NMPED Title IX Reporting

Overview

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in education program or activities, which receive Federal financial assistance. Title IX states: “No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

The New Mexico Public Education Department, including its Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, supports Title IX. The Public Education Department values diversity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, disability, age or sexual orientation in its programs and activities.

TITLE IX and Sex Discrimination Reporting and Complaint Procedures: Procedures for K-12 Settings

On August 1, 2024, new U.S. Department of Education rules implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) went into effect. The new Title IX rules outline prohibitions on sex-based harassment and specific requirements for school districts to respond to complaints of sex-based discrimination.

Schools are encouraged to consult with your district counsel for the latest information on compliance with the updated federal requirements for Title IX.

All school districts and schools that receive federal financial assistance must designate at least one employee to coordinate their efforts to comply with and carry out their responsibilities under Title IX. This person is referred to as a “Title IX coordinator”.

School districts and individual schools are required to publish their Title IX coordinator’s contact information in the district’s and school’s respective notices of nondiscrimination, typically found in any bulletins, announcements, publications, catalogs, application forms, or other recruitment materials. The Title IX coordinator’s contact information should also be prominently posted on the district’s and school’s respective websites. Title IX coordinators for public school districts can also be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) coordinators website.

Filing A Complaint to Grievance Procedure

Parents/guardians have the right to file complaints about matters affecting a child’s education with their local school district. Issues addressing gender harassment, sex discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, sexual harassment, and sexual violence may be considered as part of a violation of the federal Title IX regulations.

All school districts receiving federal financial assistance must designate at least one employee to coordinate their efforts to comply with and carry out their responsibilities under Title IX. This person is referred to as a Title IX coordinator.

Your school district is required to publish your Title IX coordinator’s contact information in your school’s notice of nondiscrimination, typically found in any bulletins, announcements, publications, catalogs, application forms, or other recruitment materials. The Title IX coordinator’s contact information should also be prominently posted on your school’s website. Title IX coordinators for public school districts can also be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) coordinators website.

If there is dissatisfaction with the local school district’s grievance process or outcome, parties may contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

Title IX Trainings

Title IX requires annual school staff training. To support that requirement, the PED offers employee training at this link. The agency has also put together a training to help administrators and Title IX coordinators know their Title IX responsibilities and how to fulfill them. This required training course offers comprehensive education on the updated Title IX Regulations for 2024-25, tailored for all employees. The administrator training is available at this link. Users will need to log in to Catalog to enroll in either training. Login issues or trouble accessing Catalog? Complete a CANVAS help desk ticket.

Please direct additional Title IX inquiries to:

Anne Marlow-Geter, Safe and Healthy Schools Bureau, Anne.MarlowGeter@ped.nm.gov