
Preventing and Remedying Race, Color, and National Origin Discrimination in Schools: A Primer on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Every school in the United States—public or private—that receives federal financial1 assistance is required to comply with federal civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI). Title VI protects all students from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. This means that students across America have a federally protected right to receive an education in a school that does not permit discrimination against them, regardless of whether they are, for instance, a Black student in a rural town in the Midwest, a White student in Los Angeles, a student in South Carolina who immigrated without legal documentation, or any other combination of race, color, or national origin in any locale.
Widespread racial and national origin-based disparities in educational opportunities exist across the nation, including in areas such as teacher quality, access to rigorous courses, access to technology, and funding. Creating an educational environment free of discrimination based on race, color, or national origin requires states, districts, and schools to plan and implement professional development to help ensure that all education leaders, including teachers and staff, are aware of and comply with Title VI. Education leaders should also engage in a proactive and comprehensive review of state, district, and school policies and practices to ensure that they comply with Title VI.
Schools serve as engines of our nation’s democracy, society, and economy, preparing students to be college and career ready and engaged civic participants. For schools to meet these aims, educators must create schools and districts that provide equal educational opportunities so that all students have full access to all of the benefits and programs in their schools. Our nation’s civil rights laws aim to ensure that equal educational opportunities are not merely an aspirational goal but also the lived reality of all students.