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Ensuring Equal Access
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The Laws Apply to Educational Institutions

The civil rights laws extend to most educational institutions in the nation because most educational institutions receive some type of federal financial assistance. The civil rights laws, therefore, cover:

  • more than 14,000 school districts;
  • more than 5,000 colleges and universities;
  • about 5,000 institutions that confer certificates below the associate degree level, such as training schools for truck drivers and cosmetology schools; and
  • thousands of other entities, such as libraries, museums, vocational rehabilitation agencies, and correctional facilities.

The Laws Apply to Students and Employees

The civil rights laws protect students attending, or applying to attend, our educational institutions, as follows:

  • about 55.5 million students attending elementary and secondary schools; and
  • about 19.1 million students attending colleges and universities.

In certain situations, the laws also protect persons who are employed, or are seeking employment, at educational institutions.

 



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Last Modified: 04/03/2023