Coalition Activities May 20, 2022 - NCWGE letter to Catherine Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education (ED) to request that ED help accomplish many Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) goals before it becomes law.
August 27, 2021 - NCWGE submitted a letter to Congressional leaders, co-sponsors of the Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA), and others to request that they include GEEA provisions in Build Back Better reconciliation legislation to better support the Education Department in implementing Title IX.
June 11, 2021 -
Twenty members of NCWGE sent a comment to the Department of Education on the Title IX regulations addressing sexual harassment, anti-LGBTQ discrimination, and other forms of sex-based discrimination in education.
February 12, 2021 -
In response to many recent attacks on the rights of transgender and nonbinary students to fully and equally participate in all education programs and activities, including in sex-separated activities and facilities, the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education—which includes American Association of University Women (AAUW), Girls Inc., National Women’s Law Center, Women’s Sports Foundation, and YWCA USA—issues the following statement:
December 17, 2020 -
Seventeen members of NCWGE sent a letter to the Biden-Harris transition team outlining our top priorities relating to gender equity in education. The letter covered the following key areas: the Office for Gender Equity, the effects of COVID-19, sexual harassment, discriminatory discipline, pregnant and parenting students, LGBTQ students, athletics, gender- and race-conscious programs, sex-segregated programs, Title IX coordinators, STEM and CTE, minority-serving institutions, and the Equal Rights Amendment.
The Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act (GEEA) of 2019 seeks to address the need for more resources, training and technical assistance to educational entities in order to ensure compliance with Title IX and prevent and reduce sex discrimination in all areas of education. This bill establishes an Office for Gender Equity in the U.S. Department of Education to coordinate activities within the Department and among other federal agencies. Most importantly, GEEA supports the work of Title IX coordinators by providing the annual training, resources, and technical assistance needed to independently and effectively execute their responsibilities. This bill also authorizes competitive grants to K-12 schools, colleges, local educational agencies, and states to support their gender equity work.
Since the Congress passed Title IX, women and girls have made significant strides in education, yet additional action must be taken to achieve equity. NCWGE urges Members of Congress to cosponsor and pass the Gender Equity Act of 2019. All students deserve an equal opportunity to access education and this bill is a step towards realizing this goal.
>> Read the coalition letter
Thirteen member organizations of NCWGE joined to respond to the Department of Education’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Sex in Education Programs or Activities Receiving Federal Financial Assistance, as published in the Federal Register on November 29, 2018. The 13 organizations expressed our opposition to the Department’s NPRM to amend the rules implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) and urge the Department to withdraw the proposal.
>> Read the coalition letter
On September 20, 2017, NCWGE submitted a letter to the Federal Register urging U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to oppose any efforts to repeal, replace, or modify any of Title IX’s regulations or guidance documents. NCWGE continues to support the rigorous enforcement of Title IX. Many students across the nation continue to face discrimination. They deserve, and the law requires, that the U.S. Department of Education works to protect all students from discrimination and provide for equal educational opportunity. Title IX’s regulations and guidance documents, and continued enforcement of the law, are critical to making students’ rights real.
>> Read the coalition letter
In June 2017, NCWGE hosted a briefing on Capitol Hill to launch its latest research report: Title IX at 45: Advancing Opportunity through Equity in Education. This event was organized to coincide with the 45th anniversary of Title IX, recognized each year on June 23. The panel, moderated by Pam Yuen of the American Association of University Women (AAUW), focused on the impact of Title IX and analysis of the findings and policy recommendations highlighted throughout the report. Distinguished speakers at the event included Neena Chaudry of the National Women’s Law Center, Esther Lofgren of the Women’s Sports foundation, Mimi Lufkin of the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity, and Dr. Roberta Rincon of the Society of Women Engineers.
The briefing highlighted how Title IX has helped expand opportunities for women and girls in the critical areas of career and technical education and science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), combat sexual harassment and assault as well as single-sex education programs in schools, support pregnant and parenting students, and emphasize the importance of Title IX coordinators. Title IX has increased opportunities for all students – both male and female – to reach new levels of academic achievement.
Despite tremendous progress by women and girls in education, inequities still exist. Women continue to face serious barriers to entry in many career and technical education programs, remain underrepresented in STEM fields, particularly in computer science and engineering. Over 50 percent of girls and 40 percent of boys in grades 7-12 face sexual harassment, and the most egregious cases of gender inequity are often found at educational institutions that do not have a mandated Title IX coordinator. The briefing sought to highlight the challenges that women and girls still face and actions policy makers could implement to ensure all individuals can earn an education.
Read a summary of NCWGE’s hill briefing held June 20, 2013 in honor of the 41st anniversary of Title IX, "Title IX, Pregnant and Parenting Students, and ESEA: Supporting Young Parents to Achieve Their Educational Goals." It brought together teen parents, advocates, and service providers to explore the promise of Title IX's protections for pregnant and parenting students and to explain the implications of the currently pending Pregnant and Parenting Students Access to Education Act (PPSAE Act). Panelists included Anurima Bhargava, Chief of the Educational Opportunities Section of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and Kimberly Inez McGuire of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health; Lara S. Kaufmann of the National Women’s Law Center moderated the discussion. For more information on rights for pregnant and parenting students, read NCWGE’s report chapter on pregnant and parenting students.
On May 13, 2016, the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education held a briefing on “Women in STEM: Ways to Address Gender Inequity to Advance U.S. Global Competitiveness” at the Senate Dirksen Office Building. Senator Mazie Hirono was the honorary host. The event was cosponsored by the Association for Women in Science, American Association of University Women, and the Society of Women Engineers. Distinguished speakers at the event included Nora Boretti from the U.S. Government Accountability Office; Pamela McCauley with the Association for Women in Science, and Stacie Gregory from the American Association of University Women.
The discussion focused on gender issues facing women in STEM, including an analysis of a recent GAO report which identified 13 potential actions federal agencies could take to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM research, a review of current scientific studies on obstacles to women’s participation in STEM education and careers and an overview of pervasive sexual harassment in STEM fields. This briefing addressed ways to improve data collection and perform compliance reviews that are legally required under Title IX—the federal law that bans discrimination in publicly funded research and education. Each panelist spoke for about 10 minutes, and there was a 15-20 minute Q&A session at the end of the briefing.
There were 45 attendees, which included coalition partners, Congressional Research Service, Government Accountability Office (GAO), and staff from 15 different congressional offices (12 Senate and 3 House). Copies of AAUW reports Solving the Equation and Barriers and Bias were distributed at the sign-in table upon arrival.
For over 40 years, the National Coalition for Women and Girls in Education, a nonprofit organization of more than 50 groups, has worked to raise awareness of the importance of gender equality in education and the vital role Congress and federal agencies play in fully implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
>> AAUW Blog about the briefing: Congress, Here’s How to Make STEM Fields Better for Everyone
On April 21, 2015, NCWGE leaders wrote to officials from the District of Columbia to express concerns with the exclusion of girls from the District of Columbia Public Schools’ (DCPS) Empowering Males of Color (EMC) initiative as well as a paid internship program recently announced by Mayor Bowser as part of the DC Boys and Men of Color Initiative (BMOC). While supporting the DC effort to increase education funding and focus on the needs of children of color, the coalition expressed disappointment that both programs appear to exclude girls. NCWGE believes it is a mistake to exclude girls and that the policy likely violate Washington, D.C.’s Human Rights Act of 1977, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution.
>> Read the coalition letter
NCWGE provided input to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions to adopt an accountability and school improvement framework that will meaningfully improve educational equity and close achievement gaps so that all students graduate high school prepared for 21st Century post-secondary learning and careers. The coalition recommended that the federal government maintain an essential role addressing the needs of the most disadvantaged students and promoting gender equity.
>> Read the coalition letter to the Senate HELP committee
Additionally, NCWGE sent a letter to all Senators urging support for amendments to Every Child Achieves Act (S.1177) including support for: 1) Sen. Blumenthal’s amendment to maintain support and technical assistance for Title IX implementation; 2) Sen. Warren’s amendment to report data that is “cross-tabulated” or segmented by more than one subgroup; 3) Sen. Murray’s high school athletic data collection amendment which will improve gender equity in interscholastic athletics and encourage compliance with Title IX; 4) Sen. Gillibrand’s amendment to increase access to important STEM opportunities for girls; 5) Sen. Udall’s amendment to require state and local education agencies to include expectant and parenting students among other vulnerable populations considered in their Title IA plans; 6 & 7) Sen. Casey’s amendment to implement the goals of the Safe Schools Improvement Act and Sen. Franken’s amendment to implement the Student Non-Discrimination Act which address threats to students’ physical and mental health and to create a positive school climate conducive to learning.
>> Read the coalition letter
On January 28, 2015, NCWGE hosted a webinar for almost 100 education professionals on the recent Department of Education federal guidance to K-12 in public schools that offer or want to offer single-sex classes. In recent years, there has been a growing trend of separating public school students on the basis of sex. This trend raises serious equality and policy concerns and may violate numerous provisions of state and federal law. The webinar was moderated by Erin Prangley from the American Association of University Women and Chair of NCWGE and Lara Kaufman from the National Women’s Law Center and Vice Chair of NCWGE. Amanda Dallo, Title IX Staff Attorney at the Office for Civil Rights, US Department of Education discussed the recent Office of Civil Rights guidance on single sex education and requirements for Title IX. Dr. Sue Klien from the Feminist Majority Foundation, discussed a new report on the prevalence of schools with single sex programing and issued a call to action for more monitoring of single-sex programs in public schools. Galen Sherwin from the ACLU Women’s Rights Project discussed the science which disproves much of the problematic sex-stereotype teaching methods which are not permissible under Title IX, and yet still occurring in public single sex classrooms.
>> View the 2015 webinar
>> View the panel's Powerpoint slides:
In honor of Title IX’s 42nd anniversary, the National Coalition of Women and Girls in Education held a panel discussion on the history and role of Title IX enforcement including recent action taken by the Department of Education and White House Taskforce on Preventing Campus Sexual Assault. The discussion was held on June 19 in the Rayburn House Office Building and featured Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Lisa Maatz of AAUW, Lisalyn Jacobs of Legal Momentum, Neena Chaudhry of the National Women’s Law Center, Dana Bolger of Know Your IX, and Katie Hanna of the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence. Over 80 people attended representing 14 congressional offices and 8 senate offices.
A recent White House Task Force report produced resources to help students better understand Title IX’s role in campus sexual assault. And the newly created website NotAlone.gov details for students what responsibilities schools have under Title IX to respond to sexual violence and aims to ensure that students know their rights and how to file a complaint. The U.S. Department of Education is investigating more than 60 schools for Title IX violations related to sexual violence. When campus environments are hostile because of sexual harassment, assault, or violence, students cannot learn, and they miss out on educational opportunities. Campus sexual assault survivor Dana Bolger helped found a campaign to educate college students about their rights under Title IX. Bolger says that school officials suggested she put her education on hold until after her assailant graduated, but once she learned about Title IX, she realized that the school’s response was inappropriate. She decided to take action and complete her education.
“Historically, students have not understood that they had protections under Title IX or what those protections were,” Lisalyn Jacobs, vice president for government relations at Legal Momentum, said at the NCWGE briefing.
>> AAUW’s blog reporting on the NCWGE briefing
On April 1, 2014, NCWGE cosponsored a webinar with American Federation of Teachers, National Education Association and American Association of University Women on “School Discipline Guidance and Title IX.” The webinar featured Carolyn Seugling and Amanda K. Dallo, Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education; Renee Bradley, Positive Behavioral Interventions Strategies and Supports, U.S. Department of Education; Dr. William A. Howe, State Title IX Coordinator/Civil Rights Compliance Multicultural Education/Culturally Responsive Education CT State Department of Education; Connie Cordovilla, American Federation of Teachers; Donna M. Harris-Aikens and Catherine V. Beane, National Education Association. The webinar had 520 folks registered, 317 attended, 47 states represented, and 281 unique institutions. NCWGE received very positive feedback from participants who appreciated how the discipline guidance relates to the work being done to reduce sex discrimination in schools.
The U.S. Department of Education issued guidance to school districts explaining schools’ obligation under the Civil Rights Act to administer discipline without discriminating on the basis of race, color, and national origin. The webinar discussed schools’ obligations outlined in the discipline guidance, provided suggestions for increasing positive behavior by students and addressing misbehavior when it occurs, and provided an explanation of how the discipline guidance interacts with Title IX, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex by recipients of federal financial assistance in their education programs or activities.
>> View
the 2014 webinar
This important legislation provides resource for college and career readiness for secondary and community college students nationwide. The NCWGE recommendations seek to simplify the equity language in the Carl D. Perkins Act and to provide incentives and accountability to close equity gaps in program participation, completion, achievement and transition in career and technical education (CTE) programs of study.
>> Download the letter
Thanks to complaint initiated by the National Women’s Law Center, City University of New York adopts new policy to protect students who are pregnant and parents.
>> Press release
More than forty years after Title IX outlawed sex segregation in education, women and girls are still sorely underrepresented in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs that are nontraditional for their gender. Click here to see the research.
>> Download PDF
You've heard about Title IX and athletics, but Title IX is about much more! In honor of the 40th anniversary of the law’s passage, NCWGE published a comprehensive report to help give educators, parents, students, and lawmakers a better understanding of Title IX’s impact and challenges that remain in many areas of education, including:
Download complete report [pdf, 3MB]
Download executive summary
Title IX has increased female participation in sports exponentially. In response to greater opportunities to play, the number of high school girls participating in sports has risen tenfold in the past 40 years, while six times as many women compete in college sports. These gains demonstrate the key principle underlying the legislation: Women and girls have an equal interest in sports and deserve equal opportunities to participate.
Despite these advances, hurdles for female athletes remain. Girls and women still have fewer opportunities to participate in school sports than their male counterparts. In addition, different groups are not represented equally: Less than two-thirds of African-American and Hispanic girls play sports, while more than threequarters of Caucasian girls do. In addition to having fewer opportunities, girls often endure inferior treatment in areas such as equipment, facilities, coaching, and scheduling.
Criticism of the effects of Title IX on athletics often springs from misconceptions about how the law works. Title IX does not mandate quotas or demand equal funding for all sports. Nor has opening opportunities for girls and women come at the expense of boys and men; in fact, athletic participation among males has continued to rise over the past 40 years.
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Previous reports and additional links can be viewed at NCWGE Archives. Please note that the data maintained in this archive is for historical and research purposes and may not be the most current. Please contact NCWGE for the most current information.