Nondiscrimination Policy

Several federal statutes protect the rights of individuals not to be discriminated against in programs or activities receiving federal and/or state financial assistance. Specifically, the following prohibit discrimination: Title VI (34 CFR § 100.6(d)) (race, color, ethnicity, and national origin); Title IX (34 CFR § 106.9) (sex and pregnancy); Section 504 (34 CFR § 104.8) and Title II (28 CFR § 35.106) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (disability); the Age Discrimination Act (34 CFR § 110.25) (age); and the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act (34 CFR § 108.9) (requires school districts to provide equal access to the use of school property to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups). The statutes require school districts to notify students, parents, and others that they do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, or age and that they provide equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Additionally, the Department’s Notice of Non-Discrimination describes the required content of notices. The notice used by the school district must include the name or title and contact information of the coordinators designated to handle complaints under Section 504 (34 CFR § 104.8), the Americans with Disabilities Act (28 CFR § 35.107), and the Age Discrimination Act (34 CFR § 110.25).

 

Title IX is a federal law that applies to all public schools. It states, "No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." Due to these new regulations, instead of notifying only students and employees of the Title IX Coordinator's contact information, school districts must also notify applicants for admission and employment, parent(s)/guardian(s) of elementary and secondary school students, and all unions of the name or title, office address, email address, and telephone number of the Title IX Coordinator. Additionally, school districts must prominently display the Title IX Coordinator's contact information on their websites.

For more information, see the Department's Title IX regulations addressing sexual harassment.