Information About U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights

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Where to start

If you have concerns about discrimination, one place to start is your school district's local grievance process.  This process allows the district to look into and address concerns locally. 

To raise the concern locally, follow your school district or charter's local grievance process.  Most districts share their grievance steps on their website and in student handbooks. 

  • Timelines are generally 30 days to file a formal grievance, or up to 90 days if you first tried to resolve the issue informally.
  • District of Innovation (DOIs) and open-enrollment charter school timelines are generally 10 to 15 days of when you first become aware of the issue. 

Concerns about discrimination in education programs are addressed through federal civil rights enforcement.

If you believe discrimination has occurred, you can:

  • File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which focuses on resolving concerns involving specific schools or student experiences, file a complaint with OCR.

    Examples of issues OCR may address:
    • A student denied services or accommodations due to a disability
    • Unequal treatment in discipline or access to programs
    • Harassment based on race, sex, or national origin
    • Concerns about how a school handled a specific incident

       
  • Report a civil rights concern to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), which enforces civil rights laws and may investigate broader or systemic issues, report a civil rights violation to DOJ.

    Examples of issues DOJ may address:
    • Patterns of discrimination affecting groups of students across a district
    • Policies or practices that deny equal access to educational opportunities
    • Segregation or civil rights violations requiring legal enforcement
    • Serious or widespread violations that may require court action

Under a strengthened partnership between the two agencies, the Department of Justice may support investigations and enforcement of discrimination cases in education.

Federal civil rights laws prohibit discrimination based on:

  • Race, color, or national origin
  • Sex
  • Disability
  • Age
  • Religion (in certain circumstances)

These protections apply to public schools, school districts, state education agencies, colleges and universities, and other institutions that receive federal education funding.

If you need help, we are here

If you have questions after reviewing this information, a TEA parent liaison can help:

When you leave a voicemail or send an email, please include your first and last name, your phone number, your question, and any relevant details. 

Helpful Tips

  • By law, TEA can only investigate Texas educators for releasing confidential or identifiable student information if they are certified.  If you would like to check whether the person you are reporting holds a Texas education certification, you can search this database using their first and last name.  
  • If you are submitting a complaint to TEA for someone else, TEA will need a FERPA Release Form signed by the parent or adult student.
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