US Department of Education Publications from the first three week of January

Throughout January,  the US Department of Education has released numerous documents that may be of interest to AJE families.

CIVIL RIGHTS DATA COLLECTION

On January 16, the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) shared new data from the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) for the 2021-22 school year, revealing critical insight regarding the extent to which students have equal educational opportunities in the nation’s public schools (press release).

Specifically, OCR released three data reports and snapshots:

Meanwhile, OCR issued for a second round of public comment its proposal for items to be collected by the CRDC for the 2025-26 and 2027-28 school years.

Also new from OCR:

  • A four-year retrospective report, titled “Protecting Civil Rights: Highlights of Activities, OCR 2021-25,” describing the office’s enforcement record during the Biden Administration.
  • resource discussing some considerations for schools when taking action to remediate a hostile environment under Title VI.
  • resource explaining that schools must address sexual harassment in their education program or activity, even when such harassment occurs online or using emergent technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), under Title IX.
  • fact sheet on ensuring equal opportunity based on sex in school athletic programs in the context of name, image, and likeness (NIL) activities.

NON-REGULATORY GUIDANCE DOCUMENTS 

Parent and Family Engagement — this guidance, superseding previous (April 2004) guidance, aims to assist states, school districts, and schools in administering the relevant engagement provisions of Title I, Part A.

Opportunities and Responsibilities for State and Local Report Card Requirements — this guidance, also superseding previous (March 2019) guidance, includes pertinent updates to statutory requirements and incorporates lessons learned from the Department’s own monitoring and technical assistance to states.

Title II, Part A — this guidance, the first revision since 2006, is organized by topic and reflects responses to frequently asked questions from states, districts, and school leaders regarding program requirements.

Building and Sustaining Inclusive Educational Practices — this guidance emphasizes the importance of students with disabilities achieving challenging state academic standards while being educated alongside their friends and peers in general education settings, to the greatest extent appropriate.

Plus, in a January 8 letter, Secretary Cardona outlines resources for ensuring equal access to education for immigrant students (also in Spanish).

The Department released the attached Transition Guidance that addresses, through a series of frequently-asked questions, several topics related to postsecondary transition for students and youth with disabilities. The Department is issuing this guidance in a format that is intended to be easier to understand and addresses the requirements under IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act on transition for all students with disabilities, rather than focusing solely on dual enrollment for students with disabilities. This guidance does not change the Department’s longstanding position that LEAs are permitted to use IDEA Part B funds to provide or pay for services that constitute FAPE in postsecondary education settings only if the education is considered secondary school education under State law. This guidance also addresses how IDEA and VR funds can be used to support students with disabilities as they transition for services under IDEA to services under the Rehabilitation Act.

 

 

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