*Updated April 9, 2025
On April 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education sent letters to State Education Agencies (SEAs), including ISBE, requiring the SEAs to certify that their schools are in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard as a condition of continued receipt of federal funds. According to the Department’s press release, SEAs will be responsible for reporting on their state’s compliance overall and for collecting certification responses from their K-12 Local Education Agencies. Initially, SEAs had 10 days to respond, but that deadline has since been extended to April 24, 2025. This development is the latest in a series of publications from the Department related to Title VI compliance, including a February 14 Dear Colleague Letter and a February 28 FAQ Document.
ISBE responded to the Department on April 9, outlining its position on the DOE’s request for certification. We will continue to closely monitor this matter. In the meantime, please contact Heather Brickman or Jennifer Rosenberg with any questions.
