Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Reading Room

Background Information

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) works to ensure equal access to education and to promote educational excellence throughout the nation through vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws. The civil rights laws enforced by OCR extend to all state education agencies, elementary and secondary school systems, colleges and universities, vocational schools, proprietary schools, state vocational rehabilitation agencies, libraries, and museums that receive U.S. Department of Education funds. Discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin is prohibited by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; sex discrimination is prohibited by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972; discrimination on the basis of disability is prohibited by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and age discrimination is prohibited by the Age Discrimination Act of 1975.

Documents posted in this reading room were published in the Federal Register or were otherwise made available to the public. Policy and legal interpretations announced in these materials may have been superseded or modified by federal court decisions or by later interpretations of the legal requirements involved. Placement of the document in the reading room does not reflect its importance relative to other OCR documents or to court decisions. The list of OCR documents currently available is not all-inclusive. Please contact OCR@ed.gov for more information.

Policy

Policy Guidance Portal - Explore Dear Colleague Letters, fact sheets, frequently asked questions, and other materials issued by OCR.
Policy Publications Under Review - View former policy guidance that has been formally rescinded as well as archived and historical publications, provided for reference purposes.
Rescinded and Archived Publications – View former policy guidance that has been formally rescinded as well as archived and historical publications, provided for reference purposes
Civil Rights Tutorials and Technical Assistance - Explore presentations providing general information on the applicable law and OCR policy.
Federal Register Notices and Regulations - The Federal Register publishes Department rules, proposed rules, and public notices. View select publications related to OCR’s work.
Special Topics: Equal Education Opportunities for English Learners

Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)

Civil Rights Data Collection – Learn about the CRDC, a mandatory biennial survey administered by OCR of all public school districts and schools in the 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico.
CRDC Data Reports – View select data reports published by OCR on student access to educational opportunities.
Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) (current data: 2020-21) – Explore the most recent full data set available to the public.
Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) (historical data) – Explore earlier data sets available to the public.
CRCD Resource Center – Explore resources for schools and other entities participating in the CRDC.

Civil Rights Enforcement

Civil Rights Coordinators Data – Find the civil rights coordinator for your school district responsible for coordinating schools’ compliance with civil rights laws protecting students on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, and age.
How to File a Complaint with OCR - This tool is designed to help determine if OCR may be able to assist you by investigating a complaint of discrimination against a school, school district, college, university, library, or other educational entity that is covered by a law OCR enforces.
Resources in Languages Other Than English – View select OCR publications in languages other than English, including Foreign Language Discrimination Complaint forms.
Pending Cases Currently Under Investigation at Elementary-Secondary and Post-Secondary Schools – Explore a list of recipients of federal Department of Education funding that are currently under investigation by OCR.
Office for Civil Rights Recent Resolution Search – Explore resolution agreements reached by OCR and recipients of federal Department of Education funding, searchable by a number of variables.
Type of Discrimination Search – Explore resolution agreements reached by OCR and recipients of US Department of Education funds, searchable by the type(s) of discrimination addressed by the agreement.
Office for Civil Rights Case Processing Manual (CPM) – The CPM provides OCR investigators with the procedures to investigate and resolve complaints, compliance reviews, and directed investigations to ensure compliance with the civil rights laws OCR enforces. Archived CPMs are accessible through the Rescinded and Archived Publications portal.
Special Topics: List of Open Title VI Shared Ancestry Investigations
Special Topics: Records Related to Title VI Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics Investigations

Correspondence

Congressional Correspondence – View select interactions between OCR leadership and members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
Federal Entity Correspondence and Testimony – View select testimony and correspondence on topics related to students’ civil rights and civil rights violations, which also includes religious exemption claims.
Stakeholder Correspondence – View select correspondence between OCR leadership and community organizations on a variety of civil rights topics.

OCR Reports

Annual Reports – OCR Annual Reports highlight the results of our work in each fiscal year and are required by the Department of Education Organization Act.
OCR Budget Request – Explore past budget requests outlining the funding requested for OCR’s operation per fiscal year.

Other OCR documents that are not currently posted on our web page may be requested using Department of Education Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) request procedures.