### OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY

June 22 , 2007

Dear Colleague:

As we celebrate the 35th anniversary of *Title IX* (*Title  IX of the Education Amendments of 1972*, 20 U.S.C. 1681*et seq.*) on June 23, 2007, it is appropriate to take a moment to  consider the significant strides we have made towards providing an education to  all students, male and female, free of discrimination.  As one of the nation’s landmark civil rights  laws, *Title IX* has opened countless doors for women and girls.  While *Title IX* has attracted much  attention in the areas of interscholastic and intercollegiate athletics, it  profoundly affects all aspects of education far beyond the playing field.  As we continue to work towards the  elimination of sex discrimination in education, it is important that we reflect  on how much we have accomplished and on what students and educators can achieve  when everyone—regardless of sex—is given an equal opportunity to succeed. 

Congress entrusted the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the  United States Department of Education (Department) with the responsibility of  enforcing *Title IX* in education programs and activities receiving  financial assistance from the Department.   In response to growing concern about disparities in the educational  experiences of male and female students, Congress enacted the law to eliminate  sex discrimination in the classroom, in course offerings, in athletics, in  extracurricular activities, and in employment in education programs.    Many of today’s students would be quite surprised by our nation’s education  landscape before *Title IX* was enacted.   Back then, there were far fewer female students on college  campuses.  Female students at the  secondary and postsecondary levels often were steered towards courses that were  perceived to be “more appropriate” for women to study, and faculty members were  overwhelmingly male.  Women were much  less likely to receive undergraduate, graduate, or postgraduate degrees,  particularly in academic areas that were once considered “traditionally male.”  Women and girls comprised a shockingly low  percentage of the student athletes at high schools and colleges, and school  support for female athletes and teams was often remarkably inadequate.  

Today, in part because of *Title IX*, the Department’s  vigorous enforcement of the law, and our nation’s commitment to the elimination  of sex discrimination, we have removed many obstacles and greatly increased the  ability of women and girls to take advantage of the opportunities previously  denied them.  This is also due in no  small part to the efforts of our nation’s education institutions at the  elementary, secondary, and postsecondary levels.

In order for students to access the educational  opportunities to which they are entitled, we must first ensure that they are  receiving a high-quality education, graduating from high school, and enrolling  in colleges and universities.  *Title  IX*has been an effective and crucial means to these ends.  From 1972 to 2005, the percentage of women  who enrolled in college immediately after graduating from high school rose from  46 percent to 70 percent.  In 1972,  approximately 3,512,000 women were enrolled in undergraduate institutions,  making up 44 percent of undergraduate enrollment; by fall 2005, that number had  increased to 8,555,000, or 57 percent.   Between academic years 1971–72 and 2004–05, the percentage of bachelor’s  degrees earned by women also increased from 44 percent to 57 percent.  Additionally, more and more women have  entered the work force with advanced degrees—from 1971–72 to 2004–05, the  percentage of master’s degrees earned by women increased from 41 percent to 59  percent, and the percentage of doctoral degrees awarded to women increased from  16 percent to 49 percent.  Women also are  pursuing professional degrees in increasing numbers.  In fall 1972, women made up only 11 percent  of students enrolled in first-professional degree programs; by fall 2005, that  percentage more than quadrupled to 49 percent, and women are projected to have  exceeded 50 percent of total first-professional enrollment for the first time  in 2006.

Since it was enacted, *Title IX*has drawn a great deal  of attention to our schools’ athletics programs.  It, therefore, comes as no surprise that *Title  IX* has had a significant impact on athletics at the secondary and  postsecondary levels.  *Title IX* has improved and enhanced athletic opportunities for women and girls by  allowing students equal opportunity to participate without discrimination based  on sex.  For example, at the collegiate  level in 1972, only 29,977 female student athletes, or 15 percent, participated  in sports and recreational programs at National Collegiate Athletic Association  (NCAA) member institutions; by 2005–06, the number of intercollegiate female  student athletes increased to 170,526, or 43 percent.  Additionally, the number of girls  participating in high school athletics has increased dramatically.  In 1971–72, only 294,015 girls participated  in high school athletics; in 2005–06, that number was 2,953,355, representing  an increase from 7 percent in 1971–72 to 41 percent in 2005–06.  

As our dependence on technology and innovation increases, it  has become clear that, while women and girls benefit from increased  opportunities in areas such as mathematics and science, our society also  benefits overall when women and girls participate in those arenas.  The United States cannot remain  educationally, economically, or technologically competitive without the  contributions of all of its citizens, and *Title IX* has made it possible  for more women and girls to make such contributions.  In 2004, 71 percent of female high school  graduates had completed advanced-level chemistry, biology and-or physics  courses, 44 percent had completed mid-level mathematics courses, and 52 percent  had completed advanced mathematics courses.   We have also seen significant increases in the percentage of bachelor’s  degrees earned by women in math and science fields, such as  biological-biomedical sciences, engineering, physical sciences and science  technologies.  However, there is still a  significant gap between the percentage of degrees awarded to men and those  awarded to women in almost all of the math and science fields, particularly in  the fields of computer-information sciences and engineering, and the gap  increases with successive advanced degrees.   In 1971–72, women earned 15 percent of the bachelor’s degrees in  physical sciences and science technologies, 14 percent of the master’s degrees,  and 6 percent of the doctoral degrees.   In those same fields, in 2004–05, women earned 42 percent of the  bachelor’s degrees, 39 percent of the master’s degrees, and 28 percent of the  doctoral degrees.  We are seeing similar  trends in other math and science fields as well.  We must ensure that sex discrimination is not  an obstacle to the opportunities in the math and science fields, for the  benefit of our students and for the competitive future of our nation. 

*Title IX* also has brought substantial focus to the  issue of sexual harassment in schools, and enforcement of *Title IX* principles has made it easier for schools to recognize and address sexual  harassment, the elimination of which is essential to provide a safe and secure  educational environment for all students.   To that end, OCR has published policy that provides schools, faculty,  students, and parents with tools to identify, prevent, and remedy sexual  harassment.  Additionally, since 1975,  the *Title IX* regulations have prohibited discrimination based on  pregnancy as a form of sex discrimination, and OCR has provided schools with  policy guidance that helps schools understand the rights afforded to pregnant  students under *Title IX*.  I  recently issued a letter to postsecondary institutions addressing  discrimination against pregnant student athletes in the context of athletic  scholarships.  ****

Measurable and undisputable progress has been made since *Title  IX* was enacted, due in no small part to the considerable effort and  commitment of, and the proactive initiatives taken by, education institutions  at all levels to eliminate sex discrimination.   Despite significant progress, we still have considerable work before  us.  Discrimination continues to exist  across the nation in education programs and activities.   

During the remainder of my tenure as assistant secretary for  civil rights, I remain committed to ensuring nondiscrimination in all areas of *Title  IX*.  In addition to continuing to  vigorously and thoroughly investigate all complaints of *Title IX* discrimination, OCR will conduct a number of proactive compliance reviews in  areas such as sexual harassment, grievance procedures, and athletics, and OCR  will continue to offer training and technical assistance to provide your  schools with the tools and information necessary to continue to strive to  eliminate sex discrimination in all its forms.

I look forward to continuing our work together to  ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence  throughout the nation, and I thank you for all of your efforts on behalf of  America’s students.  

| Sincerely  yours,                            |
|----------------------------------------------|
|                                         |
| Stephanie J. Monroe                          |
| Assistant Secretary        for  Civil Rights |

  

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