Title IX Resource GuideThe U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights has released a new guidance package on Title IX coordinators. Every US college, university, and school district — i.e. K-12 schools– that receives federal financial assistance has to have at least one employee who coordinates Title IX compliance. This package helps clarify that coordinator’s roles and responsibilities, as well as ways that schools should support the work of their Title IX coordinators. Improving schools’ responses to sexual violence is central to supporting survivors. It also communicates that these institutions will not tolerate sexual violence, which is a crucial component of comprehensive sexual violence prevention.
The package includes detailed information about Title IX coordinators’ roles and responsibilities, which can help rape crisis centers collaborate more effectively with the schools in which they work. The guidance documents describe the scope and administrative requirements of Title IX, as well as recommendations and discussion of key related issues. They also urge institutions to do as much as possible to eliminate conflicts of interest for Title IX coordinators, and to support Title IX coordinators through promoting their visibility and providing for their training. Rape crisis centers may be able to use these recommendations to support their efforts to train and partner with schools, colleges, and universities.
Hopefully, this resource packaged will help Title IX be a more effective tool for ensuring that sexual harassment and violence are not tolerated in our schools.