U.S. DOE Directive to States to Certify Compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 

On April 9, IASB notified members of the U.S. Department of Education’s (DOE) letters to state education agencies, including the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), requiring that they certify compliance with antidiscrimination obligations under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and the recent U.S. Supreme Court case Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, which prohibits the consideration of race in college admissions, as a condition of receiving federal funding. Shortly after IASB’s message ISBE issued a statement and sent a letter responding to DOE’s demand for certification. In the letter, ISBE stated it had previously provided the required certifications to DOE, and that it would continue to comply with Title VI and Supreme Court cases that interpret Title VI. ISBE also indicated that it would not be collecting assurances from local school districts.

Based on ISBE’s response, local school districts are not required to do anything right now. Questions about ISBE’s actions and potential impact to districts can be directed to ISBE or the board attorney.