Federal Civil Rights Data Delayed by Education Department

Why it matters locally: The delayed release of federal civil rights data from the Department of Education impacts researchers and policymakers in North Carolina who rely on this information to assess compliance with civil rights laws and identify trends within the state's public schooling system.

WASHINGTON – The Department of Education has not released its most recent collection of civil rights data, delaying information on various aspects of public schooling. This data, which details issues including bullying, harassment, and disability services, has typically been made public by the agency. The department collects this information from educational institutions nationwide. Researchers, civil rights advocates, and policymakers commonly use these datasets to identify trends and assess compliance with civil rights laws in schools. Historically, the Education Department has published this data. As of now, the latest collection is six months overdue for public release.