Dear colleague letter: Resource comparability

The document provides detailed and concrete information to educators on the standards set in Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, including information regarding the requirements on educational resources, how OCR investigates resource disparities and what SEAs, LEAs, and schools can do to meet their obligations to all students. Under Title VI, states, school districts and schools must not intentionally treat students differently based on race, color, or national origin in providing educational resources. In addition, they must not implement policies or practices that disproportionately affect students of a particular race, color, or national origin, absent a substantial justification. The law does not require that all students receive the exact same resources to have an equal chance to learn and achieve. It does, however, require that all students have equal access to comparable resources in light of their educational needs.