Department of Education Issues Report for FY 2022

The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights has issued its annual report for fiscal year 2022. These reports summarize OCR’s policy and enforcement activities and are required by Section 203(b) of the Department of Education Organization Act of 1979, Pub. L. No. 96-88, 20 U.S.C. § 3413(b)(1).

According to the OCR, in fiscal year 2022, it confronted the highest volume of complaints in its history, receiving 18,804 complaints. OCR enforces civil rights laws, including

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (prohibiting race, color, and national origin discrimination);
• Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (prohibiting sex discrimination);
• Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1972 (prohibiting disability discrimination);
• Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (prohibiting age discrimination);
• Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (prohibiting disability discrimination in State and local government services – regardless of whether programs receive Federal financial assistance); and
• Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act of 2001 (prohibiting public elementary and secondary schools, local educational agencies, and state educational agencies from discriminating against, or denying equal access or a fair opportunity to meet to, any group officially affiliated with the Boy Scouts of America, or any other youth group listed as a patriotic society in Title 36 of the United States Code).

OCR also develops policy guidance aimed at assisting schools and other educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance.

Of the record number of complaints received, 7,339 were filed by a single individual, raising sex discrimination allegations; this high volume altered the ratio of complaint filings for this fiscal year. Complaints of race, color, or national origin discrimination comprised 17% (3,329) of all complaints, which was down 24% from 2021.

Complaints involving discrimination based on disability comprised 32% (6,467) of all complaints this year, down from 48% in FY 2021; sex discrimination complaints comprised 48% (9,498) up from 17% to FY 2021; and age discrimination complaints comprised 3% (666) (the majority of which were filed by a single complainant), down from 11% in FY 2021.

Click HERE to read the full report.

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