Civil Rights

Oregon and federal civil rights laws, including Title VI (6), Title IX (9), Section 504, and Title II (2) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), prohibit discrimination based on age, color, disability, gender identity, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation in all Oregon K-12 public schools, including public charter schools. Information about Oregon nondiscrimination law can be found in Oregon’s revised statues and administrative rules.

Title VI

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. Title VI states, in relevant part:

“No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color, or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”

Title VI covers public schools from pre-K through twelfth grade, as well as state educational agencies, charter schools, community colleges, universities, and more. Programs and activities include discipline, classroom assignment, athletic, academic programs, counseling, and more. Title VI requires, among other things, that districts:

Provide English learner students with appropriate instruction;
Appropriately address racial harassment;
Provide language and translation services to limited English proficient parents;
Discipline in a nondiscriminatory manner.

A collection of resources related to each specific focus area can be found in OCR’s 2022 Back to School resource*. Title VI also prohibits districts from threatening or retaliating against someone for making a complaint. The U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) helps enforce Title VI. OCR also provides policy guidance and other resources to districts and families.

More information about Title VI can be found by visiting the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights website*

Title IX

Title IX is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on sex.

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was the first comprehensive federal law to prohibit sex discrimination against students and employees of educational institutions. The regulations implementing Title IX, published in 1975, prohibit discrimination, exclusion, denial, limitation, or separation based on sex. Title IX 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."

Each recipient of federal funding (including K-12 school districts and public charter schools) must designate at least one employee to coordinate their compliance with Title IX, known as the Title IX Coordinator. More information and resources for Title IX Coordinators can be found on ODE’s Resources for Title IX Coordinators page.

Title IX’s prohibitions on sex discrimination cover all parts of a school’s education programs and activities. Specific areas of regulations and guidance focus on certain aspects of education, including athletics, single-sex or sex-segregated programs, sexual harassment, and support for pregnant and parenting students.

More information about Title IX can be found by visiting the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights website:*

Overview of Title IX law
34 CFR Part 106 Title IX implementing regulations
OCR’s Reading Room and Policy Guidance Portal

District Title IX Training Materials

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability. Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act is the sister statute to Section 504 which prohibits discrimination based on disability in state and local government, including public school districts and public charter schools.

Disability means, with respect to an individual:

A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual;
A record of such an impairment; or
Being regarded as having such an impairment

Each recipient of federal funding, including public school districts and public charter schools, must designate at least one employee to coordinate their compliance with Section 504, known as the 504 Coordinator. More information and resources for 504 Coordinators can be found on ODE’s Resources for 504 Coordinators page.

Section 504’s prohibitions on disability discrimination cover all parts of a school’s education programs and activities. In addition, Section 504’s implementing regulations require school districts to:

Locate and identify every qualified student with a disability within its jurisdiction
Provide a free appropriate public education, also known as a “FAPE,” to each qualified student with a disability. This is often documented by a 504 Plan.

More information about Section 504 can be found by visiting the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights website:*

Overview of Section 504
34 CFR Part 104 Subpart D Section 504 Implementing Regulations
OCR’s Reading Room and Policy Guidance Portal
Parent and Educator Resource Guide to Section 504 in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
Frequently Asked Questions: Section 504 Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities by state and local governments, ensuring they have equal access to public programs, services, and activities.

Each recipient of federal funding with 50 or more employees, including public colleges, school districts and public charter schools, must designate at least one employee to coordinate their compliance with Title II of the ADA, known as the Title II or ADA Coordinator.

More information and resources for Title II of the ADA can be found here.

District Nondiscrimination Policy

The district prohibits discrimination and harassment on any basis protected by law, including but not limited to, an individual’s perceived or actual race1, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, or veterans’ status, or because of the perceived or actual race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, marital status, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, familial status, economic status, or veterans’ status of any other persons with whom the individual associates.

The district prohibits discrimination and harassment in, but not limited to, employment, assignment and promotion of personnel; educational opportunities and services offered students; student assignment to schools and classes; student discipline; location and use of facilities; educational offerings and materials; and accommodating the public at public meetings.

The Board encourages staff to improve human relations within the schools, to respect all individuals and to establish channels through which patrons can communicate their concerns to the administration and the Board.

The superintendent shall appoint individuals at the district to contact on issues concerning the Americans with Disabilities Act and Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments, and other civil rights or discrimination issues, and notify students, parents, and staff with their names, office addresses, and phone numbers. The district will publish complaint procedures providing for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints from students, employees and the public, and such procedures will be available at the district’s administrative office and available on the home page of the district’s website.

The district prohibits retaliation and discrimination against an individual who has opposed any discrimination act or practice; because that person has filed a charge, testified, assisted or participated in an investigation, proceeding or hearing; and further prohibits anyone from coercing, intimidating, threatening or interfering with an individual for exercising any rights guaranteed under state and federal law.

Annual Notice of Nondiscrimination

CTE Annual Notice of Nondiscrimination

USDA Nondiscrimination Statement

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the State or local Agency that administers the program or contact USDA through the Telecommunications Relay Service at 711 (voice and TTY). Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Mail Stop 9410, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.