OCR Releases New Resources Regarding Athletic Programs and Title IX Compliance
Blog
February 27, 2023
On February 17, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) released three new resources regarding equal opportunity in athletic programs under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”). The new resources are designed to help schools, as well as students and parents, evaluate whether an athletic program satisfies the requirements of Title IX.
Specifically, public elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges, universities, and other schools that receive federal funding (collectively, “schools”), have an obligation under Title IX to provide equal athletic opportunities to all students, regardless of sex. As such, schools must effectively accommodate the athletic interests and abilities of their students, regardless of sex, and provide equal opportunity in the benefits, opportunities, and treatment afforded to their athletic teams.