Department of Education

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request

CONTENTS

Appropriations Language ........................................................................................................... 1

Amounts Available for Obligations.............................................................................................. 2

Obligations by Object Classification ........................................................................................... 3

Summary of Changes ................................................................................................................ 4

Authorizing Legislation............................................................................................................... 5

Appropriations History................................................................................................................ 6

Significant Items in FY 2024 Appropriations Reports.................................................................. 7

Activity: 

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

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Appropriations Language

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

Department of Education Organization Act, $162,359,000.

NOTE

A full-year 2024 appropriation for this account was not enacted at the time the Budget was prepared; therefore, 

the Budget assumes this account is operating under the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2024 and Other Extensions 

Act (Division A of Public Law 118-15, as amended). The amounts included for 2024 reflect the annualized level 

provided by the continuing resolution.
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Amounts Available for Obligation

(dollars in thousands)

Appropriation and Adjustments 2023 2024 2025 

Discretionary appropriation $140,000 $140,000 $162,359

Unobligated balance expiring -84 0 0

Total, direct obligations $139,916 $140,000 $162,359
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Obligations by Object Classification

(dollars in thousands)

Obj ect class num ber Object Class

2023 

Actual

2024

Annualized 

CR

2025 

Request

Change 

from 2024

to 2025

11.10 Full-time permanent $72,811 $74,514 $89,135 $14,621

11.31 Full-time temporary 1,492 1,100 1,135 35

11.32 Part-time 856 962 993 31

11.33 Consultants 15 0 0 0

11.51 Overtime 141 60 60 0

11.52 Awards 905 1,093 1,248 155

11.8 Other compensation 0 0 0 0

Subtotal R ow Compensation subtotal 76,220 77,729 92,571 14,842

12.00 Benefits 27,291 28,690 33,840 5,150

13.1 Benefits for former personnel 0 0 0 0

Subtotal R ow

Comp/benefits subtotal 27,291 28,690 33,840 5,150

21.00 Travel 206 300 300 0

22.00 Transportation of things 6 0 0 0

23.10 Rental payments to GSA 9,941 8,528 7,650 (878)

23.31 Communications 5 10 10 0

23.32 Postage/fees 1 3 3 0

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal 23 9,947 8,541 7,663 (878)

24.00 Printing & reproduction 1 5 5 0

25.1 Advisory and assistance services 0 0 0 0

25.21 Other services 4,022 1091 1,141 50

25.22 Training/tuition/contracts 80 313 313 0

25.30 Goods/services from gov’t sources 2,313 3,071 3,076 5

25.71 Operations/maint of equipment 0 1 1 0

25.72 IT services/contracts 19,514 20,092 23,276 3,184

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal 25 25,929 24,568 27,807 3,239

26.00 Supplies 19 42 51 9

31.10 IT equipment/software 130 125 122 (3)

31.30 Other equipment 2 0 0 0

Subtotal R ow

Subtotal 31 132 125 122 (3)

32.00 Building alterations 165 0 0 0

Total 

Row Total, Obligations 139,916 140,000 162,359 22,359
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Summary of Changes

(dollars in thousands) 

2024 $140,000

2025 162,359

Net Change +22,359

Increases: 2024 Base

Change 

from Base

Built in: 

Built in: Increase in salaries and benefits, a 2.0 percent pay raise, and 

projected benefits increases $105,326 +$3,612

Program: 

Increase in salaries and benefits for an increase of 86 FTE 105,326 +16,225

Increase in awards 1,093 +155

Increase in other services 1,091 +50

Increase in goods and services from government 3,071 +5

Increase in supplies 42 +9

Increase in IT services mainly for CRDC, case management 

modernization, and central IT services 20,092 +3,184

Subtotal, increases +23,240

Decreases: 2024 Base 

Change

from base

Built-in:

Decrease in rent due to space consolidation and reduction efforts 8,528 -$878

Program:

Decrease in IT equipment/software 125 -3

Subtotal, decreases -881

Net Change +$22,359
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Authorizing Legislation

(dollars in thousands)

Activity

2024

Authorized

2024 

Annualized CR

2025

Authorized

2025

Request

Civil Rights (DEOA) Indefinite $140,000 Indefinite $162,359

Total annual appropriation 140,000 162,350
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Appropriations History

(dollars in thousands)

Year

Budget 

Estimate 

to Congress

House 

Allowance Footnote

Senate 

Allowance Footnote AppropriationFootnote

20161 130,691 $100,000 100,000 107,000

20172

137,708 100,000 110,000 108,500

20183

106,797 108,500 117,000 117,000

20194

107,438 117,000 125,000 125,000

20205

125,000 130,000 125,000 130,000

20216

130,000 132,000 130,000 131,000

20227

144,000 144,000 144,000 135,500

20238 161,300 151,300 161,300 140,000

20249 177,600 105,000 140,000 140,000

2025 162,359 

1 The levels for House and Senate allowances reflect action on the regular 2016 appropriations bill, which proceeded 

in the 114th Congress only through the House Committee and Senate Committee. 2 The levels for the House and Senate allowances reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2017 

appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Act, 2017.

3 The level for the House allowance reflects floor action on the Omnibus appropriation bill; the Senate allowance 

reflects Committee action on the regular annual 2018 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2018 (P.L. 115-141). 4 The levels for the House and Senate Allowance reflect Committee action on the regular annual 2019 appropriations 

bill; the Appropriation reflects enactment of the Department of Defense and Labor, Health and Human Services, and 

Education Appropriations Act, 2019 (P.L. 115-245). 5 The Senate Allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects the Further Consolidated 

Appropriations Act, 2020 (P.L. 116-94). The level for the House allowance reflects subcommittee action. 6 The level for the Senate Allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; the Appropriation reflects Division H of the FY 

2021 Consolidated Appropriations Act (P.L. 116-260). 7 The House allowance reflects floor action on the FY 2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act; the Senate allowance 

reflects the Chairman’s mark; and the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2022 (P.L. 117-

103).

8 The House allowance reflects the regular annual FY 2023 appropriation, which was introduced on the floor; the 

Senate allowance reflects the Chairman’s mark; and the Appropriation reflects the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 

2023 (P.L. 117-328). 9 The House allowance reflects Subcommittee action and the Senate allowance reflects Committee action on the 

regular annual 2024 appropriations bill; the Appropriation reflects the annualized continuing resolution level.
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Significant Items in FY 2024 Appropriations Reports

OCR Combatting Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and Related Forms of Bias and 

Discrimination

Senate: The Committee is concerned by reports of increased discrimination, including 

antisemitic harassment, in our Nation’s education system. The Committee 

appreciates the administration’s development of the first-ever U.S. National 

Strategy to Counter Antisemitism and OCR’s release of a Dear Colleague letter 

reminding schools of their legal obligations under title VI to provide all students, 

including Jewish students, an environment free from discrimination. The 

Committee urges continued efforts, including timely processing of all complaints, 

including those relating to antisemitism. Within available resources, OCR should 

also consider appropriate funding for the work of the Outreach, Prevention, 

Education & Nondiscrimination Center.

Response: With the alarming increase in reports of Antisemitic, Islamophobic, and anti-Arab 

and related forms of harassment in K-12 and higher education, and with 

complaints to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on these topics more than 

doubled, OCR, in carrying out our Title VI statutory and regulatory authorities, will 

continue to take aggressive actions and dedicate substantial efforts to address 

and prevent such discrimination in our Nation’s public schools and 

postsecondary education institutions.

OCR recently took a number of new actions and released specialized resources 

to protect students, involve and increase awareness among school and university 

leaders, and promote learning environments that are safe, equitable, and free 

from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including shared 

ancestry. In addition to the release of the Dear Colleague Letters of January, 

May and November 2023, to help schools understand and comply with their legal 

obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, OCR made available 

educations resources and nationwide trainings that advance awareness of the 

Title VI prohibition of discrimination based on shared ancestry and ethnic 

characteristics – including for students who are or are perceived to be Jewish, 

Israeli, Muslim, Arab, or Palestinian. In response to the rise in Title VI complaints 

related to shared ancestry discrimination, OCR began to publish regularly a list of 

elementary and secondary schools and postsecondary institutions that are 

currently under investigation for discrimination involving such discrimination. 

OCR also publishes resolutions achieved that address discrimination based on 

shared ancestry, including Antisemitism and Islamophobia. OCR will continue to 

develop guidance documents and fact sheets, including as part of the 

Antisemitism Awareness Campaign, the U.S. National Strategy to Counter 

Antisemitism and the U.S. National Strategy to Counter Islamophobia and 

Related Forms of Bias and Discrimination, which is currently in development. 

Crucial to our strategy to counter Antisemitism, Islamophobia, and related forms 

of hate are our enforcement activities. We continue to leverage our limited 

resources to resolve complaints and provide technical assistance. However, as 

highlighted in the FY 2025 Budget Request, the recent record increase in 

complaints exceeds OCR’s staffing capacity to resolve them promptly. This 

Budget Request includes additional staff to assist OCR with closing our staffing 

gap to further our ability to bring the cases to a timely resolution.
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

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OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS 

(Department of Education Organization Act, Section 203)

(dollars in thousands)

FY 2025 Authorization: Indefinite

Budget Authority:

Period of fund availability: 

2024 Annualized CR 2025 Request Change

Personnel Compensation and 

Benefits Costs $106,419 $126,411 +$19,992

Non-Personnel Costs $33,581 $35,948 +$2,367

Total $140,000 $162,359 +$22,359

FTE 557 643 +86

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 mission is in alignment with the Department’s mission to promote educational 

excellence and ensure equal access. 

OCR ensures that schools and other institutions that receive financial assistance from the 

Department for education programs and activities comply with the Federal civil rights laws 

enacted by Congress. Specifically, OCR fulfills its mission by enforcing six civil rights laws and 

their implementing regulations which prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national 

origin, sex, disability, age, and ensure equal access to school facilities for certain youth groups. 

These laws are:

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42 U.S.C. § 2000d et seq., implementing regulation at 

34 C.F.R. Part 100 (prohibiting race, color, and national origin discrimination);

• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 U.S.C. § 1681 et seq., implementing 

regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 106 (prohibiting sex discrimination);

• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794, implementing regulation at 

34 C.F.R. Part 104 (prohibiting disability discrimination);

• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 1231 et seq., 

implementing regulation at 28 C.F.R. Part 35 (prohibiting disability discrimination by public 

entities, whether or not they receive Federal financial assistance);

• The Age Discrimination Act of 1975, 42 U.S.C. § 6101 et seq., and its implementing 

regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 100 (prohibiting age discrimination); and

• The Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2002, 20 U.S.C. § 7905, implementing 

regulation at 34 C.F.R. Part 108 (prohibiting public elementary and secondary schools, local 

education agencies, and State education agencies from denying equal access or a fair 
OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS

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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).

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

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

institutions, including proprietary schools and community colleges; State vocational 

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

institutions. Under Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, and the Age Discrimination Act, OCR has 

jurisdiction over institutions that receive Federal financial assistance from the Department and 

institutions for which OCR has been delegated authority from other Federal agencies. Under 

Title II, OCR has jurisdiction over public elementary and secondary education systems and 

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

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

regardless of whether these institutions receive Federal financial assistance. 

Funding levels for the past 5 fiscal years were:

Fiscal Year (dollars in thousands)

2020 130,000

2021 131,000

2022 135,500

2023 140,000

2024 Annualized CR 140,000

FY 2025 BUDGET REQUEST

For fiscal year 2025, the Administration requests $162.4 million for OCR, $22.4 million more 

than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. Funds 

would support a full time equivalent (FTE) level of 643 and provide resources necessary for 

OCR to deliver on its statutory and regulatory mandates. 

• The Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) request is $126.4 million, $20 million 

more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation.

The fiscal year 2025 request will support PC&B costs for 643 FTE, which includes 630 FTE 

for OCR and 13 FTE for centralized FTE costs (e.g., human resources support, facilities 

management). The 86 additional FTE included in this request will assist OCR in fulfilling its 

mission of ensuring that our Nation is a place where all students attend and participate in 

school free from discrimination. Therefore, the majority of the additional FTE will staff 

enforcement positions. 

• The Non-Personnel Costs (excluding Departmental Centralized Services) request of 

$9.9 million is $1 million more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal 

year 2023 appropriation. The OCR non-personnel funds will fund the Civil Rights Data 

Collection (CRDC): $6.1 million; IT Modernization: $1.3 million; software support to 

operate OCR’s Case and Activity Management System (CAMS): $994,000; the Online 

Discrimination Complaint Form and Back-end Database: $468,000; and travel: $300,000. 
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• OCR’s fiscal year 2025 request includes overhead funding for the Department’s Centralized 

Services totaling $26.1 million, $1.4 million more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR

based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The increase is largely the result of the 

Enterprise Cybersecurity Program’s mandatory requirements.

The chart below shows the funding level by category percentage share of the Fiscal Year

2025 request.

FY 2025 Budget by Category

(dollars in millions)

Total: $162.4

FTE: 643

*Non-Personnel:

Travel

Communications

Printing

Copier rentals

Training

Supplies

Non-IT equipment/ 

furniture

Technology

PC&B

$126.4 M 

78% 

(Includes 

Overtime & 

Awards)

Centralized 

Services

$26.1 M 

16% 

*NonPersonnel

$9.9 M 

6%
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Organizational Structure and Staffing 

OFFICE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS 

2025 Headquarters and Regional Enforcement Office Locations and Staffing

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

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

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

Enforcement, a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and Development, a Deputy Assistant 

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

and Planning, and a Chief of Staff. 

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

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

Regional Enforcement Offices: 547 FTE

Headquarters: 96 FTE

Total Staff Level: 643 FTE
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management of the agency, overseeing the development of OCR regulations consistent with 

statutory authority, and serving as a point of contact to provide information on Civil Rights 

policy, compliance, enforcement activities, plans and operations.

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

12 regional enforcement offices that are responsible for ensuring that recipients of Federal 

assistance and other covered entities comply with the Federal civil rights laws prohibiting 

discrimination. Most of OCR’s staff work in the agency’s 12 regional enforcement offices. Their

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

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

resources permitting, employees launch proactive investigations of recipients, which are

described in more detail below under the Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) Costs

section. Enforcement staff also monitor recipients’ compliance with voluntary resolution

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

understanding of the statutes that OCR enforces. 

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

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

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

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

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

also administers the Civil Rights Data Collection.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Strategic Operations and Outreach leads OCR’s strategic 

and operational planning, establishes and maintains effective collaboration with other 

components of the Department, and ensures effective outreach and communication between 

OCR and external stakeholders and the public.

The Deputy Assistant Secretary for Management and Planning oversees the planning, 

development, and implementation of budget, operational, and administrative policies for OCR. 

The Chief of Staff, working on behalf of the Assistant Secretary, coordinates activities related to 

human resources, budget, operations, communications and outreach, and policy development.

OCR consists of a headquarters office located in Washington, DC and 12 regional enforcement 

offices. The regional offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, 

Kansas City, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC, which is colocated with headquarters. 

Personnel Compensation and Benefits (PC&B) Costs

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

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

investigations include compliance reviews and directed investigations. OCR initiates compliance 

reviews to assess the practices of recipients and determine whether the practices comply with 

civil rights laws and regulations. OCR initiates directed investigations when 1) OCR has 

information that indicates a possible failure to comply with the laws and regulations enforced by 

OCR, 2) the matter warrants attention, and 3) the compliance concern is not currently being 

addressed through OCR’s complaint, compliance review, or technical assistance activities. The 
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statutes and implementing regulations enforced by OCR require recipients of Federal financial 

assistance to ensure nondiscrimination in their programs and activities. The regulations require 

OCR “to make a prompt investigation whenever a compliance review, report, complaint, or any 

other information indicates a possible failure to comply” with laws protecting students from 

discrimination in academic institutions that receive Federal funding. Therefore, PC&B costs (i.e., 

staffing) has historically been the largest component of OCR’s budget and a key factor in OCR’s 

ability to fulfill its mission. 

For the fiscal year 2025 Request, PC&B costs are 78 percent of the request, or $126.4 million, 

$20 million more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 

appropriation. As highlighted in the FTE Usage chart below, the additional FTE will allow OCR 

to incrementally address its mission critical staffing shortages in carrying statutory and 

regulatory functions. The 643 FTE include 630 FTE for OCR and 13 FTE allocated in support of 

the department’s centralized support services (e.g., human resources support, facilities 

management). 

The additional FTE included in the fiscal year 2025 budget request reflects OCR’s commitment 

and urgent need to address the significant rise in complaints. The FTE Usage vs. Complaints 

Received chart below shows the dramatic progression in OCR’s total complaints nationwide 

from fiscal year 1983 to fiscal year 2023, and projected complaints in fiscal years 2024 and 

2025. The projections are based on recent historical data. The FTE levels exclude 13 FTE OCR 

funds for centralized support services in fiscal years 2022 through 2025 and 1 FTE funded for 

the Office of General Counsel in fiscal year 2023. 

As shown in the chart above, OCR continues to receive an unprecedented number of total 

complaints, which has increased 883% since 1983, more than tripled compared to 2003, and 

1983 1993 2003 2013 2016 2019 2022 2023 2024* 2025*

FTE 941 854 672 565 563 520 541 562 544 630

Complaints Received 1,953 5,090 5,191 9,950 16,720 9,986 18,804 19,201 21,708 23,879

941

854

672

565

563

520 541

562

544

630

1,953 

5,090 5,191 

9,950 16,720 

9,986 

18,804 19,201 

21,708 

23,879 

 -

 3,000

 6,000

 9,000

 12,000

 15,000

 18,000

 21,000

 24,000

 27,000

 30,000

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

Complaints Recieved

FTE Usage

FTE Usage vs Complaints Received

Fiscal Years 1983-2025 (FY 2024 - FY 2025 are estimates*)
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nearly doubled in the past decade. Even within the last decade, OCR’s FTE levels have not kept 

pace with case demand. From fiscal year 2013 to fiscal year 2023, OCR’s FTE decreased by 3, 

from 565 FTE to 562 FTE. At the same time, the number of complaints received increased by 

93 percent, from 9,950 complaints in fiscal year 2013 to 19,201 in fiscal year 2023, which is the 

highest total complaints received on record.

1 Excluding the 5,590 complaints filed by one 

complainant, OCR received 13,611 complaints in fiscal year 2023 and anticipates a continued 

high volume of complaints through fiscal year 2025 (see page 25 for a pie chart displaying the 

complaint caseload by jurisdiction). 

The Complaints Comparison chart above shows the 26% escalation in complaints that OCR 

received in the first quarter (Q1) of fiscal year 2024 compared to the same period in fiscal year 

2023. If this trend persists throughout fiscal year 2025, unless staffing is increased, the total 

increase in complaints will reach a level that significantly challenges OCR’s capacity to

effectively and efficiently investigate and resolve cases.

1 The 19,201 complaints received in fiscal year 2023 included 5,590 complaints that were filed by one complainant. 

OCR received 18,804 complaints in fiscal year 2022, which was the previous record high and included more than 

7,399 complaints filed by a single complainant.

4,318

5,420

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

FY 2023 Q1 FY 2024 Q1

Comparison of Complaints Received FY 2023 Q1 vs. FY 2024 Q1
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In addition to addressing complaints in areas like sex and disability discrimination, OCR is 

further expanding its high priority efforts to both prevent and confront the rising reports of 

antisemitism as well as anti-Arab discrimination in our Nation’s schools and college campuses. 

These shared ancestry1 cases are very often complex and fact intensive requiring an extensive 

investment of staff time. As shown in the chart above, OCR received a significant increase in 

Title VI shared ancestry complaints in fiscal year 2024 Q1 compared to the total shared 

ancestry complaints received in Q1 of the three previous fiscal years. For example, the number 

of shared ancestry cases received in fiscal year 2024 Q1 increased by 437% as compared to 

the total number of shared ancestry complaints received in all of FY 2021. OCR anticipates that

the number of shared ancestry cases filed with OCR will continue to increase, likely through 

fiscal year 2025 and beyond. As OCR furthers its high priority efforts to both prevent and 

confront the rising reports of antisemitism as well as anti-Arab discrimination in our Nation’s 

schools and college campuses, OCR recognizes that these cases are very often complex and 

1 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 ensures that all students can learn in a school environment free from 

discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics. Shared 

ancestry complaints include discrimination against individuals based on their ancestry or ethnic characteristics, 

including those who are or are perceived to be Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Arab. 

27

39

62

145

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

FY 2021 FY 2022 FY 2023 FY 2024 Q1

Shared Ancestry Cases Received FY 2021 - Q1 FY 2024
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fact-intensive, requiring an extensive investment of staff time. As the volume of these cases 

rises, it becomes more imperative to increase OCR’s enforcement staff. 

Investing in Enforcement Staff

OCR’s enforcement staff is responsible for the following: (1) resolving complaints of 

discrimination; (2) conducting directed investigations and compliance reviews; and (3) providing 

technical assistance to help recipients achieve voluntary compliance with federal civil rights 

laws. 

Of the total additional 86 FTE requested for OCR, at least 77 (90%) FTE will work directly on 

investigations. OCR’s per-staff caseload has substantially increased over the last decade, 

making the efficient and effective resolution of complaints exceedingly difficult. More 

manageable caseloads will enhance OCR’s ability to resolve cases in a timely manner and 

improve OCR’s capacity to engage in directed investigations and compliance reviews. Table A 

below shows that the average caseload per staff grew 110 percent from FY 2013 to FY 2023; 

from 20 cases in 2013 to 42 cases in 2023. Tables A and B exclude the complaints filed by a 

single complainant from the calculation of caseloads per staff.

Table A: Caseload per Investigative Staff in FY 2013, FY 2022, and FY 2023

Caseload per Staff FY 2013 FY 2022 FY 2023

Number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity 

Specialists (excluding managers)

366 318 327

Complaints Received & Proactive Investigations 

Launched

7,453 11,559 13,628

# of cases per investigative staff 20 36 42

OCR is projecting 23,879 complaint receipts in FY 2025. Excluding projected complaints filed by 

a single complainant, this number is expected to be 22,179 cases. Without staffing increases in 

FY 2025, the average caseload per investigative staff will become unmanageable at 71 cases 

per staff (22,179 projected cases divided by 313 investigative staff). As depicted in Table B, 

based on the projected complaint volume for FY 2025, the additional FTE requested will reduce 

that per-staff case number from 69 to 57, still a very high yet incrementally lower caseload. For 

OCR to effectively carry out its mission to enforce civil rights laws, it is critical that Congress 

appropriate additional resources to bolster OCR’s staffing capacity.

Table B: Impact of Additional FTEs per Investigative Staff Based on 22,179 Cases

(Excluding Projected Complaints Filed by a Single Complainant) in FY 2025

Staff Level 2025 

Request

Projected number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists (excluding 

managers) in FY 2024 313

Increased number of Attorneys/Equal Opportunity Specialists +77

Projected Total for FY 2025 390

# of cases per investigative staff 57
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Awards and Overtime

The Administration is requesting $1.2 million for awards and $60,000 for overtime, which is 

$155,000 more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 

appropriation. The request will cover mandated performance awards for the eligible Senior 

Executive Service staff and performance-based awards for general schedule employees. 

Non-Personnel Costs – Non-Centralized Services

The total request for Non-Personnel activities in fiscal year 2025, excluding Departmental 

Centralized Services, is $9.9 million, $1 million more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR

based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The requested Non-Personnel funds will provide 

program support to resolve complaints of discrimination filed by the public and ensure that 

institutions receiving Federal financial assistance comply with the civil rights laws enforced by 

OCR. The fiscal year 2025request will also support the maintenance, monitoring, enhancement, 

and hosting of OCR’s database investments (i.e., CRDC, CAMS and Online Discrimination 

Complaint Form), as well as a comprehensive Case Management Modernization project. 

Information Technology (IT) Non-Personnel Costs

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 

The Administration requests $6.1 million for fiscal year 2025, a decrease of $367,000 from the 

fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation, to support tasks 

related to the CRDC. Specifically, this funding request will support data file creation and 

reporting tasks for the 2023-2024 CRDC, and planning and pre-collection activities for the 2025-

2026 CRDC. This request also supports basic operations and maintenance for the collection, 

and enhancements, including enhanced data visualizations, and web hosting for the CRDC 

reporting website; the preparation of topic-specific reports on civil rights areas of interest; and 

the execution of key research and evaluation tasks. New for fiscal year 2025 are data science 

projects that focus on finding unseen patterns and meaningful information from CRDC datasets 

by using algorithms, models, and custom analyses. The overall aim of the data science projects 

is to assist OCR in monitoring and improving CRDC data quality.
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Table C provides an overview of the CRDC budget for fiscal year 2023, fiscal year 2024, and 

fiscal year 2025.

Table C: CRDC Budget Overview (FY 2023 – FY 2025)

SCHOOL 

YEAR Activity FY 2023 FY 2024 FY 2025

2021-22 CRDC

2021-22 Post-collection Phase $1,706,412 0 0

2021-22 Data File Creation and Reporting 50,000 $357,288 0

2023-24 CRDC

2023-24 Planning and Improvement Phase $1,766,978 0 0

2023-24 Pre-collection Phase 746,806 $974,042 0

2023-24 Collection Phase 0 1,542,028 0

2023-24 Post-collection Phase 0 1,779,622 0

2023-24 Data File Creation and Reporting 0 0 $385,872 

2025-26 CRDC

2025-26 Planning and Improvement Phase 0 0 $2,108,337

2025-26 Pre-collection Phase 0 0 1,251,966

CRDC Research and Evaluation

N/A Data Quality Projects 0 $255,253 $275,674 

N/A Data Science Projects 0 0 200,000 

CRDC Reporting Website

N/A Operation and Maintenance $188,479 $192,063 $207,428 

N/A Development, Modernization, and 

Enhancement 947,152 1,264,067 1,565,192 

N/A Web Hosting $58,227 $60,818 $63,557 

 

Total CRDC $5,464,054 $6,425,181 $6,058,026

OCR administers the CRDC, a mandatory survey of all public-school districts and schools that 

receive Federal financial assistance from the Department in the 50 states, Washington, D.C., 

and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. In addition to public schools and districts, long-term 

secure juvenile justice facilities, charter schools, alternative schools, and schools that focus 

primarily on serving students with disabilities must report data to the CRDC. Since 1968, the 

Department has collected civil rights data related to access and barriers to educational 

opportunity from early childhood through grade 12, including student enrollment, access to 

courses, programs and school staff, and school climate factors, such as bullying, harassment 

and student discipline. Most data collected by the CRDC are disaggregated by race, ethnicity, 

sex, disability, and English Learner status.

Other Department offices and federal agencies also benefit from the valuable data within the 

CRDC to increase awareness around key issues and provide a source of national, state, school 

district, and school-level data. Furthermore, under Section 1111(h)(1)(c)(viii) of the Elementary 

and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), as amended in 2015 by the Every Student Succeeds Act 

(ESSA), as of December 31, 2018, state and educational agencies (SEAs) that receive Title I 
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funds are required to include certain CRDC data in their state and local report cards. 

Specifically, ESSA requires that SEA and public school district report cards include information 

on measures of school quality, climate, and safety, such as information on: (1) in-school 

suspensions; (2) out-of-school suspensions; (3) expulsions; (4) school-related arrests; (5) 

referrals to law enforcement; (6) incidents of violence, including harassment or bullying; and (7) 

chronic absenteeism. Under ESSA, information must be reported at the state, school district, 

and school levels. 

There are several major tasks associated with the administration of each CRDC that would be 

supported by the fiscal year 2025 budget request. Each CRDC collection cycle consists of four 

major phases: 

I. Planning & Improvement: This phase includes the implementation of high-priority 

enhancements to the submission system, the facilitation of training and support, and the 

preparation and enhancement of technical assistance resources. 

II. Pre-Collection: This phase includes tasks executed related to defining the CRDC 

universe of schools and local educational agencies (LEAs); communicating survey 

changes and updates to LEAs and the general public, including through any information 

collection request process; and implementing submission system enhancements. 

III. Collection: This phase includes the collection of data, providing technical support to LEAs

and SEAs, monitoring system performance and data submissions, and performing data file 

extracts for data quality analysis. 

IV. Post-Collection: This phase includes the evaluation of submission system business rules, 

and data quality reviews of the final data.

In addition, the CRDC completes tasks that include Data File Creation and Reporting related 

to the creation of the public- and restricted-use data files, CRDC national and state estimates, 

and informational reports as well as the application of privacy protections to the public-use data 

files. Other major work includes CRDC Research and Evaluation, which includes projects 

related to the improvement of the quality, usability, and administration of the CRDC.

Over the last few CRDC cycles, OCR has used these funds to make substantial improvements 

in both the quality and the usability of the data. For example, OCR has developed analytic 

reports to assist LEAs in reducing errors, used data to improve submission system business 

and validation rules, and boosted support provided to LEAs throughout the collection cycle. 

OCR has also made the data more accessible and user-friendly for the general public, 

researchers, and policymakers. 

The budget also includes funding for the CRDC Reporting Website, which hosts the public-use 

data file, CRDC reports, data analytic tools, and other relevant information for stakeholders. In 

November 2023, as part of the 2020–2021 CRDC data release, OCR launched the redesigned 

CRDC website1

, which now includes an archival tool with access to historical civil rights data 

from 1968 to 1998. The website enhancements are aligned with the requirements of the 21st 

Century Integrated Digital Experience Act, P.L. 115-336, which aim to improve the digital 

experience of those using federal public websites. Currently, OCR is still undergoing 

1 https://civilrightsdata.ed.gov
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modernization efforts to the CRDC reporting website, which includes updates to the user 

interface, the modernization of data analytic tools, and the inclusion of enhanced data 

visualizations.

Operation and maintenance tasks are needed to sustain the website’s current capabilities, 

including compliance and management. Development, modernization, and enhancements 

improve the capability and performance of the website, including the development of innovative 

data tools and visualization improvements.

Case Management Modernization (CMM) 

The Administration is requesting $1.3 million for CMM in fiscal year 2025. The request will 

support the modernization of OCR’s complaint management system by addressing the 

inefficiencies in the current disparate legacy systems, to include the Case and Activity 

Management System (CAMS) and the Online Complaint Form. This fiscal year 2025 budget 

request will also provide funding to create a single platform solution for complaint filing, tracking, 

and management that will benefit both internal and external users. The funding will cover the 

development of a prototype model and of the final system solution, including software 

development, systems engineering, cloud storage management, as well as data transition from 

the existing systems to the new, one-stop-shop case management solution. 

 

CAMS was developed in 2002 and the Online Complaint Form was developed in 2003. Since 

then, various patches and short-term fixes have kept the two systems functioning at a basic 

level. The current systems are not synched, and the compliant life-cycle process is not 

seamless from start to finish. The filing of a civil rights complaint is currently done by submitting 

complaint information online, then printing out this electronically submitted information to 

uploading it manually into CAMS. Generally, end users experience CAMS as two separate 

systems – a case docketing/activity log system and a document management system. The 

system does not have sufficient functionality to operate as an official electronic case repository 

and is currently not accessible for people with disabilities, as required by Section 508 of the 

Rehabilitation Act of 1973. 

Modernization of OCR’s complaint management system would improve efficiency and 

effectiveness, automate many of the complaint processing activities, provide electronic solutions 

to reduce paper waste, limit cybersecurity risks, and ensure compliance with Section 508.

Moreover, OCR anticipates that the CMM project will yield future cost savings once CAMS and 

the Online Complaint form are retired. 

Case Activity Management System (CAMS)

The Administration requests $994,000 for CAMS, a decrease of $66,000 below the fiscal year 

2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. CAMS is an electronic 

tracking system used to record the status of past, ongoing, and upcoming cases and store the 

documents associated with each case. It uses a combination of three software applications: 

Case Management System, Activity Management System, and Open Text Document 

Management System with Record Management function. The funding will support contractual 

services for system operations, maintenance, and enhancements. 
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The funding for this project provides for: (a) enhancements to apply business process changes 

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

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

technical phone support on the Open Text products and Matrix Logic add-on modules, and (d) 

server hosting services. OCR continues to enhance these essential applications for critical 

unmet needs identified by CAMS’ core users. 

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

Online Complaint Form and Back-End Database Project

The Administration is requesting $468,000, an increase of $123,000 from the fiscal year 2024 

annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. Of this request, $376,000 covers 

two subtasks in support of the maintenance and general web operations contracting task: (a) 

General O&M to support OCR’s publicly accessible website and database; and (b) the OCR 

Web Based Collection System document upload project that allows the public to search for and 

access OCR enforcement resolution letters and agreements entered into on or after October 1, 

2013. The remaining $92,000 will cover the support required for website hosting.

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

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

complainants through several considerations prior to their submission of a discrimination 

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

Therefore, OCR will need to invest in cybersecurity measures to manage the risks of cyber 

threats to provide the Online Complaint form process in a non-Cold-Fusion software support 

environment.

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

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

and other information to the OCR website to provide transparency to the public about OCR 

enforcement and compliance activities. 

Non-IT Costs

Travel

The Administration requests a travel budget of $300,000, the same as the fiscal year 2024 

annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The overwhelming majority of 

OCR’s travel funds are used to investigate complaints. This request will also support travel for 

conducting proactive investigations, providing technical assistance, monitoring corrective action 

plans, and training. OCR must ensure that staff and leadership in the enforcement offices are 

able to receive critical training, civil rights updates, and management skills necessary to improve 

OCR operations. OCR often uses video teleconference technology to enable communications 

and conferencing between the enforcement offices and headquarters to reduce the need for 

costly travel.

Printing

The Administration is requesting $5,000 for printing, which is consistent with the fiscal year 2024 

annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The request will cover necessary 
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printed items such as pamphlets highlighting OCR activities in various languages, reports, fact 

sheets, business cards, and letterhead.

Training

The Administration requests a training budget of $145,000, the same as the fiscal year 2024 

annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. OCR’s leadership recognizes that 

the success of its work depends on the quality of its staff across all levels of the organization.

The request will support the training needs for staff opportunities to participate in leadership 

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

OCR’s mission. OCR will also utilize its professional and technical training online when 

appropriate and cost-effective. 

Communications and Equipment Repairs and Maintenance 

The Administration is requesting $11,000 in fiscal year 2025 for communications and equipment 

repairs and maintenance, the same as fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 

2023 appropriation. These funds are needed for overnight shipping costs and maintenance of 

copiers and other equipment.

Other Services

The Administration requests $134,000, in fiscal year 2025 for other services, $10,000 more than

the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The request 

supports the reimbursement of attorneys’ bar dues; translation and interpretation services (i.e., 

translating documents and pamphlets into several languages which is different than the printing 

of documents in different languages); and miscellaneous services for advertisement and shortterm contractual services. The increase supports the bar dues for the additional investigative 

staff.

Goods/Services from the Government

The fiscal year 2025 request includes $308,000, $22,000 more than the fiscal year 2024 

annualized CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. This request primarily supports

legal research totaling $270,000. OCR’s legal research service contract provides an automated 

full-text legal information system that offers online access to Federal and State case law, 

statutes of all 50 States, legal publications, and law reports. The $20,000 increase for fiscal year 

20254 will cover the annual escalation in the cost per user and the licenses for the additional 

investigative staff.

The request also supports Education publications (ED Pubs) totaling $15,000 and General 

Services Administration-leased vehicles and equipment totaling $23,000. 

Supplies

The Administration is requesting $50,000, $10,000 more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized 

CR based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. The request will cover the costs associated 

with the purchase of supplies and periodical subscriptions relating to law, disabilities, and news. 

The increase supports supplies for the additional FTE.
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IT Equipment/Software

The Administration is requesting $53,000, $4,000 less than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR

based on the fiscal year 2023 appropriation. This request supports OCR’s software 

requirements related to rulemaking, data collections, and surveys. OCR anticipates that its 

software usage will decline in fiscal year 2025 compared to fiscal year 2024.

Departmental Centralized Support – Non-Personnel Costs

Approximately 73 percent of the total Non-Personnel budget request will cover OCR’s share of 

the Department’s centralized services. The request provides $26.1 million for centralized 

services, $1.4 million more than the fiscal year 2024 annualized CR based on the fiscal year 

2023 appropriation. 

The fiscal year 2025 request will cover the costs of shared services and functions performed by 

other Federal Agencies or department offices, such as pertaining to facilities and rent; personnel

and IT security; records and information management; overtime utilities; telecommunications; IT

hardware and software; smartphones; and IT network support.
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PROGRAM OUTPUT MEASURES

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

year 2013. Actual data are shown for fiscal years 2013-2023, and estimates are shown for fiscal 

years 2024-2025. 

Complaint Receipts and Resolutions (FY 2013 – FY 2025)

*Estimate

OCR continues to experience a pattern of increasingly high case receipts. In fiscal year 2023, 

complaint receipts hit a record high and increased by 397 compared to the previous year, which 

had until then been the all-time high in OCR case receipts. Through fiscal year 2025, complaint 

receipts are projected to remain above the fiscal year 2023 level given the already dramatic 

increase in complaints during the first quarter of fiscal year 2024.

The FY 2023 Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction pie chart displays the fiscal year 2023 

complaint caseload by jurisdiction based on 19,201 cases. Sex discrimination complaints 

comprise the largest percentage of complaints OCR received, primarily due to one complainant 

who filed 5,590 sex discrimination complaints. In general, disability discrimination has 

historically constituted the greatest share of OCR’s complaint caseload.

2013 2016 2019 2022 2023 2024* 2025*

Receipts 9,950 16,720 9,986 18,804 19,201 21,708 23,879

Resolutions 10,128 8,625 10,644 16,515 16,448 18,548 20,403

0

3,000

6,000

9,000

12,000

15,000

18,000

21,000

24,000

27,000

30,000
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The following table provides the trend in number of cases received by jurisdiction during the 

past 11 years, fiscal years 2013 through 2023. 

Complaint Caseload by Jurisdiction

(Fiscal Years 2013 – 2023) 

Jurisdiction FY 2013 FY 2016 FY 2019 FY 2022 FY 2023

Race 1,192 1,294 1,258 1,663 1,870 10%

Sex 2,242 7,068 873 8,704 7,010 36%

Disability 4,272 5,063 4,487 4,934 5,334 28%

Age 125 108 111 105 106 1%

Multiple 1,333 1,655 1,701 2,243 2,286 12%

Other 786 1,532 1,556 1,155 2,595 13%

TOTAL 9,950 16,720 9,986 18,804 19,201 100%

Race/National Origin, 

1,870 (10%) Sex Discimination, 

7,010 (36%)

Disability,

5,334 (28%)

Age,

106 (1%)

Multiple Allegations, 

2,286 (12%)

Other Complaints, 

2,595 (13%)

FY 2023 Complaints Caseload by Jurisdiction -- 19,201 
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PROGRAM PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Performance Measures

OCR’s program performance includes outcomes we achieved related to program goals, 

measures, and performance targets and data. Integral to the successful execution of OCR’s 

program is the degree to which financial and staffing resources are sufficient to carry out our 

statutory and regulatory functions. The Federal appropriation that OCR receives is directly tied 

to our cumulative program results. As case volume increases, the program requires a 

commensurate, effective ratio of staffing resources to keep pace with achievement of GPRA 

measures and program targets. 

OCR’s GPRA measures are designed to assess the efficiency and accessibility of the complaint 

resolution process. Consistent with the fiscal year 2025 budget request, hiring additional 

enforcement staff should have a positive impact on performance. 

Current performance measures for complaint workload:

The performance measures below related to the percentage of complaints resolved and 

pending reflects results across OCR’s entire complaint workload. The first table measures the 

percentage of complaints received within a fiscal year that were resolved within 180 days, while 

the second table measures the percentage of complaints 180 days or older from prior years.

Measure: Percentage of complaints resolved within 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2020 80% 90%

2021 80 87

2022 80 79

2023 80 73

2024 80 -

2025 80 -

Measure: Percentage of complaints pending over 180 days.

Year Target Actual

2020 < 25% 61%

2021 < 25 50

2022 < 25 54

2023 < 25 59

2024 < 25 -

2025 < 25 -

OCR will continue to prioritize the timely processing of complaints (i.e., resolution of complaints 

within 180 days) and strive to meet this performance measure in fiscal year 2025 for newly filed 

complaints. The additional requested FTE are necessary to meet the anticipated growth in 

complaints in fiscal year 2025 and beyond.
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OCR aims to be a customer-centric and responsive organization. Accordingly, customer 

satisfaction is a high priority, and an accountability driver in our enforcement program. OCR 

continues to strive for quality and timeliness, while upholding its mission to vigorously enforce 

civil rights laws.

Measure: Mean score of customer satisfaction survey. 

Fiscal Year Target Actual

2020 3.66 3.75

2021 3.66 3.35

2022 3.66 3.46

2023 3.66 3.65

2024 3.66 -

2025 3.66 -

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 complainants and recipients by OCR staff; 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 a target 

baseline at 3.66 (on a scale of 1 through 5).