• submitting to OCR copies of all grievances filed by students alleging sexual harassment or violence, and providing OCR with documentation related to the investigation of each complaint, such as witness interviews, investigator notes, evidence submitted by the parties, investigative reports and summaries, any final disposition letters, disciplinary records, and documentation regarding any appeals.

Conclusion

The Department is committed to ensuring that all students feel safe and have the opportunity to benefit fully from their schools’ education programs and activities. As part of this commitment, OCR provides technical assistance to assist recipients in achieving voluntary compliance with Title IX.

If you need additional information about Title IX, have questions regarding OCR’s policies, or seek technical assistance, please contact the OCR enforcement office that serves your state or territory. The list of offices is available at http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/CFAPPS/OCR/contactus.cfm. Additional information about addressing sexual violence, including victim resources and information for schools, is available from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) at http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/.⁴⁶

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I look forward to continuing our work together to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to learn in a safe and respectful school climate.

⁴⁶ OVW also administers the Grants to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking on Campus Program. This Federal funding is designed to encourage institutions of higher education to adopt comprehensive, coordinated responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Under this competitive grant program, campuses, in partnership with community-based nonprofit victim advocacy organizations and local criminal justice or civil legal agencies, must adopt protocols and policies to treat these crimes as serious offenses and develop victim service programs and campus policies that ensure victim safety, offender accountability, and the prevention of such crimes. OVW recently released the first solicitation for the Services, Training, Education, and Policies to Reduce Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking in Secondary Schools Grant Program. This innovative grant program will support a broad range of activities, including training for school administrators, faculty, and staff; development of policies and procedures for responding to these crimes; holistic and appropriate victim services; development of effective prevention strategies; and collaborations with mentoring organizations to support middle and high school student victims.