Skip Office Navigation
OCR: Office for Civil Rights!
   Current Section
Resource Comparability Materials

Sixty years ago, the Supreme Court declared in Brown v. Board of Education that public education “is a right which must be made available to all on equal terms.” Despite major progress in some areas, many students continue to lack the opportunity of a quality education. In too many communities, gaps in essential educational resources and opportunities exist – and too often, it is low-income students, students of color, or otherwise traditionally underserved student groups that receive less.

Because every student is entitled to equal educational opportunities regardless of race, color, or national origin, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has issued new guidance that highlights and explains what Federal law requires regarding the provision of educational resources, how OCR investigates resource disparities, and what States, school districts, and schools can do to meet their obligations to all their students.

The following materials include OCR’s guidance and data on access to educational resources, as well as links to a variety of additional resources with related information.

OCR Guidance and Resources

  • Resource Comparability Guidance Package (October 1, 2014)

-Dear Colleague Letter download files PDF (469K) | En español download files PDF (308K)
-Fact Sheet download files PDF (179K) | En español download files PDF (510K) | Chinese simplified download files PDF (299K) | Chinese traditional download files PDF (431K) | Korean download files PDF (352K) | Russian download files PDF (254K) | Tagalog  download files PDF (180K) | Vietnamese download files PDF (233K)
-Press Release | En español
-Remarks of Secretary Arne Duncan | En español
-ED Blog Post by Assistant Secretary Catherine Lhamon

  • Civil Rights Data Collection Snapshots (March 2014)
  • Resource Equity Guidance Package (January 19, 2001)

-Dear Colleague Letter download files PDF (852K)

Links to Other Resources

OCR offers technical assistance on the legal obligation to provide students with equal access to educational resources without regard to race, color, or national origin. To request such assistance, contact the OCR office serving your state by visiting www.ed.gov/ocr or call OCR’s customer service team at 1-800-421-3481. Additional resources regarding equal access to educational resources, both those generated by the Department and otherwise, are provided below.

  • U.S. Department of Education Resources:

  • U.S. Department of Education Funded Resources and Partnerships:

The Department funds a variety of resources through grants, cooperative agreements or contracts that may support efforts to provide students with equal access to educational resources. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of outside information, including from grantees and contractors. Reliance on these materials does not guarantee that a State, school district, or school is meeting its statutory requirements. Further, the inclusion of information, addresses, or websites for particular items, does not reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered. Note that although some of these resources were designed specifically for Race to the Top grantees, the Department believes that the information they contain may be useful to all SEAs and LEAs.

  • Other Resources:

The following information is provided for the reader’s convenience. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of outside information. Further, the inclusion of information, addresses, or websites for particular items, does not reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed, or products or services offered.

 



   
Last Modified: 01/10/2020