Language Assistance 
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The obligation not to discriminate based on race, color, or national origin requires public schools to take affirmative steps to ensure that limited English proficient (LEP) students, now more commonly known as English Learner (EL) students or English Language Learners (ELLs), can meaningfully participate in educational programs and services, and to communicate information to LEP parents in a language they can understand.
The following materials include information for students and parents, OCR guidance and resources for education officials about their obligations to EL students and LEP parents, and added resources with related information.
For Students and Parents
Fact Sheet, Ensuring English Learner Students Can Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs (Jan. 2015) PDF (443K)
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Translations: Arabic PDF (216.11K), Cambodian PDF (541K), Chinese simplified PDF (605K) and traditional PDF (629K), Hmong PDF (372K), Korean PDF (396K), Laotian PDF (650K), Spanish PDF (271K), Russian PDF (689K), Tagalog PDF (437K), Vietnamese PDF (660K)
Fact Sheet, Information for Limited English Proficient Parents and for Schools and School Districts that Communicate with Them (Jan. 2015) PDF (547K)
Translations: Arabic PDF (150.22K), Cambodian PDF (116K), Chinese simplified PDF (559K) and traditional PDF (576K), Hmong PDF (439K), Korean PDF (343K), Laotian PDF (484K), Russian PDF (573K), Spanish PDF (194K), Tagalog PDF (427K), Vietnamese PDF (547K)
- Pamphlet, Provision of an Equal Education Opportunity to Limited-English Proficient Students (Aug. 2000)
Resources Available in Other Languages
For Education Officials
OCR Policies
Dear Colleague Letter, English Learner Students and Limited English Proficient Parents (01/7/2015) PDF (503.28K)
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Translations: Arabic PDF (656.20K), Chinese simplified PDF (672.70K) and traditional PDF (731.61K), Spanish PDF (553.20K), Tagalog PDF (651.50K), Vietnamese PDF (696.35K)
- Memo, Obligations to National-Origin Minority Students (09/27/1991) PDF (7.86M)
- Memo, Language Minority Investigations (12/03/1985; reissued 04/06/1990) PDF (206K)
- Memo, Language Minority Compliance Procedures (09/11/1984) PDF (5.83M)
- Memo, Discrimination on the Basis of National Origin (05/25/1970) PDF (605K)
Self-Evaluation Materials
- Office of English Language Acquisition English Learner Toolkit
- Programs For English Language Learners (Nov. 1999) PDF (732K) - Resource Materials For Planning and Self-Assessment: (1) Overview, (2) Developing EL Programs, (3) Program Evaluation, (4) Glossary, (5) Resources List
Enforcement Activities
- OCR’s Recent EL Case Resolutions and OCR’s Success Stories
- U.S. Department of Justice Recent EL Cases and Settlements
Related Resources
U.S. Department of Education Resources
- Department Notice of Language Assistance
- Office of English Language Acquisition
- Title III – English Language Acquisition Grant Program
- Guide to U.S. Department of Education Programs (federal funding)
- Civil Rights Data Collection (school and district equity data)
U.S. Department of Education Funded Resources and Partnerships
- National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition (NCELA)
- Equity Assistance Centers (technical assistance)
Other Resources
- LEP.gov (federal interagency website on limited English proficiency)
- U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division
- Educational Opportunities Section
- Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (includes LEP resources)
