Department of Education

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language .................................................................................................. BB-1

Amounts Available for Obligation ...................................................................................... BB-2

Obligations by Object Classification .................................................................................. BB-3

Summary of Changes ....................................................................................................... BB-4

Authorizing Legislation...................................................................................................... BB-6

Appropriations History....................................................................................................... BB-7

Activity:

 Office for Civil Rights....................................................................................................... BB-8
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For expenses necessary for the Office for Civil Rights, as authorized by section 203 of 

the Department of Education Organization Act, $107,772,000.
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2010 2011 CR 2012

Discretionary appropriation:

Appropriation $103,024 0 $107,772

Annualized CR (PL 111-322) 0 $103,024 0

Subtotal, appropriation 103,024 103,024 107,772

Total, direct obligations 103,024 103,024 107,772

Amounts Available for Obligation

($000s)
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Obligations by Object Classification

($000s)

CHANGE FROM

Object Class 2010 2011 CR 2012 2011 to 2012

11.10 Full-time permanent $54,872 $58,149 $59,503 $1,354

11.31 Full-time temporary 1,463 992 1,198 206

11.32 Part-time 2,011 1,786 1,797 11

11.33 Consultants 94 0 0 0

11.51 Overtime 8 18 18 0

11.52 Awards 712 712 712 0

11.80 Other Compensation 0 0 0 0

 Compensation subtotal 59,160 61,657 63,228 1,571

12.00 Benefits 15,817 16,769 17,302 533

13.10 Benefits for former personnel 0 0 0 0

 Comp/benefits subtotal 74,977 78,426 80,530 2,104

21.00 Travel 1,071 900 900 0

22.00 Transportation of things 22 4 4 0

23.10 Rental Payments to GSA 8,004 8,572 8,759 187

23.31 Communications 299 107 112 5

23.32 Postage/fees 14 36 36 0

 Subtotal 23 8,317 8,715 8,907 192

24.00 Printing & Reproduction 29 36 86 50

25.10 Advisory and Assistance Svcs 15 0 0 0

25.21 Other Services 1,342 1,407 1,529 122

25.22 Training/Tuition/Contracts 259 252 577 325

25.23 Field Readers 0 0 0 0

25.30 Goods/Services from Gov't 3,598 3,057 3,175 118

25.40 Operations/Maint of Facilities 0 1 1 0

25.50 Research & Development 0 0 0 0

25.71 Operations/Maint of Equipment 20 0 0 0

25.72 IT Services/Contracts 10,955 9,929 11,660 1,731

 Subtotal 25 16,189 14,646 16,942 2,296

26.00 Supplies 197 176 223 47

31.10 IT Equipment/Software 183 121 122 1

31.30 Other Equipment 747 0 8 8

 Subtotal 31 930 121 130 9

32.00 Building Alterations 3 0 50 50

41.10 Grants 0 0 0 0

41.23B Admin Expense Allowance 0 0 0 0

43.10 Interest and Dividends 0 0 0 0

Total 101,735 103,024 107,772 4,748
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Summary of Changes

($000s)

2011 CR ........................................... $103,024

2012 ................................................ 107,772

 Net change .............................. +4,748

Change

 2011 CR base from base

Increases:

 Built in:

Increase in benefits for OCR‟s share of 

health, retirement, and other benefits. 16,769 +533

Increase in GSA rental payments due to tax 

 increases and lease renewals. 8,572 +187

Program:

Increase in personnel compensation for the 

additional 12 FTE necessary to ensure

successful management of OCR programs 

and priorities. $60,927 +$1,571

Small increase in communications. 107 +5

Increase in printing. 36 +50

Increase in other services for the Equity and

Excellence Commission ($300) to determine how the

Government can increase educational opportunity

by improving school funding equity. This project

increase was offset by other project decreases in 

other services. 1,407 +122

Increase in training for leadership development,

regional training courses, tuition reimbursement,

and computer training. 252 +325

Increase in goods/services for security guards,

building services, and overtime utilities. 3,057 +118
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Summary of Changes

($000s)

Change

2011 CR base from base

Increases:

Program:

Increase in information technology services/

contracts mainly for Civil Rights Data Collection

(CRDC), with small increases in certification and 

accreditation and EDUCATE. 9,929 +1,731

Increase in supplies for legal publications 176 +47

Small increase in information technology equipment/

software. 121 +1

Increase in other equipment and building

alterations for unusual or special orders or modifications

to workspace. 0 +58

Subtotal, increases +4,748

 Net change +4,748
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Authorizing Legislation

($000s)

 2011 CR 2011 CR 2012 2012

Activity Authorized Estimate Authorized Request 

Civil rights (DEOA, Section 203) Indefinite $103,024 Indefinite $107,772

Total definite authorization 0 0

Total appropriation $103,024 $107,772

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Appropriations History

($000s)

 Budget

 Estimate House Senate 

 to Congress Allowance Allowance Appropriation

2003 $89,710 $86,276 $86,276 $85,715

2004 91,275 91,275 77,884 88,305 

2005 92,801 90,248 92,801 89,375

2006 91,526 91,526 91,526 90,611

2007 92,866 N/A1 N/A191,2051

2008 93,771 93,771 93,771 89,612

2009 96,826 96,040289,612296,826

2009 Transfer -60

2010 103,024 103,024 103,0243103,024

2011 105,700 103,0244105,7003103,0245

2012 107,772

1 This account operated under a full-year continuing resolution (P.L. 110-5). House and Senate Allowance 

amounts are shown as N/A (Not Available) because neither body passed a separate appropriations bill.

 2 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.

3

The level for the Senate allowance reflects Committee action only.

4 The level for the House allowance reflects House-passed full-year continuing resolution.

5 The level for the appropriation reflects the continuing resolution (P.L. 111-322) passed December 22, 2010.
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Office for Civil Rights

 (DEOA, section 203)

FY 2012 Authorization ($000s): Indefinite

Budget Authority ($000s):

 

2011 CR 2012 Change

Personnel $78,426 $80,530 +$2,104

Non-Personnel 24,598 27,242 2,644

Total $103,0241$107,772 +$4,748

FTE Level 614 626 +12

1 Funding levels in FY 2011 represent the annualized continuing resolution levels of the 4th Continuing 

Appropriations Act, 2011 (P.L. 111-322).

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 student achievement 

and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring 

equal access.

OCR ensures equal access to education by enforcing Federal civil rights laws and implementing 

regulations that prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, 

and age in all programs and institutions that receive financial assistance from the Department. 

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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These and other civil rights laws extend to a wide range of Federal recipients, including: all 

State educational agencies; approximately 14,000 local educational agencies; nearly 6,500 

postsecondary institutions, including proprietary schools and community colleges; 80 State 

vocational rehabilitation agencies and their sub-recipients; as well as other institutions that 

receive U.S. Department of Education financial assistance, such as libraries, museums, and 

correctional institutions. More than 79 million individuals are beneficiaries of the financial 

assistance these institutions and agencies receive on behalf of the Department.

OCR PROGRAM INFORMATION

OCR„s enforcement of civil rights laws is multi-faceted and requires a sufficient number of welleducated and highly trained staff. OCR considers these “knowledge workers” essential to fulfill 

its mission to ensure equal access to educational programs and activities through civil rights law 

enforcement. OCR‟s law enforcement program includes policy development, administrative 

enforcement, and other activities including proactive initiatives. With an annual caseload of 

approximately 7,000 complaints per year, resolving complaints alleging discrimination is the 

core work of the organization.

Moreover, as described throughout this document, OCR promotes compliance with civil rights 

through its extensive technical assistance and outreach activities. These activities include a 

wide range of presentations to and consultations with recipients and covered entities regarding 

civil rights requirements. OCR also issues policy guidance to advise recipients and covered 

entities about their legal obligations and about OCR‟s approach to enforcing and applying civil 

rights laws in various situations. OCR‟s civil rights activities support the Department‟s goals of 

ensuring that the Nation‟s struggling schools are transformed, that all students have equitable 

access to great teachers and leaders, college- and career-ready coursework, and the true 

promise of high quality education.

Organizational Structure and Staffing

The Office for Civil Rights requires a staffing level of 626 FTEs to support its mission. Currently, 

89 percent of OCR‟s staff are located in 12 enforcement offices throughout the country, and the 

remaining 11 percent occupies OCR‟s headquarters office. The Headquarters office and DC 

Metro Enforcement offices are located in Washington, DC, and the remaining 11 Enforcement 

offices are located in 10 regional centers and 1 field office throughout the Nation: Boston, New 

York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and 

Cleveland.

OCR is headed by an Assistant Secretary, who is supported by a Principal Deputy Assistant 

Secretary. Deputy Assistant Secretaries for Enforcement and Policy, as well as the Resource 

Management Group Director, report to the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary. The Deputy 

Assistant Secretary for Enforcement is responsible for oversight of 12 enforcement offices and 3 

Enforcement Directors who provide day-to-day leadership to those offices. The Deputy 

Assistant Secretary for Policy oversees the headquarters‟ Program Legal Group that provides a 

range of legal services including: developing policy guidance on civil rights issues, developing 

technical assistance materials, consulting on cases from the enforcement offices, and helping 

ensure that civil rights issues are appropriately addressed within Department programs and 

initiatives and among Federal agencies. This group also collaborates with other Department 
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offices on the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) and oversees CRDC data analysis and 

dissemination. The Resource Management Group supports the Office nationwide in the areas 

of customer service, information technology, budget, procurement, and human capital

management.

Boston

New York City

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C.

(Headquarters

and field office)

Regional Offices

Field Offices

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FY 2012 Headquarters/Regional Staff

Seattle

San

Francisco Denver Kansas

City

Chicago

Atlanta

Dallas

Cleveland

Regional & Field Offices: 558 FTE

Headquarters: 68 FTE

Total Staff level: 626 FTE

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were as follows:

 ($000s)

2007 ........................................................................... $91,205

2008 ............................................................................. 89,612

2009 ............................................................................. 96,826

2010 ........................................................................... 103,024

2011 CR .................................................................... 103,024
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FY 2012 BUDGET REQUEST 

The total FY 2012 request is $107.772 million with a full-time equivalent (FTE) level of 626. 

This request is a $4.748 million, or 4.6 percent increase, over the FY 2011 continuing resolution

level of $103.024 million.

 The Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) request of $80.530 million is an 

increase of $2.104 million over the FY 2011 CR level due to pay and benefits increases

for the requested additional 12 FTE. The additional FTE will ensure successful 

management of OCR‟s enforcement programs, priorities, and complaint resolution. In 

FY 2010, OCR received 6,933 complaints, a 9 percent increase from FY 2009 the 

largest number of complaints ever received by the agency. In addition, some of the 

complaints were more complex than in previous years. To handle the increased 

workload and implement strategic priorities, OCR plans to hire additional enforcement 

office attorneys with both investigative and legal skills at the GS-905-11/12 level. OCR 

plans to hire these attorneys during the first quarter of fiscal year 2012. 

 OCR‟s FY 2012 share of the Department‟s centralized services (overhead) amount of 

$21.281 million reflects an increase of $583,000 above the FY 2011 CR level of 

$20.698 million. The increases are mainly for GSA rent payments, training, and guard 

services.

 Non-Personnel costs, excluding centralized services, will be $5.961 million, or 

$2.061 million above the FY 2011 CR level of $3.900 million. In addition to the Civil 

Rights Data Collection (CRDC) and analysis, non-personnel costs are primarily for 

travel, training, legal services, and software support to operate OCR‟s Case and Activity 

Management System (CAMS). OCR is also requesting an increase of $300,000 to fund 

the Equity and Excellence Commission. The Commission has been established to 

determine how the Government can increase educational opportunity by improving 

school funding equity.

FY 2012 BUDGET

(dollars in millions)

Total: $107.772

FTE: 626

*Non-Personnel:

Travel

Trans. of things

Printing

Consultants

Training

Communications

Copier rentals

Supplies

Non-IT equip/

furniture

Technology

Building 

alterations

Personnel

$80.530

74.7%

(includes 

overtime & 

awards)

Centralized 

Services

$21.281

19.8%

*NonPersonnel

$5.961

5.5%
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Personnel Costs

For FY 2012, PC&B costs are 75 percent of the request, or $80.530 million, $2.104 million over 

the FY 2011 CR level of $78.426 million. This level will support a staffing level of 626 FTE, an 

increase of 12 FTE above the 2011 CR level. As the chart below shows, over the past 8 years, 

from 2003 to 2010, OCR reduced its staffing level by 13 percent while complaint receipts rose

by 35 percent. In FY 2010, while well above the baseline, scores on OCR‟s Government 

Performance and Results Act (GPRA) measures were lower than in recent years. The drop in 

GPRA scores is attributable to several factors in addition to lower staffing levels: complaint 

receipts are rising; OCR has implemented an ambitious proactive agenda of complex 

compliance reviews and technical assistance activities that directly support the Secretary‟s and 

President‟s education agenda; and there has been increased monitoring of resolution 

agreements to ensure the entity‟s full compliance. These compliance and enforcement activities 

are labor intensive and work synergistically to address critical and systemic issues of 

discrimination. With complaint receipts rising, the requested increase in FTE is needed to 

continue this comprehensive approach to civil rights enforcement. 

The PC&B request will also cover the historically based increases for benefits.

Awards & Overtime

OCR is requesting $712,000 for awards and $18,000 for overtime for a total of $730,000, the 

same as the FY 2011 CR level. OCR rewards staff based upon performance. The requested 

amount will enable OCR to provide appropriate recognition for high performance and will 

compensate those who work additional hours to complete work in tight deadlines, consistent 

with departmental policy. 

Non-Personnel Costs

Non-personnel costs are critical to ensure that OCR staff has the required resources to 

accomplish its mission of civil rights enforcement. The total request for non-personnel activities

520

540

560

580

600

620

640

660

680

FTE Level

5,000

5,500

6,000

6,500

7,000

7,500

Complaints Received

FTE Usage 672 655 640 630 614 614 582 585 614 626

Complaints Received 5,141 5,044 5,533 5,805 5,894 6,194 6,364 6,933 7,000 7,000

FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10 FY 11* FY 12*

*Estimated 

C o mplaints
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in FY 2012, excluding departmental centralized services, is $5.961 million, an increase of 

$2.061 million from the 2011 CR level. The majority of the increase is due to a $1.611 million

increase for the CRDC and a $300,000 increase for the Equity and Excellence Commission. 

Modest increases are also requested in printing, supplies, other equipment, and building 

alterations. CAMS will be funded at $255,000, $175,000 less than the FY 2011 CR level of

$430,000. The requested non-personnel funds will provide program support to resolve 

complaints of discrimination filed by the public, to support the Equity and Excellence 

Commission, and to ensure that institutions receiving Federal financial assistance are in 

compliance with the civil rights laws enforced by OCR. 

Below is a summary of the resources required for OCR to execute its mission and strategic 

goals:

Information Technology Services/Contracts — OCR is requesting a total of $3.773 million, an 

increase of $1.614 million from the FY 2011 CR level of $2.159 million. The increase includes

funding for the Civil Rights Data Collection ($3.340 million); the Case and Activities 

Management System ($255,000); and IT Information Assurance and certification and 

accreditation costs and other assistive and reasonable accommodation requests not included in 

the EDUCATE contact ($178,000).

The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) and Analysis ($3.340 million) — This amount is an 

increase of $1.611 million above the FY 2011 CR level. The funds in FY 2011 will be used to 

begin preparations for the 2011-12 CRDC. In 2009-2010, the CRDC survey was expanded 

from 6,000 to 7,000 school districts for data collection. A universal survey in 2011-2012 will 

collect data from 18,000 school districts, giving OCR current information about all school 

districts for when it investigates complaints and makes decisions about proactive activities. In 

addition, parents, school districts, other Department of Education staff, the Department of 

Justice, Congress, and the public will have access to the information for research, compliance,

and public policy purposes. The last universal survey completed was in the 2000-2001 school 

year. Since then important changes have occurred in the demographics of local education 

agencies and the students they serve. Funds will also support the processing of the final data 

files, the development of State and national projections, all related analytical activities, and 

documentation of all data items in the CRDC data file, as well as making the data available to 

the Department and the public through the CRDC Web site.

OCR‟s CAMS is an electronic tracking system used to record OCR‟s case status and the 

documents associated with each case and activity. It utilizes a combination of four software 

applications, Case Management System (CMS), Activity Management System (AMS), Open 

Text Document Management System (DMS), and the new Records Management (RM). The

$255,000 funding for this project provides for: (a) enhancements to apply business process 

changes and to improve the usage of these core systems; (b) compliance with up-to-date 

departmental IT environment; (c) software subscription services to maintain version upgrades 

and technical phone support on the Open Text Document Management portion; and (d) RM 

software support service for the implemented electronic recordkeeping system.

The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requires IT systems to be certified 

and accredited (C&A). In order to be compliant with Federal and departmental IT security 

requirements, $178,000 is needed to ensure the system remains in C&A status. In FY 2012,
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OCR expects that some areas in need of improvement will undergo a full C&A process. The

requested funds will be used to start the improvement process.

Printing — The request of $86,000 for printing is an increase of $50,000 from the 

FY 2011 CR level of $36,000. In 2011, OCR is revising and updating guidance on regulations 

and policies, pamphlets, and Dear Colleague letters. No additional copies will be printed until 

updates are complete. In 2012, the increase in funding will be used for printing OCR‟s new 

strategic plan; new guidance on regulations and policy; pamphlets; Dear Colleague letters; the 

Annual Report to Congress; OCR letterhead; and restocking OCR‟s publications inventory.

Travel — OCR is requesting a travel budget of $900,000, level-funded with the FY 2011 CR

level. The majority of OCR‟s travel is directly associated with investigating complaints, 

conducting compliance reviews, monitoring corrective action plans, providing technical

assistance, and conducting other compliance activities. Complaint investigations and 

compliance reviews often require staff to go onsite to gather data and conduct interviews to 

determine if civil rights laws have been violated. Travel costs are also associated with training,

conferences, workshops, invitational speakers, and OCR-wide management meetings in central 

locations. If funds are not provided at the requested level, OCR‟s ability to conduct onsite 

investigations, conduct proactive activities, and train enforcement office staff would be 

diminished greatly. 

Training — OCR is requesting a training budget of $62,000, the same as the FY 2011 CR level. 

Almost one-quarter of OCR staff will be eligible for retirement by FY 2012 and will be replaced 

by new employees with less experience. Requested funds will enable OCR employees to 

receive adequate programmatic and professional development to keep pace with the changing 

work environment and investigative approaches to case processing. This includes internal and 

external training on leadership development and supervision; policy and civil rights case law; 

innovative investigative techniques; nationwide quality, consistency, and efficiency in case 

processing; and the expanded use of electronic systems for case management.

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

requesting a total of $101,000, an increase of $5,000 from the FY 2011 CR level. The funds are 

needed for existing copier rental agreements ($100,000) and maintenance of facilities ($1,000).

Other Services/Goods and Services/Transportation — OCR is requesting a total of $761,000, 

an increase of $287,000 from the FY 2011 CR level. The request includes:

 Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) Fall Enrollment Report ($25,000) 

— This is a decrease of $15,000 from the FY 2011 CR level. IPEDS completes three 

surveys for OCR, two during odd years and one in an even year. The IPEDS Fall 

Enrollment survey is conducted in collaboration with the National Center for Education 

Statistics during even numbered fiscal years only. Data are collected on student enrollment 

in postsecondary education institutions by race, ethnicity, and sex. 

 Legal Research Services ($100,000) — This is level-funded at the FY 2011 CR level. The

contract provides an automated full-text legal information system that offers online access to 

continuously updated and archived 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
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of attorneys to conduct desktop legal research and would necessitate their spending 

valuable time out of the office conducting legal research.

 Equity and Excellence Commission ($500,000) — The purpose of the Commission is to 

collect information, analyze issues, and obtain broad public input directed at how the 

Government can increase educational opportunity by improving school funding equity. In 

order to achieve this purpose, the Commission will conduct town hall meetings, in addition to 

regular Commission meetings, to gather information and utilize varied means of outreach to 

encourage and facilitate a public discussion of issues. A report will be provided to the 

Secretary of Education and Congress outlining the Commission‟s findings and 

recommendations on options for how Federal, State, and local governments could establish 

funding systems to ensure that all students receive equal educational opportunities, and on

the cost of education in different settings, with consideration of students‟ educational needs, 

school needs, and variations in geography.

 All Other Services/Goods and Services/Transportation ($136,000) — These areas are level

funded with the FY 2011 CR level, with the exception of a $2,000 increase for leased 

vehicles. They include ED Pubs ($50,000); conference space rentals ($36,000); 

interagency services for General Services Administration leased vehicles and equipment 

($46,000, an increase of $2,000 due to inflationary factor); and transportation of things 

($4,000).

Supplies — OCR is requesting $220,000, an increase of $47,000 from the FY 2011 CR level

that was reduced to cover the increased cost in CAMS. A significant amount of supply funds is 

used to purchase and renew educational journal subscriptions and other legal publications in 

order to maintain updated materials in OCR‟s law libraries. Funds are also spent on copier 

paper, case file folders, and other needed office supplies. 

Equipment/Furniture and Building Alterations — OCR is requesting $58,000 for furniture/ 

equipment and building alterations. This is an increase above the FY 2011 CR level. The 

equipment/ furniture funds will be used for unusual and special orders. Funding for building 

alterations includes additions and modifications made to the building structure, lighting 

improvements, and other costs to improve working conditions, or to better utilize existing space 

that could lead to cost savings in rent charges.

Departmental Centralized Support 

Approximately 78 percent of the total non-personnel budget request is to cover OCR‟s share of 

the Department‟s centralized services. The FY 2012 request is $21.281 million, an increase of 

$583,000 from the FY 2011 CR level of $20.698 million. The funding request will cover the cost 

of services such as: rent; training; records information management support services; and 

interagency agreements for administrative services provided by other Federal agencies, such as 

payroll processing, overtime utilities, training coordinator and career counseling; and the 

EDUCATE contract that covers telecommunications, IT processing services, network support, 

end-user support, maintenance, and improvements.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

OCR is a civil rights law enforcement agency whose focus is resolving complaints alleging 

discrimination in federally funded educational programs and activities. The following chart 

shows the number of complaint receipts and resolutions since FY 2003. Actual data are shown 

for FYs 2003-2010 and estimates are shown for FYs 2011-2012. FY 2011-2012 estimated 

receipts are based on actual complaint receipts in FY 2010. FY 2010 complaint receipts 

increased by 9 percent from the previous year. The number of complaint resolutions has

increased 11 percent, with a 32 percent increase in complaints that resolve with agreements.

Complaint Receipts and Resolutions

FYs 2003 – 2012

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012

Resolutions 5,246 4,968 5,365 5,893 5,737 5,943 6,150 6,830 6,830 6,830

Receipts 5,141 5,044 5,533 5,805 5,894 6,194 6,364 6,933 7,000 7,000

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000
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OCR provides information to the public on its activities that include assistance on how to file 

complaints. FY 2010 complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability comprise

49 percent of total complaint receipts, as shown in the following chart.

FY 2010 Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction

(October 1, 2009- September 30, 2010)

Race/National 

Origin

1,056 (15%)

Sex Discrimination

391 (6%)

Disability 

Discrimination

3,405 (49%)

Age Discrimination

131 (2%)

Multiple 

Allegations

1,037 (15%)

Other Complaints

913 (13%)

Total Complaints - 6,933

PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

OCR‟s performance measures are designed to assess the efficiency and accessibility of the 

complaint resolution process. The first performance measure has two targets encompassing 

OCR‟s entire complaint workload. Together, the two targets hold OCR accountable for efficient 

case resolution. OCR‟s second performance measure looks at customer satisfaction through a 

customer service survey that is distributed after case resolution to both complainants and 

recipients. The survey measures courteous and considerate treatment of customers, prompt 

communication (oral and written) and clear and responsive communication (oral and written), 

and whether the customer is kept informed about his or her case. A FY 2005 survey was used 

to establish baseline at 3.66 (on a scale of 1 through 5).
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Current performance measures for complaint workload:

Measure: Percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2007 80 93

2008 80 91

2009 80 92

2010 80 90

2011 80

2012 80

Measure: Percentage of complaints pending over 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2007 < 25 18

2008 < 25 18

2009 < 25 15

2010 < 25 22

2011 < 25

2012 < 25

Measure: Mean score of customer satisfaction survey.

Year Target Actual

2007 3.66 3.96

2008 3.66 3.99

2009 3.66 3.93

2010 3.66 3.89

2011 3.66

2012 3.66

OCR‟s current performance measures focus on metrics that capture inputs and processes. 

While these systems have been helpful by bringing an increased level of accountability to 

OCR‟s work, they do not measure impact. OCR plans to update this measurement system in 

FYs 2010 and 2011 by supplementing it with additional sets of indicators designed to connect 

on-the-ground work with real progress towards achieving its mission. OCR's outcome 

measures will reflect whether OCR has been making progress towards its goals, i.e., the extent 

to which students are free from discrimination and have equal access to a quality education. 

OCR's interim measures will be designed to track the progress towards achieving these broad 

ultimate outcomes. They will be linked to specific office-wide initiatives and activities, for 

instance, coordinated compliance reviews, technical assistance, and outreach around a 

particular issue.
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A Renewed Vision — OCR’s Strategic Plan 

In early FY 2010, OCR designed a new strategic plan with goals that align resources and 

compliance and enforcement activities for maximum impact. Through complementary activities, 

e.g., proactive technical assistance, targeted compliance reviews, strong systemic remedies 

and aggressive monitoring of resolution agreements, internal and external policy guidance, 

intra-agency sharing of best practices, and interagency work groups, the five goals in OCR‟s 

strategic plan provide an integrated approach to engaging parents, students, schools, colleges 

and universities, along with OCR and Department staff, in addressing educational inequity.

 Goal 1: Increase students‟ and their families‟ awareness of their rights, and strengthen their 

capacity to identify and resolve civil rights and equity issues in their communities by 

strategically expanding and targeting outreach services.

 Goal 2: Increase schools‟, colleges‟, and universities‟ understanding of their obligations 

under civil rights laws and strengthen their capacity to comply with these laws by 

strategically issuing clear Dear Colleague letters and Guidance, and expanding technical 

assistance services. 

 Goal 3: Protect individual complainants‟ civil rights and ensure due process through 

continuously improving the complaint investigation and resolution process.

 Goal 4: Identify and eliminate any systemic violations of civil rights laws through the 

proactive and strategic use of compliance reviews and complementary tools.

 Goal 5: Maximize impact by ensuring that all components of the Department are advancing 

civil rights and equity goals, and that the Office for Civil Rights is supporting and reinforcing 

the Department‟s strategic priorities.

In addition to outreach activities conducted by staff, OCR‟s Assistant Secretary and senior 

leadership have personally communicated this strategic vision for effective civil rights 

enforcement. They have met with Department staff and OCR staff nationwide, Members of 

Congress and their staff, and stakeholders such as educational organizations and groups 

working on behalf of students and their families.

Revitalized civil rights enforcement, supporting the priorities of the President and the Secretary 

of Education, must be adequately resourced for OCR to continue to effectively implement its 

ambitious and urgently needed strategic goal activities.

As more students, parents, and others learn of their civil rights and responsibilities through 

OCR‟s outreach efforts and compliance activities, and OCR analyzes and discloses information 

from the CRDC showing patterns and trends of discrimination and disparities, the demands on 

OCR‟s resources will continue to grow. With an all-time high of 6,933 complaint receipts in 

FY 2010, OCR is committed to increasing the efficiency of case processing. From an 

enforcement perspective, because many complaints involve only a single complainant, OCR is 

also committed to increasing the number of targeted compliance reviews, which have a greater 

impact on systemic civil rights violations.

Because of the breadth, depth, and urgency of OCR‟s civil rights enforcement mandate, there is 

no process or software product that can substitute for a sufficient number of well-trained 

effective staff. If OCR‟s FY 2012 budget cannot provide for the requested 626 FTE, there will 

be insufficient staff to meet the increased need for OCR‟s services. 
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Civil Rights Compliance and Enforcement

The effectiveness of OCR‟s strategic plan relies on using all of the compliance and enforcement 

tools at its disposal:

 Externally-initiated activities: Complaint investigations resolving allegations of 

discrimination brought by the public. 

o In resolving complaints, OCR‟s primary objectives are to promptly investigate the 

allegations of discrimination, accurately determine whether the civil rights laws have 

been violated, and remedy the violation. In FY 2010, OCR received 6,933 complaints, 

9 percent above FY 2009, and resolved 6,830, some of which had been filed in previous 

years. As in most years, the majority of complaints OCR received in FY 2010 alleged 

discrimination based on disability. 

 Proactive activities initiated by OCR: Compliance reviews, technical assistance, 

outreach, and policy guidance.

o Compliance reviews allow OCR to target agency resources on issues of discrimination 

that are particularly acute, regional or national in scope, or which are newly emerging. 

Unlike complaint resolutions that may involve only one student, compliance reviews can 

benefit larger numbers of students and drive systemic reform by targeting discrimination 

that harms an entire group of vulnerable students at an institution. OCR initiated

37 compliance reviews in FY 2010, 28 percent above 2009. 

FY 2010 Compliance Reviews

(Cases Resolved October 1, 2009-September 30, 2010)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

0

20

40

60

80 Compliance Reviews

Initiated 74 53 73 9 23 42 29 37

Resolved 14 29 66 72 26 38 24 27

FY 03 FY 04 FY 05 FY 06 FY 07 FY 08 FY 09 FY 10

o OCR assists educational institutions in complying with Federal civil rights laws by 

providing them with technical assistance and other outreach activities. OCR also 

provides technical assistance and outreach to parents, students, and others to inform 

them of their rights under the law. The office provides information and other support 
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services through a variety of methods, including onsite consultations, conferences, 

training, community meetings, and publication and dissemination of materials. OCR 

posts extensive materials on the Internet for students, parents, teachers, administrators, 

schools, colleges, universities, and community groups.

o Policy guidance focuses on current and emerging issues to ensure that discrimination 

does not deny or limit student access to educational programs or activities at every level 

of education. Internal and external policy guidance clarifies recipients‟ responsibilities 

under the civil rights laws and complements OCR‟s enforcement and proactive activities.

 Monitoring activities: Ensuring that resolutions and agreements reached with federallyfunded educational institutions under both externally- and agency-initiated activities are 

executed appropriately and expeditiously.

o After reaching a resolution or agreement with an educational institution, OCR monitors 

its implementation to ensure that the appropriate measures are being put in place, as 

agreed upon, to redress the discrimination. It is often necessary for recipients to supply 

OCR with progress reports and data, and for OCR staff to conduct onsite visits to ensure 

full compliance with resolution agreements. In FY 2010, OCR completed the monitoring 

of a number of resolution agreements and, after ensuring that all commitments had been 

fully implemented, closed 445 cases, 404 complaints, and 41 compliance reviews. 

Each targeted enforcement issue in OCR‟s strategic plan is addressed through integrated 

compliance activities consisting of compliance reviews, technical assistance, and outreach

campaigns across a variety of media/settings, as well as internal/external policy guidance. In 

addition to targeted enforcement issues, compliance activities are planned to support the issues 

in complaint receipts. Equal access to career-ready standards and courses; effective teachers; 

science, technology, engineering and math courses; and English learners‟ equal access to 

educational opportunities are examples of some of the targeted civil rights enforcement issues 

addressed by OCR.

Strategic Initiatives and Accomplishments

College- and Career-Ready Standards and Courses

In some school districts, college-prep courses and Advanced Placement (AP) courses are not 

as readily available in schools with large minority populations, and minority students are often 

underrepresented in such courses. Given the recognized value of these courses, including as 

predictors of college completion and as contributors to college success, OCR will engage in 

compliance reviews and technical assistance activities to ensure equal access to college prep, 

AP, and other rigorous high school classes for minority and English Language Learners (ELL) 

students, and students with disabilities. 

Access to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

OCR will continue to promote compliance with the non-discrimination mandates of Title VI and 

Title IX regarding women and minority students in STEM fields. As part of this initiative, OCR 

will issue a Dear Colleague letter addressing recipients‟ obligations to not violate Title VI or 

Title IX regarding access to and participation in the STEM discipline by minority and women 

students, respectively. OCR will also provide guidance to staff regarding the appropriate legal
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and analytic framework for OCR investigations within the STEM discipline. The investigations 

often involve alleged denials of access to, or significant underrepresentation of, women and 

minority students in STEM classes, courses, or programs. In addition, OCR will initiate 

proactive compliance reviews, as well as give presentations on the subject to stakeholders, 

including elementary, secondary, and postsecondary institutions.

 

Comparable Resources/Effective Teachers

OCR will provide staff with a legal framework for analyzing the type of discrepancies in the 

provision of resources that may constitute a violation of Title VI. Staff will use the framework in 

analyzing new data collected in the CRDC in the 2009-10 academic year. The data includes 

information that will reveal discrepancies in how districts and schools provide specified college 

preparatory curricula, and other issues such as teacher experience, teacher absenteeism, and 

other critical topics. Compliance reviews and technical assistance will also be conducted.

English Language Learners

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 vs. Nichols to 

provide appropriate services to students who are ELL. OCR will continue its proactive initiative 

to increase proper communications with Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents and to avoid 

misidentification of ELL students in special education. While special education programs are 

essential to ensure that students with disabilities receive an appropriate education, studies have

documented discrepancies in the rates of referral and placement of ELL students in special 

education. OCR‟s compliance reviews, focusing on school districts with a disproportionately 

high percentage of ELL students in special education, will determine whether national-origin 

minority students have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of their ELL in the referral, 

evaluation, and placement in special education programs. OCR's activities will include technical 

assistance and outreach to parents of ELL students so that they can actively participate in their 

children‟s education. 

Over- or Under-Representation in Special Education Programs

To promote compliance with the non-discrimination mandates of Title VI and Section 504 of the 

Rehabilitation Act, OCR will continue to conduct compliance reviews focusing upon 

inappropriate placement of minority students in special education and those not receiving 

services under the law. Where investigations reveal that school districts are not in compliance 

with Title VI and/or Section 504, OCR will take appropriate action to remedy violations, including 

negotiating and monitoring agreements with school districts. 

Discipline

OCR will provide staff with investigative guidance for handling Title VI discipline cases, including 

a discussion of appropriate statistical methodologies for collecting and analyzing statistical 

evidence. A Dear Colleague letter will also be issued to inform recipients of their obligations not

to discriminate when administering discipline to students. Compliance reviews and technical 

assistance activities will also be conducted on this issue.

Sexual Violence/Gender-Based Harassment

OCR will issue a Dear Colleague letter reminding recipients of their Title IX obligations to 

prevent gender-based harassment. In addition, OCR will issue a Dear Colleague letter on 

recipients‟ obligations under Title IX to address sexual violence, prevent recurrence, and
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remedy the effects of sexual violence on the victim and the school community. OCR will also 

conduct compliance reviews and technical assistance activities related to sexual harassment 

and bullying in schools to ensure that students have a safe and secure educational environment 

that affords them equal educational opportunities, regardless of their sex. 

Grievance Procedures

OCR will issue a Dear Colleague letter with sample grievance procedures to remind recipients 

of this Title IX regulatory requirement.

Teenage Pregnancy and Parenthood

OCR will publish a pamphlet and deliver technical assistance on Title IX compliance 

requirements regarding teenage pregnancy and parenthood, and will identify approaches that

schools can use to address the educational needs of students who become pregnant. These 

activities should advance compliance with Title IX and help ensure that students receive the

support necessary to remain in school. They will also increase student and parent awareness 

of their rights and strengthen their capacity to advocate for these rights. 

Identification for Medical and Health Services

Students with food allergies and other health impairments may not be properly identified 

pursuant to Section 504 and, therefore, are denied the opportunity to participate in and benefit 

from a school district‟s programs and activities. OCR will conduct compliance reviews and 

provide technical assistance to school districts to ensure that students with food allergies and 

other health impairments are evaluated to determine if they are eligible for services under 

Section 504. 

Seclusion and Restraint

OCR will issue a Dear Colleague letter providing guidance on the application of Section 504 and 

ADA Title II to the use of seclusion and restraint.

Equity and Excellence Commission

OCR will provide the financial, administrative, and staff support for the Secretary‟s Equity and 

Excellence Commission. The Commission will be tasked to collect information, analyze issues, 

and obtain broad public input on how the Government can increase educational opportunity by 

improving school funding equity. The Commission will recommend to the Secretary, in a written 

report, whether Federal funds are being spent effectively in order to increase equity at public 

K-12 schools. The Commission will also recommend ways that school financing can be 

improved to ensure that States and local districts are providing equal educational opportunity to 

all students, regardless of where they live or their background. 

Inter-Office Sharing and Communication

OCR has worked to increase connection and collaboration across the 12 enforcement offices 

and headquarters to improve the flow of ideas and best practices across OCR components. 

The Assistant Secretary has initiated more frequent, direct communication between 

headquarters and the regional offices, increased interoffice trainings, and begun to elevate best 

practices that were developed at the regional level. To leverage expertise across the 

organization and encourage collaboration, cross-office “issue networks” have been 

reinvigorated, bringing together staff working on similar civil rights challenges.
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Use of Race in Admission to Educational Institutions

OCR is reviewing recent Supreme Court decisions on the use of race in admission and/or 

student assignment to educational institutions. OCR will review its policies and issue 

clarifications as appropriate to provide recipients with policies and technical assistance. OCR 

will also address use of race issues in the context of its enforcement work and in OCR‟s civil 

rights reviews of Magnet School Assistance Program grant applications. OCR will also support 

OCR Enforcement Offices in their analysis of these issues, and will provide staff with 

investigative and other guidance as necessary.

Veterans/Wounded Warriors

Most wounded warriors (veterans returning from war with disabilities) and their service providers 

(often non-governmental organizations) are unfamiliar with Federal disability rights laws and do 

not fully understand the protections and services that are available to them as persons with 

disabilities if they want to pursue higher education. Likewise, most higher education institutions 

are not used to working with this unique population, the nature of whose disabilities (e.g., 

traumatic brain injuries and post traumatic stress disorder) are unlike those of more traditional 

college-bound students with disabilities. OCR‟s technical assistance initiative on this issue

familiarizes recipients, including administrators, faculty, disability services staff, and veterans 

services staff, with the unique challenges they face in ensuring equal educational opportunity for 

wounded warriors, and makes students aware of the protections afforded to veterans and their 

families. 

Civil Rights Data Collection

The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) is a tool that provides important information about 

access to equal educational opportunity and assists OCR in making decisions about how to 

effectively target agency resources. In FY 2010, OCR made important changes to the 2009-10 

CRDC. New CRDC data items enhance OCR‟s ability to ensure equal educational opportunity 

for the Nation‟s students, and provide a valuable resource for school administrators, 

policymakers, researchers, and parents.

The new data items cover critical topics such as students‟ participation in algebra and other 

college-preparatory subjects, retention, teacher experience/absenteeism, school counselors, 

school funding, harassment, restraint/seclusion, SAT/ACT participation, desegregations plans, 

access to kindergarten and pre-kindergarten programs, and discipline. Most of the student data 

collected by the CRDC will be disaggregated by race, sex, disability, and limited English 

proficient status. Along with these changes, OCR streamlined the survey by removing several 

other data items. For 2009-10, the CRDC sample expanded from 6,000 to 7,000 school 

districts, including all districts with over 3,000 students. The survey will be conducted in two 

parts (spring and fall 2010), and will collect data from the 2009-10 school year. In FYs 2011-

2012, the CRDC will expand to a universal survey of approximately 18,000 school districts. 

OCR has also launched a new Web site, http://ocrdata.ed.gov, to display CRDC data. The new 

Web site will make the data more accessible to a wide variety of users. The Web site contains 

CRDC data from 2000, 2004 and 2006, and will, in the future, include the 2009-10 CRDC data. 

Title IX Athletics

On April 20, 2010, the Assistant Secretary issued a Dear Colleague letter, withdrawing the 

Additional Clarification and accompanying User‟s Guide issued in 2005. It contained guidance 
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on the standards to use in assessing compliance with Part Three of the Three-Part Test for 

determining if institutions are meeting the regulatory requirement to accommodate students‟ 

athletic interests and abilities. In addition, the Dear Colleague letter also included techniques on 

properly administering a survey to assess student interest. Compliance reviews and technical 

assistance activities will also be conducted on this issue.

Updated Technical Assistance Presentations

In FY 2009 and FY 2010, OCR conducted a crosscutting initiative to update and improve 

technical assistance presentations. A team of representatives from every enforcement office, 

the Program Legal Group, and headquarters was formed to review, revise, and standardize 

technical assistance presentations, ensuring that OCR technical assistance serves all 

customers, including parents and students. 

Review of Cases in Monitoring

In FY 2010, all cases in monitoring 1 year or more were reviewed on a case-by-case basis to 

determine the appropriateness of implementation timeframes and whether modification to 

agreements or monitoring closures were warranted. In addition, OCR modified the Case 

Management System to capture monitoring data so that its impact on regional office workload 

could be tracked. 

Desegregation Cases

OCR identified close to 400 school districts under desegregation agreements, commonly 

referred to as 441b plans, and 6 public higher education systems operating under 

desegregation agreements from which they have not yet been released. Over the years, many 

OCR desegregation plans were amended via correspondence or memoranda between school 

districts and OCR‟s regional offices. While OCR has not communicated with most of the 

441b districts for decades, the information in the plans can still be useful if compliance issues 

surface in a district. In FY 2011, OCR will retrieve plans from all known storage locations to 

establish an electronic archive of all 441b‟s and other extant desegregation plans for future use. 

National Outreach-OCR Sponsored Conferences

As part of its proactive outreach efforts, OCR is organizing conferences throughout the Nation 

on priority issues that complement proactive enforcement activities. Examples include: an 

August 2010 conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Pathways to Respecting American 

Indian Civil Rights. Hosted at the University of New Mexico School of Law, interested parties

attended the conference at no cost. In addition to traditional presentations, the event included a 

“listening lounge” where participants and agency representatives discussed civil rights issues in 

a more relaxed setting. Also, OCR collaborated with the Department of Justice on two discipline 

conferences; one held in September 2010, in Washington, D.C., the other held in November 

2010, in San Francisco.

Assurances of Compliance with the Civil Rights Laws

Each of the civil rights laws OCR enforces requires recipients of Federal financial assistance to 

submit to the Department a signed assurance of compliance with these laws. OCR uses an 

OMB-approved form to secure signed assurances of compliance from recipients. In FY 2006

and FY 2009, OCR accelerated its efforts to secure recipients‟ signed assurances of 

compliance, but some recipients still have not submitted signed assurances. 
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Activities Supporting Departmental Requirements

Compliance with OMB‟s Bulletin on Good Guidance Practices 

OMB issued new requirements for Federal agencies to follow in developing and distributing new 

significant guidance documents and in posting existing significant guidance documents on 

agency Web sites. These requirements address drafting and using language, agency 

clearance, OMB notification and review, posting on agency Web sites, public input through 

public comment, and the filing of public complaints. OCR is working with OGC and other offices 

in the Department to implement these requirements. Among other developments, OCR‟s 

significant guidance documents have been published on the Department‟s Web site (see 

http://www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/significant-guidance.doc). The Web site will be updated as 

appropriate. OCR will also work with OGC to implement any necessary revisions to the process 

of identifying and posting significant guidance documents that is necessitated by Executive 

Order 13497 (Jan. 30, 2009), regarding Federal agency regulatory planning and review.

Management Tools and Activities Supporting Civil Rights Enforcement

Revised Case Processing Manual

In FY 2010, OCR issued a revised and updated Case Processing Manual (CPM), which set 

forth the procedures to promptly and effectively investigate complaints and compliance reviews,

issue findings, and secure resolution agreements that remedy discriminatory policies or 

practices identified by OCR. The CPM was revised with the goal of ensuring due process and 

of providing greater flexibility in resolution. Training sessions on how to implement the revised 

CPM were conducted at each OCR enforcement office as well as at headquarters. 

Training 

OCR‟s leadership recognizes that the success of the work depends on the quality of OCR‟s staff 

across all levels of the organization, and is taking steps to increase the agency‟s investment in 

staff training and development. Opportunities are provided for staff to participate in leadership 

programs, supervisory training, policy conferences, and continuing legal education. In addition, 

staff is provided with training on civil rights issues and new initiatives; mediation and negotiation 

techniques; and use of the CPM to promote consistent application of OCR‟s case management 

process. OCR has developed its own Web-based investigative procedures training and has 

recently completed a Web-based training module on harassment.

New Employee Training

As a central component of OCR‟s training for new employees, in September 2010, OCR 

conducted a conference in Washington, D.C., for all new employees, including staff brought on 

since the last new employee conference in August 2007. During the conference, staff received 

training from OCR‟s national subject matter experts on priority initiatives and investigative 

techniques. They also had the opportunity to network with each other and to meet and interact 

with senior headquarters managers.

OCR Leadership Conference

OCR held a leadership conference in July 2010, in Washington, D.C., for senior managers from 

all OCR components. The conference provided attendees with substantive training on new and 

emerging policy issues, a forum for discussion of OCR‟s strategic plan and policy agenda, and 
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introduced some tools and supports that are being developed to assist the regions in executing 

the plan‟s goals. Leadership and accountability issues were also addressed. 

Information Technology Tools and Activities Supporting Civil Rights Enforcement

Case and Activities Management System 

The update to OCR‟s CPM was coupled with ongoing improvement to the Case and Activity 

Management System (CAMS). CAMS provides OCR staff with the best technological solutions 

to (1) manage the tracking of OCR complaints, compliance reviews, general legal and policy 

guidance, case-specific legal and policy guidance, technical assistance, and responses to 

information requests from the public, and (2) electronically store and share a wide range of OCR 

work products and make them available across offices. In FY 2009, OCR updated the case 

processing components in order to fully capture changes made in the CPM and enhanced the 

system‟s case resolution tracking tool. Over the past year, OCR reached a milestone with more 

than a quarter of a million documents stored on CAMS and fully 99.6 percent of all final case 

resolution documents available electronically to OCR staff. Several civil rights offices in other 

Federal agencies and other components of the Department have contacted OCR for information 

on CAMS and are considering developing similar systems.

Electronic Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Library

To increase transparency and share information on effective remedies to civil rights violations, 

OCR will post useful Letters of Finding resulting from complaint investigations and compliance 

reviews to OCR‟s Internet site. 

Electronic Policy Library

The Electronic Policy Library now has a comprehensive Web-based library reference tool, 

developed so that OCR staff can gain a quick understanding of unfamiliar areas of law and 

policy. The Library also contains succinct narrative explanations of OCR‟s statutory jurisdictions 

with annotated references to current policy and key case law incorporated in an easy-to-use 

reference guide. OCR will engage in ongoing review and revisions of the Electronic Policy 

Library to ensure currency of information. Retention of this information in an accessible 

electronic format leverages technology to simplify the management and distribution of 

knowledge throughout OCR.

Electronic Records Management 

Policies and procedures will be developed pertaining to storing and sharing documents created 

or received in OCR. All privacy and confidentiality issues will be in full compliance with The 

Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 ("FISMA", 44 U.S.C. § 3541, et seq.) a 

United States Federal law enacted in 2002 as Title III of the E-Government Act of 2002

(P.L. 107-347, 116 Stat. 2899). A thorough privacy impact assessment will be performed to 

identify any and all instances of personally identifiable information and a plan for the security of 

that data will be implemented. Full implementation of electronic case files will begin by storing 

all existing electronic case-related documents in the document management system. In 

addition, a pilot project is being conducted in one field office to convert all case-related

documents as they are received into an electronic format. After the pilot project is evaluated, a 

plan will be developed for agency-wide implementation of fully electronic case files throughout 

OCR. OCR plans to integrate the recordkeeping capabilities of records management (RM) with 
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OCR‟s current work processes as well. Currently, paper files are the official copies until the 

electronic RM system and program is implemented.

New Media Initiative

To capitalize on the information-sharing capabilities of social networking tools such as Twitter 

and Facebook, OCR will use the new media for increased customer outreach. In addition, a 

videotape will be created featuring OCR‟s Assistant Secretary discussing OCR‟s civil rights 

compliance and enforcement program. The video will be posted to OCR‟s Internet site and is 

planned to be made available on YouTube.