Department of Education

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Page

Appropriations Language ......................................................................................................AA-1

Amounts Available for Obligation ..........................................................................................AA-2

Obligations by Object Classification ......................................................................................AA-3

Summary of Changes ...........................................................................................................AA-4

Authorizing Legislation..........................................................................................................AA-6

Appropriations History...........................................................................................................AA-7

Activity:

Office for Civil Rights ........................................................................................................AA-8
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Appropriations Language

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

the Department of Education Organization Act, [$100,000,000] $130,691,000. (Department of 

Education Appropriations Act, 2015.)

AA-1
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Amounts Available for Obligation

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation and Adjustments 2014 2015 2016

Discretionary budget authority:

Discretionar y budget authority:Appropriation............................................................ $98,356 $100,000 $130,691

Discretionar y budget authority: Subtotal, appropriation ............................................. 98,356 100,000 130,691

Discretionar y budget authority:Unobligated balance, expiring -123 0 0

Total, direct obligations ........................................... 98,233 100,000 130,691

Obligations by Object ClassificationAA................................ -2 ...........................
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

CHANGE FROM

Object Class 2014 2015 2016 2015 to 2016

11.10 Full-time permanent $55,417 $57,306 $77,408 $20,102

11.31 Full-time temporary 997 1,183 945 (238)

11.32 Part-time 1,487 1,075 840 (235)

11.33 Consultants 2 0 0 0

11.51 Overtime 5 8 71 63

11.52 Awards 483 330 500 170

11.80 Other Compensation 39 0 0 0

 Compensation subtotal 58,430 59,902 79,764 19,862

12.00 Benefits 16,781 18,169 24,561 6,392

 Comp/benefits subtotal 75,211 78,071 104,325 26,254

21.00 Travel 683 450 1,273 823

22.00 Transportation of things 1 0 0 0

23.10 Rental Payments to GSA 8,205 7,733 8,349 616

23.31 Communications 182 53 202 149

23.32 Postage/fees 34 24 23 (1)

 Subtotal 23 8,421 7,810 8,574 764

24.00 Printing & Reproduction 7 3 26 23

25.21 Other Services 1,184 712 1,046 334

25.22 Training/Tuition/Contracts 405 256 464 208

25.30 Goods/Services from Gov't 1,844 2,114 2,180 66

25.40 Operations/Maint of Facilities 0 1 1 0

25.71 Operations/Maint of Equipment 9 15 15 0

25.72 IT Services/Contracts 10,115 10,444 12,555 2,111

 Subtotal 25 13,557 13,542 16,261 2,719

26.00 Supplies 153 20 54 34

31.10 IT Equipment/Software 105 104 103 (1)

31.30 Other Equipment 63 0 75 75

 Subtotal 31 168 104 178 74

32.00 Building Alterations 32 0 0 0

Total 98,233 100,000 130,691 30,691

Obligations by Object Classification

(dollars in thousands)

Click here for accessible version Obligations by Object Classification

Obligations by Object ClassificationAA................................ -3 ...........................
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

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

2016................................................................................................. 130,691

Net change ............................................................... +30,691

Increases: 2015 base Change from base

Built in:

i BuiltIncrease in salaries and benefits, primarily for a 

proposed 1.3 percent Governmentwide pay raise, 

one additional paid day, and increased FERS 

contribution rates. $77,733 +$1,394

i Built in Increase in rent. 7,733 +616

Program:

ProgramIncrease in salaries and benefits for 200 additional 

FTE. 77,733 +24,681

ProgramIncrease in awards and overtime. 338 +233

ProgramIncrease in travel. 450 +823

ProgramIncrease in communications. 53 +149

ProgramIncrease in printing for pamphlets and letterhead. 3 +23

ProgramIncrease in training for staff. 256 +208

ProgramIncrease in other services for electronic records 

management and translation services, and security 

services. 712 +334

ProgramIncrease in goods and services from Government 

for IT and physical security, and payroll processing. 2,114 +66

ProgramIncrease in information technology services/

contracts for the Civil Rights Data Collection, 

EDWeb, and Information Assurance Enhancement. 10,444 +2,111

Obligations by Object ClassificationAA................................ -4 ...........................
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands)

Increases: 2015 base Change from base

Program:

ProgramIncrease in supplies and copy paper. $20 +$34

ProgramIncrease in other equipment. 0 +$75

Subtotal, increases +30,747

Decreases: 2015 base Change from base

Program:

ProgramDecrease in postage. $24 -$1

ProgramDecrease in transit benefits. 351 -54

ProgramDecrease in IT equipment and software. 104 -1

Subtotal, decreases -56

Net Change +30,691

Obligations by Object ClassificationAA................................ -5 ...........................
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2015

Authorized

footnote

2015

Estimate

footnote

2016

Authorized

footnote

2016

Request

footnote

Civil Rights (DEOA) Indefinite $100,000 Indefinite $130,691

Total definite authorization 0 0

Total appropriation 100,000 130,691

AA-6

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Foot

-

note

Senate 

Allowance Foot

-

note AppropriationFootnote

2007 $92,866 N/A1 N/A1 $91,2051

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

2009 96,826 96,0402 89,6122 96,826

2009 Transfer 0 0 0 -60

2010 103,024 103,024 103,0243 103,024

2011 105,700 103,0244 105,7003 102,8185

2012 107,772 102,8186 102,8186 102,624

2013 102,624 102,6247 102,6247 98,356

2014 98,356 N/A8 98,3563 98,356

2015 102,000 N/A8 102,0009 100,000

2016 130,691

1 This account operated under a full-year continuing resolution (P.L. 110-5). House and Senate allowances 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 the House-passed full-year continuing resolution. 5 The level for appropriation reflects the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011

(P.L. 112-10). 6 The level for the House allowance reflects an introduced bill and the level for the Senate allowance reflects 

Senate Committee action only. 7 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. 8 The House allowance is shown as N/A because there was no Subcommittee action. 9 The level for the Senate allowance reflects Senate Subcommittee action only. 

AA-7
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Office for Civil Rights

(DEOA, section 203)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2016 Authorization: Indefinite

Budget Authority:

Annual Fund

2015 2016

Change

from 2015

Personnel costs $78,071 $104,325 +$26,254

Non-personnel costs 21,929 26,366 +4,437

Total 100,000 130,691 +30,691

FTE 554 754 +200

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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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

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

State educational agencies; approximately 16,900 local educational agencies; approximately 

7,200 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

Organizational Structure and Staffing

For fiscal year (FY) 2016, the Office for Civil Rights is requesting a staffing level of 754 full-time 

equivalents to support its mission. Of the 754 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 Metro Enforcement offices are 

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

the Nation in 10 regional centers and 1 field office: Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, 

Dallas, Chicago, Kansas City, Denver, San Francisco, Seattle, and the Cleveland field office.

OCR is headed by an Assistant Secretary. The staff supporting the Assistant Secretary

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

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

Operations and Outreach.

The Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary is responsible for assisting and advising the Assistant 

Secretary in the overall direction and management of the agency.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Enforcement is responsible for overseeing the 

12 Enforcement offices and 2 Enforcement Directors who provide day-to-day leadership to 

those offices. The Enforcement Offices’ primary responsibilities are conducting complaint 

investigations and determining the compliance status of recipients; participating in identifying 

and setting proactive enforcement priorities, developing an annual proactive enforcement 

agenda, conducting proactive investigations and determining the compliance status of 

recipients; monitoring recipients’ compliance with settlement agreements, and developing 

technical assistance materials and delivering technical assistance.

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 enforcement 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 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.

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Promoting Efficient Spending to Maximize Civil Rights Enforcement Capacity

Recognizing the need to become more efficient in order to address the increasing workload 

despite level funding and lower staffing, in recent years OCR has taken aggressive measures to 

improve efficiency in operations: 

• OCR developed a Pre-Complaint Online Screening Process to help potential 

complainants understand the scope of OCR’s authority and reduce the number of 

complaints filed that do not fall under OCR’s authority. While anyone may file a 

complaint even after going through the online screening process, this process saves 

time and resources when staff no longer have to receive and process cases over which 

OCR has no jurisdiction and refer the many complaints that do not fall under OCR’s 

authority to another agency. Even with this new complaint screening process, however, 

OCR projects that the number of complaints received in FY 2015 will exceed the record 

total of nearly 10,000 complaints received in FY 2014.

• OCR streamlined the resolution of a portion of its disability complaints, which comprise 

the majority of complaints filed with OCR, by resolving single-issue complaints using 

expedited case review procedures. This streamlined process has reduced staff travel 

Boston

New York City

Philadelphia

Washington, D.C.

(Headquarters and 

field office)

Regional Offices

Field Offices

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

2016 Headquarters & Regional Staff

Seattle

San

Francisco Denver

Kansas

City

Chicago

Atlanta

Dallas

Cleveland

Regional & Field Offices: 678 FTE

Headquarters: 76 FTE

Total Staff Level: 754 FTE

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

time and costs and freed up staff time to respond to other complaints such as disability 

complaints, or pursue proactive investigations.

• OCR expanded the use of online communication and surveys to obtain information in 

investigations, saving time and resources needed for travel and conducting individual 

interviews yet significantly increasing the number of individuals from which OCR can 

receive information. 

• OCR analyzed work distribution patterns to ensure all current staff are being fully and 

equitably utilized. 

• OCR has switched from live training and meetings to more cost-efficient online training 

and videoconferencing.

• OCR expects that improvements to the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) online data 

collection tool will reduce data reporting errors and the staff time needed to follow up on 

those errors.

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year

(dollars in thousands)

2011.................................................................................. $102,818

2012.................................................................................... 102,624

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

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

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

______________________

FY 2016 BUDGET REQUEST

The total FY 2016 request is $130.691 million, supporting a full-time equivalent (FTE) level of 

754. This request is a $30.691 million, or 31 percent, increase above the 2015 level. The 

majority of the increase is for an additional 200 FTE, which the Department believes is essential 

for OCR to deliver on its mission of fulfilling the promise of the Civil Rights law by ensuring 

equal access to educational opportunities. 

• The Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) request of $104.325 million is an 

increase of $26.254 million over the FY 2015 level to support an FTE level of 754, a 

proposed January 2016 pay raise of 1.3 percent, one additional paid day due to 2016 

being a leap year, and other associated benefit increases.

• Non-Personnel costs, excluding centralized services, will be $5.642 million, an increase of 

$3.236 million over the 2015 level. The majority of non-personnel funds is for the Civil 

Rights Data Collection (CRDC) ($3.1 million), software support to operate OCR’s Case 

and Activity Management System (CAMS) ($255,000), and travel ($1.273 million) to 

support the additional 200 FTE.

• OCR’s FY 2016 share of the Department’s centralized services (overhead) amount of 

$20.724 million reflects an increase of $1.201 million above the 2015 level, due to 

increases in rent, Information Technology (IT) security, and physical security.

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

FY 2016 Budget

(dollars in millions)

Total: $130.691

FTE: 754

Personnel Costs

The Office for Civil Rights (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. OCR accomplishes its mission through responding to 

complaints and initiating proactive investigations, both of which require significant investments 

in human capital. Therefore, personnel, compensation, and benefits (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. In 2014, OCR resolved over 9,400 complaints.

For FY 2016, PC&B costs are 80 percent of the request or $104.325 million, $26.254 million 

over the FY 2015 level. The request includes 200 additional FTE above the 554 level. This 

significant increase is needed to address staffing shortages caused by the combination of 

increased caseload and flat-lined budgets. In addition, as OCR has been proactive in providing 

guidance on schools’ responsibilities to comply with federal civil rights laws, OCR has recently 

seen an increase in high-profile investigations, including those addressing sexual violence on 

college campuses. OCR must not fall short in resolving these cases due to budgetary 

constraints. A staffing level of 754 FTE level would provide adequate resources to address the 

anticipated caseload, as well as close the increasing gap of unresolved cases.

*Non-Personnel:

Travel

Trans. of things

Printing

Training

Communications

Copier rentals

Supplies

Non-IT equip./

furniture

Technology

Building 

alterations

Personnel

$104,325

80%

(includes 

Overtime & 

Awards)

Centralized 

Services

$20,724

16%

*NonPersonnel

$5,642

4%

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

The chart above shows recent trends in OCR FTE and caseload. OCR’s cases include 

complaints of sexual assault, discriminatory disciplinary practices, and inequitable access to 

such educational resources as effective educators, rigorous coursework, and safe and healthy 

facilities. This work is crucial to the larger equity agenda of the Department. While much of the 

decline in FTE from the 1980s may be attributed to technological advances that improved 

efficiency, the more recent staffing declines resulted from level or decreased funding. Despite

the increase in complaints and decrease in staffing, OCR has managed to meet its performance 

goals for percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days. However, because of the 

increased complaint volume, the number of cases that have been pending more than 180 days 

has increased from 315 at the end of FY 2009 to 630 as of September 30, 2014. Many of these 

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

and more high profile. As a result of inadequate staffing, the length of time these cases go 

without resolution has increased. In order to meet its performance goals, OCR also has been 

forced to limit the number of agency discretionary enforcement activities that it undertakes. For 

example, the number of compliance reviews initiated by OCR has decreased from 96 in 1995 to 

38 in 2014. Absent a significant commitment to expanding OCR’s staff capacity, these negative 

trends will continue. The requested budget will allow OCR to bolster its FTE so that it can 

continue its vital law enforcement role in such high profile areas as sexual assault on college 

campuses (more detail on these efforts is provided on pages AA-25–AA-28). 

OCR’s continued momentum depends on the resolution of the following issues:

1. Overly burdensome caseload. OCR has too many cases per staff. Table A on page 

AA-15 below depicts that the workload for each investigative staff member has 

increased significantly from 2006 to 2014. Combining the complaints received and 

proactive investigations (compliance reviews and directed inquiries) launched, the 

number of cases per investigative staffer has almost doubled since FY 2006. For cases 

1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2013 2014 2016

FTE 1148 913 815 788 712 640 585 565 544 754

Complaints Received 3497 2199 3384 4981 4897 5533 6933 9950 9989 10200

1148

913

815 788

712

640

585 565 544

754

3497

2199

3384

4981 4897 5533

6933

9950 9989

10200

1500

3500

5500

7500

9500

11500

13500

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

Complaints Received

FTE Usage

OCR FTE and Complaints Received 1980-2014 

(plus 2016 estimate)

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that move beyond the dismissal stage, the number of investigated cases per staffer has 

increased by 17 percent over the same period. Pending complaints have also increased 

steadily over recent years, from 2,198 in 2009 to 2,691 in 2014, a 22 percent increase.

While some increase in the number of cases per staffer reflects a positive increase in 

staff efficiency, current staffing levels are inadequate to stem the rising tide of pending 

complaints, especially the number of pending complaints open for more than 180 days, 

which has doubled from 315 to 630 over the last 5 years. Unless new FTE are added, 

the backlog of unresolved cases will grow, frustrating students and, in many cases,

jeopardizing their access to education. To manage the workload, OCR needs to add 

enough staff to reduce the average case load per staff from 28 to 19 cases per year. 

2. OCR’s cases are becoming more complex. Among the aforementioned cases are an 

increasing number of multi-jurisdiction cases that involve more than one statute under 

OCR’s jurisdiction (e.g., Title VI and Title IX complaints involving allegations of both race 

and sex discrimination). While single-jurisdiction cases may be as or more complex than 

multi-jurisdiction cases, in general, multi-jurisdiction cases tend to be among the most 

complex and time-consuming. The number of multi-jurisdiction cases has more than 

doubled since FY 2006, from 766 to 1,591 in FY 2014.

3. Complex and time-consuming monitoring activities. OCR has too many 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 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 120 percent in the past 9 years, from 1,054 in 

FY 2006 to 2,318 in FY 2014. This means that, on average, each investigator works on 

6.5 monitoring cases currently, compared to just 2.7 in FY 2006.

4. OCR’s cases in key issue areas take too long to resolve. OCR has experienced a surge 

in investigations in key issue areas in recent years, particularly those in the areas of 

sexual violence, harassment, and discipline. The number of cases progressing beyond 

dismissal and resolved via means other than administrative closure in these areas 

increased from 361 in 2010 to 705 in 2014. At the same time, average processing times 

for these cases increased from 289 days to 325 days for sexual violence investigations, 

200 days to 216 days for harassment, and 198 days to 217 days for Title VI discipline. 

These average resolution times are increasing and will require additional staffing to be 

reversed.

The requested increase in FTE will address these issues by:

1. Reducing the number of cases per staff to a manageable level. Of the total increase of 

200 FTE, OCR plans to add 192 investigative staff, which would reduce the anticipated 

case level per staff from 28 to 19, as shown in Table B on page AA-16. This caseload 

burden is expected to result in a significant reduction in pending complaints (including 

those pending for more than 180 days) and also allow OCR staff to initiate more 

proactive investigations and provide greater levels of technical assistance.

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

2. Reducing the number of cases in monitoring per staff. The requested increase of 

192 investigators would reduce the level of monitored cases from 6.5 in FY 2014 to 

4.2 in FY 2016. This lower caseload level will ensure a more robust monitoring effort in 

each case and a more rapid closure.

3. Reducing the time it takes to resolve cases. The requested FTE would reduce the time 

needed to resolve cases in key issue areas. While it is impossible to project the impact 

of each FTE on the reduction of days needed to resolve these cases, OCR reasonably 

estimates that each additional FTE could reduce case processing time in complex cases 

by 10 percent. This would result in a reduction in the average processing time for sexual 

violence cases by 33 days, and harassment and discipline cases by 22 days, a 

significant impact.

In addition to 192 additional investigators, OCR is requesting 8 non-investigative staff to 

address other OCR workload areas that have been increasing, including customer service 

and FOIA requests. For example, from 2013 to 2014, FOIA requests have increased 

6 percent and hotline calls have increased 14 percent.

Table A: Caseload per Staff in FY 2006, FY 2013, and FY 2014

FY 2006 FY 2013 FY 2014

Number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists 

(excluding managers) 391 366 354

Complaints Received & Proactive Investigations 

Launched 5,816 9,986 10,027

# of cases per staff 15 27 28

# of multi-jurisdiction cases 766 1,359 1,591

Monitoring Caseload 1,054 2,433 2,318

# of monitoring cases per staff 2.7 6.6 6.5

Investigated Cases* 4,803 5,897 5,087

# of investigated cases per staff 12 16 14

*Criteria: The selection of investigated cases was 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/without a resolution agreement.

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Table B: Impact of additional FTEs per staff based on 10,200 cases & 2,318 monitoring

cases projected in FY 2016

Staff Level 2016 

Request

Current number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists (excluding 

managers) 354

Increase number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists +192

Total 546

# of cases per staff 19

# of monitoring cases per staff (at increased staff level) 4.2

Awards & Overtime

OCR is requesting $500,000 for awards and $71,000 for overtime for a total of $571,000, an 

increase of $233,000 above the 2015 level. This increase corresponds with the requested 

increase in staff. OCR rewards staff based upon performance. The requested amount will 

enable OCR to provide appropriate recognition for high performance and will compensate those 

employees who work additional hours to complete critical projects within constricted timeframes, 

consistent with departmental policy. The requested increase in overtime would help OCR train 

new staff and reduce the number of cases pending more than 180 days.

Non-Personnel Costs

The total request for non-personnel activities in FY 2016, excluding departmental centralized 

services, is $5.642 million, an increase of $3.236 million above the 2015 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, $955,000

would support costs for an additional 200 FTE in the areas of travel ($600,000), training 

($180,000), printing ($13,000), supplies ($20,000), other equipment/furniture ($75,000), and 

legal services ($67,000). The remaining amount would be used to support increases in the Civil 

Rights Data Collection ($1.652 million); the Information Technology Services Support for 

Operations and Maintenance and Web Based Data Collection System Document Upload 

Project ($45,000); and to restore cuts made in FY 2015 to travel ($223,000), communications

($149,000), other services ($177,000); EDpubs ($11,000); printing ($10,000); and supplies 

($14,000).

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

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

$3.114 million for the CRDC, an increase of $1.652 million above the expected 2015 level of 

$1.462 million. This funding level supports the 2015-16 and 2017-18 CRDC data collections. 

The available funds in FY 2014 were sufficient to fund Phase I and to partially fund Phase II of 

the 2013-2014 Universal CRDC. NCES is covering the remaining costs for the 2013-14 

Universal survey collection. Funds provided in FY 2015 will begin important notification efforts 

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

for the 2015-2016 Universal CRDC and complete funding of Phases I and II. Phases III, IV and 

V will be funded in FY 2016. OCR intends to use fiscal year 2015 and 2016 funds to provide 

technical assistance for school districts on preparing and submitting accurate data and to 

maintain and improve the Web sites for collecting the data and reporting the data to the public.

The Department of Education recently released the CRDC data from the 2011-2012 school 

year, a massive undertaking that produced a comprehensive snapshot of Civil Rights data from 

our Nation’s 97,000 public schools and its 16,500 school districts, representing 49 million 

students. It is the first comprehensive look at civil rights data from every public school in the 

country in nearly 15 years. For the first time, State-, district- and school-level information is 

accessible to the public in a searchable online database at crdc.ed.gov.

The following table provides a detailed account of the CRDC budget for fiscal years 2014-2016.

School Year Major Activity Fiscal Year 

2014

Fiscal Year 

2015

Fiscal Year 

2016

CRDC

2013-14

Phase I - Notification, Submission Guidance, Data Preparation 

and Q&A Guidance: Notification to school districts, identifying 

primary point of contact, guidance (Q&A); preparation for analysis of 

incoming data; modification of reporting Web site to reflect decisional 

changes to data presentations (both graphical and tables); prepare 

data quality standards to be met by all providers submitting CRDC 

data for current and future collections.

NCES

funds 

covered this 

phase

CRDC

2013-14

Phase II - Preparing for data submissions: Technical assistance to 

prepare districts to collect and submit data and confirmation of school 

directory (Flat file specifications, pre-collection tools funded through 

NCES contract).

NCES and 

OELA funds 

covered this 

phase

CRDC

2013-14

Phase III - Survey Submission Window: Begin data collection from 

LEAs, Partner Support Center for technical support for school districts' 

data submissions (Web collection tool development and Partner 

Support center funded through NCES contract).

NCES and 

OELA funds 

covered this 

phase

CRDC

2013-14

Phase IV - Finalizing Data Files: Data quality review and editing, 

time series, privacy protection (Web collection tool development and 

data editing funded through NCES contract).

NCES 

funds 

covered this 

phase

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School Year Major Activity Fiscal Year 

2014

Fiscal Year 

2015

Fiscal Year 

2016

CRDC

2015-16

Phase I - Notification and Guidance: Notification to school districts, 

identifying primary point of contact, guidance (Q&A).

0

$488,285

CRDC

2015-16

Phase II - Preparing for data submissions: File specifications, precollection tools, confirmation of school directory, technical assistance 

to prepare districts to collect and submit data. $647,931 $58,960

CRDC

2015-16

Phase III - Survey Submission Window: Begin data collection from 

LEAs, Partner Support Center for technical support for school districts' 

data submissions). Note: $1,020,040 moved from FY 2015 to 2016. $1,020,040

CRDC

2015-16

Phase IV - Finalizing Data Files: Data quality review and editing, 

time series, privacy protection. $100,000

CRDC

2015-16

Phase V – Data Upload: Applying CRDC 2015–2016 data to the 

CRDC (Reporting) Web site; hosting and releasing the new data to the 

general public. (This Phase is now separated from Phase IV.) $200,000

CRDC

2017-18

Phase I - Notification and Guidance: Notification to school districts, 

identifying primary point of contact, guidance (Q&A). $526,038

CRDC

2017-18

Phase II - Preparing for data submissions: File specifications, precollection tools, confirmation of school directory, technical assistance 

to prepare districts to collect and submit data. $1,031,230

CRDC 

Reporting Web 

Site (ReCompetition)

Fund the “Base Year” of CRDC (Reporting) Web site application 

operation and maintenance (New: re-competition for FY 2015). $167,000

CRDC Data 

Analysis

Data Analysis and special tabulations for public use of the 2013-14 

CRDC data. Publications, design and editing of CRDC issues briefs 

for the 2013-14 CRDC data.

$81,156

CRDC Data 

Web site Data Web site operations and maintenance support. $529,538 $75,000 $88,832

Web Hosting Web hosting under the EDUCATE contract. $83,784 $83,784 $88,900

2011-2012 

Estimations

Data cleaning for State and national level estimations of selected 

CRDC variables. $74,840

Total CRDC 

Expenses $769,318 $1,462,000 $3,114,000

Information Technology Services/Case Activity Management System (CAMS) — OCR is 

requesting $255,000 for CAMS, level with 2015. OCR’s CAMS is an electronic tracking system 

used to record OCR’s case status 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. The 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; and (c) software 

subscription services to maintain version upgrades and technical phone support on the Open 

Text products. OCR’s current contract must be re-competed in 2015. OCR is currently 

conducting a needs assessment to determine the extent of and requirements for critical unmet 

needs that have been identified by CAMS’ core users.

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

Based Data Collection System Document Upload Project — OCR is requesting $95,000, an 

increase of $45,000 from the 2015 level. The $95,000 covers two sub-tasks in support of the 

ED Web contracting task: (a) General O&M to support OCR’s publically accessible Web site 

(http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html) at a cost of $50,000 (for the upkeep of precomplaint screening process and the database management tools), and (b) 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, at a 

continuing estimated cost of $45,000 per fiscal year. The increase of $45,000 from the 2015 

level covers this latter sub-task. The pre-complaint screening process tool is an online 

instrument that walks potential complainants through a number of considerations prior to their 

submission of a discrimination complaint to OCR. The database management tool helps OCR 

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

complaints for potential investigation. The document upload project involves uploading current 

and future OCR resolution letters and agreements between OCR and educational institutions to 

the OCR Web site in order to provide transparency to the public about OCR enforcement 

activities. 

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

accessible information to the public about its enforcement activities, OCR is exploring ways to 

provide the public with up-to-date data about pending and resolved investigations (such as

information on open/pending, resolved, or closed investigations 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 White House officials, members of Congress, and the 

public. These upgrades would require a considerable additional investment, the details of which 

OCR is now researching.

Travel — OCR requests a travel budget of $1,273,000, which is $823,000 above the 2015 level. 

Of the total increase, $223,000 would be used to restore the travel cuts made in FY 2015, which

would allow staff to conduct proactive activities, including providing technical assistance to its 

customers. The other $600,000 increase would be used for the additional 200 FTEs to handle 

OCR’s increasing and pending complaints. The overwhelming majority of OCR’s travel funds 

are used to investigate complex complaints, conduct proactive investigations, provide technical 

assistance, and monitor corrective action plans. In addition, OCR must ensure that staff and 

leadership in the enforcement offices are able to meet regularly to receive critical training, civil 

rights updates, and management skills necessary to improve OCR operations. OCR has greatly 

expanded the 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, face-to-face communication is sometimes essential for communicating 

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. If funds are not provided at the requested level, 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.

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Printing — OCR requests $26,000 for printing, an increase of $23,000 above the 2015 level to 

cover necessary 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 $182,000, an increase of $180,000 above 

the 2015 level. OCR’s leadership recognizes that the success of its work depends on the quality 

of its staff across all levels of the organization, and is taking steps to increase the agency’s 

investment in improving staff training and development, particularly for new staff. Staff need 

opportunities to participate in leadership programs, supervisory training, policy conferences, and 

continuing legal education around key civil rights priority areas. OCR has also identified a need 

to provide training opportunities to employees to improve efficiency and effective internal and 

external communications. In addition, staff must receive training on investigation, mediation, 

and negotiation techniques, and on OCR’s case management process generally, to promote 

excellence and consistency in OCR’s enforcement activities.

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

$203,000, an increase of $149,000 above the 2015 level. The funds are needed for existing 

copier rental and maintenance agreements ($162,000), overnight shipping costs ($40,000), and 

maintenance of facilities ($1,000).

Other Services/Goods and Services/Transportation/Supplies — OCR is requesting $419,000, 

an increase of $289,000 above the 2015 level. The request includes: 

• Legal Research Services ($98,000) — This is an increase of $67,000 from the 2015 level

to reflect the needs of the additional attorneys. The contract provides an automated fulltext 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.

• All Other Services/Goods and Services/Transportation/Maintenance of Equipment 

($272,000) — This is an increase of $188,000 above the 2015 level. The increase would

pay for attorneys’ bar dues as required by the collective bargaining agreement, as well as 

other professional development services for staff. The remaining request includes: 

support for ED Pubs at $25,000, translation and interpretation services (translating 

documents and pamphlets into several languages) at $45,000, miscellaneous services for 

advertisement and short-term contractual services at $12,000, and General Services 

Administration leased vehicles and equipment at $23,000.

• Supplies ($49,000) — This is a $34,000 increase above the 2015 level. The additional 

funds are needed for supplies for the additional FTEs. Funds are needed to renew 

periodical subscriptions relating to law, disabilities, and general news; support case files 

maintenance; purchase copier paper; and purchase expired items in each employees’ 

“emergency kit,” such as batteries. OCR has depleted its available supplies, which 

hampers staff in preparing presentations and briefing materials. 

Other Equipment/Furniture — OCR is requesting $75,000. No funds were requested in 

FY 2015. These funds are needed to purchase limited furniture and equipment for the 

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additional FTEs, even while OCR is committed to increasing teleworking and hoteling to reduce 

the need for additional office space, furniture, and equipment for new staff in FY 2016.

Departmental Centralized Support

Approximately 79 percent of the total non-personnel budget request is to cover OCR’s share of 

the Department’s centralized services. The FY 2016 request is $20.724 million, an increase of 

$1.201 million above the 2015 level. The request will cover the cost of services such as rent; 

departmental training; 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; and the EDUCATE 

contract that covers telecommunications, computers and related hardware, smartphones, IT 

processing services, network support, end user support, maintenance, and improvements.

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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

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

FY 2007. Actual data are shown for fiscal years 2007-2014 and estimates are shown for fiscal 

years 2015-2016.

Complaint Receipts and Resolutions

FY 2007 – FY 2016

FY 2014 total complaint receipts had a slight increase compared to the previous year. For 

FY 2014, the number of complaint resolutions decreased 7 percent from FY 2013, but increased 

15 percent above FY 2012. In fiscal years 2015-2016, OCR estimates a 2 to 3 percent annual 

increase in complaint receipts over FY 2014.

The following chart reflects complaint caseload by jurisdiction for FY 2014. OCR disability 

discrimination complaints were 39 percent of the total number of filed complaints and the sex 

discrimination complaints rose to 24 percent, due mainly to many (1,752) complaints filed by two 

individuals.

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Resolutions 5,737 5,943 6,150 6,830 7,434 8,163 10,128 9,407 10,000 10,000

Receipts 5,894 6,194 6,364 6,933 7,841 7,833 9,950 9,989 10,200 10,200

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

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FY 2014 Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction

(October 1, 2013 – September 30, 2014)

The following table provides the number of cases received by jurisdiction during the past 

8 years, FY 2007 through FY 2014. OCR’s caseload involving multi-jurisdiction complaints 

increased by 87 percent since FY 2007 (1,588 compared to 848). 

Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction

(Fiscal Years 2007 – 2014)

Jurisdiction FY2007 FY2008 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014

Race 934 993 1,103 1,056 1,104 1,267 1,192 1,203

Sex 327 328 336 391 1,096 686 2,242 2,354

Disability 3,013 3,165 2,997 3,405 3,507 3,683 4,272 3,909

Age 97 96 132 131 146 134 125 122

Multiple 848 917 944 1,037 1,145 1,192 1,333 1,588

Other 675 695 852 913 843 871 786 813

TOTAL 5,894 6,194 6,364 6,933 7,841 7,833 9,950 9,989

Race/National 

Origin 1,203 (12%)

Sex Discrimination 

2,354 (24%)

Disability 

Discrimination 

3,909 (39%)

Age Discrimination 

122 (1%)

Multiple 

Allegations 

1,588 (16%)

Other Complaints 

813 (8%)

Total Complaints - 9,989

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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 difficulty sustaining this level of performance in 

future years without sufficient and appropriate funding. 

Current performance measures for complaint workload:

Measure: Percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2011 80% 92%

2012 80 93

2013 80 95

2014 80 94

2015 80

2016 80

Measure: Percentage of complaints pending over 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2011 < 25% 18%

2012 < 25 19

2013 < 25 19

2014 < 25 23

2015 < 25

2016 < 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 investigate and resolve. For FY 2015, while the number of 

complaints received is projected to remain at record-high levels, OCR’s GPRA performance is 

projected to remain relatively strong, at above 80 percent.

Despite the increase in complaints and decreased staffing, OCR has managed to meet its 

performance goals for percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days. However, at the 

same time, because of the increased complaint volume, the number of cases that have been 

pending more than 180 days has increased. These cases naturally tend to be more complex 

and also more high profile. In addition, the length of time these cases go without resolution is 

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growing. Lastly, in order to meet its performance goals, OCR has also been forced to limit the 

number of agency discretionary enforcement activities that it undertakes.

Measure: Mean score of customer satisfaction survey.

Year Target Actual

2011 3.66 3.86

2012 3.66 3.86

2013 3.66 3.87

2014 3.66 3.79

2015 3.66

2016 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’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, “Sub-goal 4.2: Civil Rights Enforcement”. Under this sub-goal, 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 sub-goal under the Department’s strategic plan, sufficient funding is needed to support 

initiatives and activities such as the following:

Combating Sexual Violence

In January 2014, President Obama established a White House Task Force to Protect Students 

from Sexual Assault in order to increase sharing of best practices, transparency, enforcement, 

public awareness, and interagency coordination to prevent violence and support survivors of 

sexual assault. In April 2014, the Task Force issued a report, 

https://www.notalone.gov/assets/report.pdf, outlining a number of steps to which OCR has 

committed to improve its enforcement procedures, including instituting time limits on negotiating 

voluntary resolution agreements (applicable to all OCR investigations), improving visibility on 

campus during its investigations, and better coordinating enforcement efforts within the 

Department and with the Department of Justice. During this Administration, OCR has stepped 

up enforcement to address sexual violence on college campuses, including by fostering 

investigations and remedies that are comprehensive and systemic in nature. OCR recently 

issued updated guidance on protecting students from sexual violence, which may produce more 

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complaints and requests for technical assistance. OCR anticipates this work increasing through 

FY 2016.

Promoting Teacher and Resource Equity

Inequitable access to strong teachers and the resources necessary to succeed are leading 

contributors to opportunity gaps experienced by low-income and racial and linguistic minority 

students in America. OCR is committed to reducing the opportunity gaps by vigorously 

enforcing Title VI to ensure that African-American and Hispanic students, English learners and 

other students who face discriminatory disparities have access to effective teachers and 

education resources. Because of the sheer volume of materials and data involved in 

investigating such cases, teacher and resource equity investigations are among the most 

challenging that OCR conducts. These types of investigations require funding for attorneys, 

investigators, data statistical analysis and entry support, and policy counsel. OCR anticipates 

allocating more staffing and support to complete these investigations in FY 2016.

Reducing Discriminatory Discipline

In July 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced 

the Supportive School Discipline Initiative (SSDI), a collaborative project between the 

Departments of Justice and Education, to address the “school-to-prison pipeline” and the 

disciplinary policies and practices that can push students out of school and into the justice 

system. The initiative aims to support good discipline practices to foster safe and productive 

learning environments in every classroom. 

The goal of SSDI took on new urgency following the Newtown tragedy in late 2012, when 

26 children and school personnel lost their lives in an act of gun violence at Sandy Hook 

Elementary School. In January 2014, the President announced Now Is the Time, a four-part 

plan to reduce gun violence and create safer schools and communities. The plan 

acknowledges that “effective school discipline policies are critical to addressing school and 

community crime and violence issues” and requires the Department of Education to “collect and 

disseminate best practices on school discipline polices and help school districts develop and 

equitably implement such policies.”1

 Addressing school discipline is both a key civil rights 

priority of OCR in FY 2016 and a priority for the entire Administration.

In January 2014, OCR and the Department of Justice released a school discipline guidance 

package (see http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/index.html) 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 guidance package included 

two critical documents related to school discipline: (1) a legal policy guidance (“Dear Colleague 

Letter”) describing educational institutions’ obligations to identify and remedy discriminatory 

school discipline practices under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and (2) a guidance 

principles document responsive to the President’s directive in Now Is the Time. The public 

spotlight on this issue is likely to continue through FY 2016 and produce more discipline-related 

complaints, investigations, and requests for technical assistance.

1 See http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/docs/wh_now_is_the_time_full.pdf.

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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 Latinos and 38 percent of Black students attend "intensely segregated 

schools" in which White students comprise 10 percent or less of the student body. (See 

http://civilrightsproject.ucla.edu.) According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, schools with the 

highest concentration of Black and Latino students have less access to college- and careerready 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, OCR needs further resources in order to 

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. For the first time, OCR has proposed to collect from 

each public school district (through the Civil Rights Data Collection) the name and contact 

information of these employees. OCR plans to issue guidance on the responsibilities of schools 

to have trained Title IX coordinators and the duties of those coordinators, which will likely 

produce additional complaints and requests for technical assistance. In order to ensure that 

Title IX coordinators are effectively meeting their Federal obligation to further Federal civil rights, 

OCR will need funds in FY 2016 to assess the needs of these coordinators, provide them 

training and support, including creating a community of practice, 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 ensure equal access to programs that prepare students for 

college or careers.

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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 meaningful access and services to students who are ELL and LEP parents. OCR 

recently issued guidance on ensuring equitable treatment of and access for ELL students and 

LEP parents, which will likely produce additional complaints and requests for technical 

assistance. 

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 denied the 

opportunity to participate in and benefit from a school district’s programs and activities. This 

includes ensuring that schools properly evaluate students with food allergies and other health 

impairments, determining technology needs, and giving students with disabilities equitable 

access to athletic programs and activities. OCR plans to issue further guidance protecting 

students with disabilities from discrimination, including unfair discipline practices, and restraint 

and seclusion. 

Reduction of Discriminatory Bullying, Harassment and Violence

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

violence on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender stereotypes and 

gender-nonconformity), and disability. OCR will continue to ensure that K-12 and 

postsecondary schools act promptly, vigorously, and equitably to ensure student safety.

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

violence that were received in the past 5 years, from fiscal years 2010-2014. These complaints 

involve various jurisdictions. The number of complaints increased from 896 in 2010 to 1,355 in 

2014, a 51 percent increase.

Bullying, Harassment and Violence Complaint Caseload

(FY 2010 – FY 2014)

FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 FY 2014

896 1,170 1,229 1,400 1,355

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