14 CRDC, which was the third universal collection. (Previous universal collections were 

conducted for the 2000 and 2011-12 school years.) The 2013-14 CRDC was released on June 

7, 2016, including a First Look report that provided a broad overview of the data in key areas of 

inequity and progress. The collection surveyed more than 16,700 school districts and 95,500 

public schools representing over 50 million students.
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Z-17

The following table provides a detailed account of the CRDC budget for fiscal years 2016-2018.

School 

Year

Major Activity Fiscal Year 

2016

Fiscal Year 

2017

Fiscal Year 

2018

2013-14 

CRDC Data 

Analysis

Data Analysis Q&A, updating and special tabulations 

for public use of the 2013-14 CRDC data.

98,959

CRDC

2015-16

Phase II - Preparing for data submissions: 

Technical assistance to prepare districts to collect and 

submit data and confirmation of school directory. 

(Complete defining of file specification, and precollection tools deployment). 641,498

CRDC

2015-16

Phase III - Survey Submission Window: Begin data 

collection from LEAs, Partner Support Center for 

technical support for school districts' data submissions. 1,348,568

2015-16 

CRDC Data 

Analysis

Data Analysis Q&A, updating and special tabulations 

for public use of the 2015-16 CRDC data. 

Publications, design and editing of CRDC issue briefs 

for the 2015-16 CRDC data. 146,996

CRDC

2015-16

Phase IV - Finalizing Data Files: Data quality review 

and editing, time series, privacy protection.

367,200

CRDC

2015-16

Phase V – Data Upload: Applying CRDC 2015–2016 

data to the CRDC (Reporting) website; hosting and 

releasing the new data to the general public. (This 

Phase is now separate from Phase IV.)

CRDC

2017-18

Phase I - Notification and Guidance: Notification to 

school districts, identifying primary point of contact, 

guidance (Q&A). 777,899

CRDC

2017-18

Phase II - Preparing for data submissions: File 

specifications, pre-collection tools, confirmation of 

school directory, technical assistance to prepare 

districts to collect and submit data.

CRDC

2017-18

Phase III - Survey Submission Window: Begin data 

collection from LEAs, Partner Support Center for 

technical support for school districts' data submissions. 1,578,801

CRDC

2017-18

Phase IV & V - Finalizing Data Files and Data 

Upload: Data quality review and editing, time series, 

privacy protection. 811,691

CRDC

2017-18

Phase V – Data Upload: Applying CRDC 2015–2016 

data to the CRDC (Reporting) website; hosting and 

releasing the new data to the general public. (This 

Phase is now separate from Phase IV.)

CRDC 

Reporting 

Website

Fund the “Base Year” and 4 option years for the CRDC 

(Reporting) website’s operation and maintenance. 312,298 269,298 274,364

CRDC 

Reporting 

Website

Implement data updates to the reporting website, 

develop and implement system enhancements and 

new reports to improve data analysis and display.

166,718 49,799

Web 

Hosting Web hosting under the EDUCATE contract. 83,800 83,784 83,784

Total 

CRDC

$2,632,119 $887,000 $3,576,338
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Information Technology Services/Case Activity Management System (CAMS) — OCR is 

requesting $430,000 for CAMS, an increase of $175,000 above the FY 2017 annualized 

level. CAMS is an electronic tracking system used to record the status of past, ongoing, and 

upcoming cases and store the documents associated with each case. It uses a combination of 

three software applications: Case Management System, Activity Management System, and 

Open Text Document Management System with Record Management function. The funding for 

this project provides for: (a) enhancements to apply business process changes and to improve 

the usage of these core applications, (b) compliance with up-to-date departmental IT 

environment, and (c) software subscription services to maintain version upgrades and technical 

phone support on the Open Text products. OCR continues to enhance these essential 

applications for critical unmet needs identified by CAMS’ core users. With the majority of the 

increase in funds, OCR will purchase additional records management licenses.

Information Technology Services Support for Operations and Maintenance (O&M) for Online 

Discrimination Complaint Form Enhancement — OCR is requesting $102,000, an increase of 

$7,000 above the FY 2017 annualized level. Of this request, $75,000 covers two subtasks in 

support of the contracting task: (a) General O&M to support OCR’s publically accessible 

website1

; and (b) the OCR Web Based Collection System document upload project that allows 

the public to search for and access OCR enforcement resolution letters and agreements 

entered into on or after October 1, 2013.

• For subtask (a), O&M covers both the electronic pre-complaint and online complaint forms. 

The pre-complaint form is an online screening process tool that walks potential 

complainants through a number of considerations prior to their submission of a 

discrimination complaint to OCR. The Online Discrimination Complaint Form is a public 

facing tool. Therefore, OCR will need to invest in cybersecurity measures to manage the 

risks of cyber threats related to the use, processing, storage and transmission of personally 

identifiable information. The online complaint database is a management tool that enables 

OCR staff to access information and data from the online complaints necessary to evaluate 

the complaints for potential investigation.

• For subtask (b), the OCR Web Based Collection System document upload project involves 

contracting IT services to upload OCR resolution letters and agreements, policy documents, 

and other information to the OCR website in order to provide transparency to the public 

about OCR enforcement and compliance activities.

Transparency Enhancements — In an effort to further increase transparency and provide easily 

accessible information to the public about its enforcement activities, OCR will continue to 

explore ways to provide the public with up-to-date data about pending and resolved 

investigations (such as information that is sortable by date, name of institution, and issue). 

Currently, OCR does not have the capacity or funds to develop and maintain a searchable 

public online database of thousands of OCR investigations and resolutions, as has been 

requested by members of Congress and the public. OCR will gather information and explore 

the possibility of developing such an online database.

 1 http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html
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Travel — OCR requests a travel budget of $424,000, which is an increase of $10,000 above the 

FY 2017 annualized level. The overwhelming majority of OCR’s travel funds are used to 

investigate complaints. However, due to the decrease in travel funds, OCR will have to limit 

travel for conducting proactive investigations, providing technical assistance, monitoring

corrective action plans, and training. OCR must ensure that staff and leadership in the 

enforcement offices are able to receive critical training, civil rights updates, and management 

skills necessary to improve OCR operations. OCR has greatly expanded its use of video 

teleconference technology to enable optimal video communications and conferencing between 

the enforcement offices and headquarters to reduce the need for costly travel. However, faceto-face communication is sometimes essential for conveying organizational priorities, supporting 

professional networks and learning, and providing critical information and training for OCR’s 

managers and staff spread among 12 locations around the country. OCR’s enforcement staff 

will be limited in conducting onsite investigations and monitoring, and OCR’s ability to achieve 

greater coordination and communication regarding core activities will be greatly diminished.

Printing — OCR requests $12,000 for printing, the same as the FY 2017 annualized level, to 

cover necessary printed items such as pamphlets highlighting OCR activities in various 

languages, reports, fact sheets, business cards, and letterhead.

Training — OCR is requesting a training budget of $4,000, same as the FY 2017 annualized 

level. OCR’s leadership recognizes that the success of its work depends on the quality of its 

staff across all levels of the organization. Staff need opportunities to participate in leadership 

programs, supervisory training, policy conferences, and continuing legal education to fulfill 

OCR’s mission. OCR will focus its professional and technical training to online and WebEX 

platforms to minimize training costs.

Communication/Copier Rentals and Operations and Maintenance of Facilities — OCR requests 

$88,000, the same as the FY 2017 annualized level. These funds are needed for existing 

copier rental and maintenance agreements and to replace expired agreements in FY 2017 

($83,000), overnight shipping costs ($4,000) and maintenance of facilities ($1,000).

Other Services— OCR is requesting $190,000, same as the FY 2017 annualized level. The 

request includes: 

• Legal Research Services, $98,000 — The contract provides an automated full-text legal 

information system that offers online access to Federal and State case law, statutes of all 50 

States, legal publications, and law reports. If this project is not funded, it would eliminate the 

ability of attorneys to conduct desktop legal research and would require staff to have to 

leave the office to perform legal research.

• Miscellaneous services, $54,000 — The request supports translation and interpretation 

services (translating documents and pamphlets into several languages) ($42,000); and 

miscellaneous services for advertisement and short-term contractual services ($12,000).

Goods and Services — OCR is requesting $38,000, the same as the FY 2017 annualized level. 

This supports Education publications (ED Pubs) ($15,000), and General Services 

Administration-leased vehicles and equipment ($23,000).
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Supplies — OCR is requesting $53,000, same as the FY 2017 annualized level. The funds are 

needed to purchase supplies, renew periodical subscriptions relating to law, disabilities, and 

news; support case files maintenance; purchase copier paper; and purchase expired items in 

each employee’s “emergency kit,” such as batteries.

Departmental Centralized Support

Approximately 83 percent of the total non-personnel budget request is to cover OCR’s share of 

the Department’s centralized services. The request provides $24.4 million for centralized 

services, an increase of $1 million above the FY 2017 annualized level. The request will cover 

the costs of services such as rent; departmental training; personal security; records information 

management support services; interagency agreements for administrative services provided by 

other Federal Agencies, such as payroll processing, overtime utilities, training coordination and 

career counseling; IT security; telecommunications; computers and related hardware; 

smartphones; IT processing services; and network support. 

PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

The following chart shows the number of OCR’s complaint receipts and resolutions since 

FY 2006. Actual data are shown for fiscal years 2006-2016 and estimates are shown for fiscal 

years 2017-2018.

Complaint Receipts and Resolutions

(FY 2006 – FY 2016)

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2015 2016

Receipts 5,805 6,194 6,933 7,833 9,989 10,392 16,720

Resolutions 5,893 5,943 6,830 8,163 9,407 9,235 8,625

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

14,000

16,000

18,000
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In FY 2016, total complaint receipts increased 61 percent, or by 6,328 compared to the previous 

year. This spike in receipts is primarily attributed to one individual that filed 6,201 Title IX 

complaints against school districts and elementary and secondary schools.

The pie chart below displays the FY 2016 complaint caseload by jurisdiction. OCR sex 

discrimination complaints made up the largest percentage of filed complaints (see note below), 

followed by disability discrimination complaints. In general, disability discrimination has 

historically constituted the greatest share of OCR’s complaint caseload. For example, in 

FY 2015, disability discrimination was 39 percent of the caseload, and sex discrimination was 

23 percent.

FY 2016 Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction

(October 1, 2015 – September 30, 2016)

Note: Of the 7,068 Sex Discrimination complaints, 6,201 were attributed to one individual that filed these Title IX 

complaints against school districts and elementary and secondary schools.

Although overall OCR complaints have nearly tripled, OCR has seen much more significant 

increases in complaints in the following growing areas, many of which require significant time 

and resources to investigate and resolve:

• Online Accessibility for All Students, Including Students with Disabilities: Although 

historically OCR received comparatively fewer complaints in the area of web accessibility for 

students with disabilities; the number of complaints in this area has grown significantly in 

recent years. The 593 complaints that OCR received in FY 2016 marked the highest 

number since OCR began tracking the issue in FY 2011, when only 9 complaints were 

received. Although 538 of the total complaints received in FY 2016 were filed by one 

person, the vast majority of the 593 complaints met the regulatory requirements for OCR to 

investigate.

Race/National 

Origin 1,294 (8%)

Sex Discrimination 

7,068 (42%)*

Disability 

Discrimination 

5,063 (30%)

Age Discrimination 

108 (1%)

Multiple 

Allegations 

1,655 (10%)

Other Complaints 

1,532 (9%)

Total Complaints - 16,720
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• Sexual Violence: Complaints of sexual violence at the postsecondary level have increased 

significantly since OCR began tracking this issue eight years ago, from 11 in FY 2009 to 177 

in FY 2016. In the first quarter of FY 2017, as of December 31, 2016, OCR had 360 cases 

pending at the postsecondary level with an average age of 549 days.

At the elementary and secondary school level, OCR received 83 complaints in FY 2016, 

which is 36 percent higher than the previous highest number of complaints received in a 

year (61 in FY 2015). Complaints of sexual violence at the elementary, secondary, and 

postsecondary levels comprise 32 percent of sexual discrimination complaints. In the first 

quarter of FY 2017, OCR had 153 cases pending with an average age of 453 days.

• Discriminatory Discipline: OCR had 449 pending cases alleging discriminatory 

discipline based on disability, race, or sex at the elementary and secondary level as of 

December 31, 2016. The average age of these cases is 707 days. While the number of 

complaints has not grown significantly, the average number of days until completion of 

these cases have grown due to the scope of the investigations required for these 

complaints.

• Racial Harassment: Complaints of racial harassment at the elementary and secondary 

education level has increased notably in the past 11 years, from 185 in FY 2006 to 344 

in FY 2016. There have also been increases at the postsecondary level; for example, in 

FY 2016, OCR received 198 racial harassment complaints, which quadruple the number 

of racial harassment complaints received (51) in FY 2006.

In addition to the growing complaint areas discussed above, OCR’s cases address a broad 

array of issues including academic evaluation and restraint and seclusion of students with 

disabilities; athletics; harassment; services for English language learners; retaliation; and 

inequitable access to educational resources such as effective educators and rigorous 

coursework.

In FY 2016, OCR received an increase of $7 million, which supported 36 of the 200 FTE 

requested that year. Despite this small increase in OCR’s staffing level, OCR did not meet its 

performance goal for percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days (80%) in FY 2016. 

Because of the increased complaint volume in the last 11 years (from 5,805 total cases in 

FY 2006 to 16,720 in FY 2016), the number of cases that have been pending more than 

180 days has increased from 308 at the end of FY 2006 to 2,715 in FY 2016. Many of these 

cases, such as those addressing sexual violence and school discipline, are both more complex 

and/or more time-consuming.
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The following table provides the number of cases received by jurisdiction during the past 

11 years, FY 2006 through 2016. Note the areas of increases since FY 2006 by Jurisdiction.

Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction

(Fiscal Years 2006 – 2016)

Jurisdiction FY 2006 FY 2008 FY 2010 FY 2012 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

Race 998 993 1,056 1,267 1,203 1,143 1,294

Sex 334 328 391 686 2,354 2,390 7,068*

Disability 3,025 3,165 3,405 3,683 3,909 4,052 5,063

Age 86 96 131 134 122 147 108

Multiple 750 917 1,037 1,192 1,588 1,399 1,655

Other 612 695 913 871 813 1,261 1,532

TOTAL 5,805 6,194 6,933 7,833 9,989 10,392 16,720

Note: In FY 2016, of the 7,068 Sex Discrimination complaints, 6,201 were attributed to one individual that filed 

these Title IX complaints against school districts and elementary and secondary schools.
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PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

OCR’s Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures are designed to assess 

the efficiency and accessibility of the complaint resolution process. While performance has 

remained strong over time, OCR anticipates potential difficulty sustaining this degree of 

performance in the future.

Current performance measures for complaint workload:

Measure: Percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2013 80% 95%

2014 80 94

2015 80 86

2016 80 78

2017 80

2018 80

Measure: Percentage of complaints pending over 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2013 < 25% 19%

2014 < 25 23

2015 < 25 34

2016 < 25 23

2017 < 25

2018 < 25

Additional information: The first two performance measures encompass OCR’s entire 

complaint workload, which together hold OCR accountable for efficient case resolution. 

Complaint receipts are rising and becoming more labor-intensive to evaluate, investigate and 

resolve. For FY 2018, given that the number of complaints received is likely to remain at high 

levels, OCR’s GPRA performance may decrease over time

Because of the increase in complaints, OCR has only met one of the two performance goals

addressing complaint workload -- the percentage of complaints pending over 180 days (target 

<25, actual 23). OCR has failed to meet the 80 percent target level for percentage of 

complaints resolved within180 days (target 80 percent, actual 78).
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Measure: Mean score of customer satisfaction survey.

Year Target Actual

2013 3.66 3.87

2014 3.66 3.79

2015 3.66 3.59

2016 3.66 3.73

2017 3.66

2018 3.66

Additional information: OCR’s third performance measure looks at customer satisfaction 

through a survey that is distributed to both complainants and recipients after case resolution. 

The survey measures courteous and considerate treatment of customers; prompt, clear, and 

responsive communication (oral and written); and whether the customer is kept informed about 

his or her case. A fiscal year 2005 survey was used to establish baseline at 3.66 (on a scale of 

1 through 5). OCR fell below that threshold in 2015 and was slightly above it in 2016.

OCR’s Initiatives and Activities to Support the Department’s Strategic Plan 

OCR’s mission is specifically linked to the Department’s FY 2014–2018 Strategic Plan “Goal 4: 

Equity”, and in particular, “Subgoal 4.2: Civil Rights Enforcement.” Under this subgoal, OCR is 

responsible for ensuring educational institutions’ compliance with Federal civil rights laws and 

enhancing the public’s knowledge of their civil rights under these laws. To ensure the success 

of OCR’s subgoal under the Department’s strategic plan, sufficient funding is needed to support 

initiatives and activities such as the following:

Issuing Policy Guidance

During FY 2016, OCR issued policy guidance documents addressing a range of issues, 

including the needs of students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), gender 

equity in career and technical education (CTE), and resource equity concerns to the obligations 

of schools to designate a Title IX coordinator. (See chart below.) These documents serve to 

assist recipients of Federal financial assistance and other covered entities in understanding how 

OCR interprets and enforces Federal civil rights laws. In some instances, the guidance OCR 

issues directly responds to emerging trends that are of concern as reflected in the CRDC, 

requests OCR receives for technical assistance, compliance issues in career and technical 

education programs as identified through the Methods of Administration program, and OCR’s 

own investigations. When appropriate, OCR issues guidance jointly with other civil rights 

offices, such as the Civil Rights Division at the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). Educational 

institutions may use OCR’s policy guidance to help understand the law, adjusting their own 

policies and practices to enhance civil rights protections for students and avoid civil rights 

violations, which can reduce the need for OCR enforcement. Students, families, and 

communities often utilize OCR’s guidance to better understand students’ civil rights.
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

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Policy Guidance Issued in FY 2016

Statute Issue/Release Date Description

Title VI Use of Race/Diversity 

September 30, 2016

Clarifies the ruling made by the U.S. Supreme Court 

in Fisher v. University of Texas at Austin (Fisher II) 

and reiterates the continued support of the 

Departments of Education and Justice for the 

voluntary use of race and ethnicity to achieve 

diversity in education.

Title IX Voluntary Youth Service 

Organizations

December 15, 2015 

Explains the circumstances under which a school 

district lawfully may work with outside 

organizations that provide single-sex 

programming. 

Gender Equity in Career and 

Technical Education

June 15, 2016 (released jointly 

with Office for Career, 

Technical, and Adult Education)

Reiterates that all students, regardless of their 

sex, must have equal access to the full range of 

Career and Technical Education programs 

offered.

Section 504/Title 

II

Attention-Deficit/

Hyperactivity Disorder

(ADHD) 

July 26, 2016

Clarifies the obligation of schools to provide 

students with ADHD with equal educational 

opportunity.

Protection of Students with Disabilities

Pursuant to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with 

Disabilities Act, OCR will continue to ensure that students with disabilities are not 

discriminatorily denied the opportunity to participate in and benefit from a school district’s 

programs and activities. This includes ensuring that schools properly evaluate students, 

including students with food allergies and other health impairments, determining technology 

needs, and giving students with disabilities equitable access to athletic programs and activities. 

OCR anticipates further engagement regarding protecting students with disabilities from 

discrimination based on disability.

Combating Sexual Violence

OCR has focused resources on addressing sexual violence on college campuses. In FY 2014, 

OCR issued updated guidance on protecting students from sexual violence. OCR received 260 

sexual violence complaints at the elementary and secondary and postsecondary levels in 

FY 2016, up from 128 in 2014 and 227 in 2015. OCR anticipates this work increasing through 

FY 2018.
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Reducing Discriminatory Discipline

Addressing school discipline is a key civil rights priority of OCR. In January 2014, OCR and the 

Department of Justice released a school discipline guidance package1 to assist States, districts, 

and schools in developing practices and strategies to enhance school climate and ensure those 

policies and practices comply with Federal law. The public spotlight on this issue is likely to 

continue through FY 2018 and produce more discipline-related complaints, investigations, and 

requests for technical assistance.

Reducing Racial Isolation and Fostering Voluntary Efforts to Increase Diversity

Racial isolation in U.S. schools remains alarmingly high. Studies show that 80 percent of Latino 

students and 74 percent of black students are in schools where the majority of students are not 

white, and 43 percent of Latino students and 38 percent of black students attend "intensely 

segregated schools" in which white students comprise 10 percent or fewer of the student body2

. 

According to the CRDC, schools with the highest concentration of black and Latino students 

have less access to college- and career-ready courses and opportunities. In December 2011, 

OCR released two policy guidance letters to assist K-12 schools in voluntary efforts to reduce 

racial isolation and increase racial diversity, and to assist postsecondary institutions in voluntary 

efforts to increase racial diversity. Following U.S. Supreme Court cases like Parents Involved in 

Community Schools v. Seattle School District and Fisher v. University of Texas (Fisher I and 

Fisher II), OCR can provide schools with technical assistance on how they may voluntarily take 

steps to diversify their student populations in accordance with the law.

Increase Knowledge of Title IX and Disability Coordinators

OCR’s regulations require each recipient (a public or private agency, institution, or organization, 

to whom Federal financial assistance is extended, which operates an education program or 

activity which receives such assistance) to designate at least one employee to coordinate its 

efforts to comply with Title IX and Section 504, including investigations of any complaints of 

non-compliance the recipient receives. In order to ensure that Title IX coordinators are 

effectively meeting their Federal obligation to further Federal civil rights, OCR will assess the 

needs of these coordinators, provide them training and support, and investigate recipients who 

are not fulfilling their civil rights obligations concerning Title IX coordinators.

Access to College- and Career-Preparatory Courses

In some school districts, college-prep, International Baccalaureate, and Advanced Placement 

courses are not equitably available to students of color, English learners, or students with 

disabilities. OCR will continue to respond to complaints and engage in compliance reviews and 

technical assistance activities to address discrimination in equal access to programs that 

prepare students for college or careers.

 1 http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/index.html

2 http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu.
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Protection of English Language Learners (ELL)

OCR will continue its enforcement and technical assistance activities to ensure recipients 

comply with their obligations under Title VI and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Lau v. Nichols to 

provide effective access and services to students who are ELL and Limited English Proficiency 

parents. OCR expects additional engagement through complaint investigations and technical 

assistance efforts.

Reduction of Discriminatory Bullying, Harassment, and Violence

OCR continues to experience a high volume of complaints related to harassment and violence 

on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and disability. OCR will continue to ensure that 

K-12 and postsecondary schools act promptly and equitably to eliminate discrimination.

The following table shows the number of complaints regarding harassment, and violence that 

were received in the past 6 years, from fiscal years 2011-2016. These complaints involve 

various jurisdictions. The number of complaints related to bullying, harassment, and violence 

has increased 45 percent since FY 2011.

Bullying, Harassment and Violence Complaint Caseload

(FY 2011 – FY 2016)

FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014 FY 2015 FY 2016

1,170 1,229 1,400 1,355 1,389 1,700