Title IX
NEEDLES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Title IX Notification
(Education Code section 221.61)
1. The District’s Title IX Coordinator
Amy Avila Assistant Superintendent/Principal
Needles Unified School District
1900 Erin Dr.
Needles, CA 92363
(760) 326-2191
amy_avila@needlesusd.net
2. Summary of Student Rights (Education Code section 221.8)
(a) You have the right to fair and equitable treatment and to be free from discrimination based on your sex.
(b) You have the right to an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic extracurricular activities, including athletics.
(c) You have the right to ask the athletic director of your school about the athletic opportunities offered by the school.
(d) You have the right to apply for athletic scholarships.
(e) You have the right to equitable treatment and benefits in:
(1) Equipment and supplies
(2) Scheduling of games and practices
(3) Transportation and daily allowances
(4) Access to tutoring
(5) Coaching
(6) Locker rooms
(7) Practice and competitive facilities
(8) Medical and training facilities and services
(9) Publicity
(f) You have access to a gender equity coordinator to answer questions about gender equity laws.
(g) You have the right to contact the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) for information on gender equity laws.
(h) You have the right to file a confidential discrimination complaint with the United States Office for Civil Rights (OCR) or CDE if you believe you have been discriminated against or received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex.
(i) You have the right to pursue civil remedies if you have been discriminated against. (j) You have the right to be protected from retaliation if you file a discrimination complaint.
For more information regarding student rights under Title IX, please visit:
The California Office of Equal Opportunity at
http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/eo/genequitytitleix.asp.
The United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights at
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/title-ix-rights-201104.html.
3. The School’s Responsibilities
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination based on sex in programs and activities of federally funded institutions. School district programs and activities must be operated free from discrimination. Key areas addressed by Title IX include: athletics; sexual misconduct, including sexual harassment and sexual violence; pregnant and parenting students; off-campus activities; recruitment and admission; and employment. Schools must protect against discrimination in these areas. Schools must also prohibit retaliation against any person for opposing an unlawful practice or policy, or filing, testifying about, or participating in any complaint under Title IX.
For more information about schools’ responsibilities under Title IX, please visit:
The California Office of Equal Opportunity at http://www.cde.ca.gov/re/di/eo/titleixnotification.asp.
The United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights at https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/tix_dis.html.
4. How to File a Title IX Complaint
Individuals who believe they have been discriminated against in violation of Title IX may file a complaint with the District or the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). If a crime is involved, such as sexual assault, individuals may also file a report with the local police department. A person may pursue one or all of these avenues at the same time. Below is a summary of each process.
A. District Complaint Time
Requirement:
A complaint with the District must be filed within six months of the discrimination occurring or your awareness of the discrimination (5 CCR 4630(b)).
If you have any questions about this time limit, or if you believe your complaint may be outside this time requirement but want to explore other options, please contact the Title IX Coordinator.
Investigation Procedure:
The complainant will have the opportunity to provide relevant information during the investigation. Within sixty (60) days of receipt of the complaint, the District will provide a written report to the complainant. Complaints alleging discrimination must be filed within six (6) months from the alleged occurrence or when knowledge was first obtained. Complainants may also pursue civil law remedies through mediation centers, the county office of education, and public/private interest attorneys. The District follows Uniform Complaint Procedures established in Board Regulation 5151.1. Copies of the District’s complaint procedures are available free of charge. Requests for complaint procedures or complaints should be directed to the District Office to the attention of the Deputy Superintendent. If dissatisfied with the District's resolution of a complaint, the complainant has the right to appeal to the California Department of Education within fifteen (15) days after the District's report is issued. In a discrimination complaint, the complainant has the right to seek legal remedies (such as court action) when at least sixty (60) days has passed after filing an appeal with the California Department of Education.
Please contact the Title IX Coordinator if you have any questions.
B. OCR Complaint
For information regarding filing a complaint with OCR, please see https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaintintro.html.
OCR provides an online complaint filing system at https://ocrcas.ed.gov/.
OCR can also be contacted through the California regional office at:
Office for Civil Rights
U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
Mail Box 1200, Room 1545
San Francisco, CA 94102
Telephone: 415-486-5555
Email: ocr.sanfrancisco@ed.govTime Requirement:
OCR requires that the complaint be filed within 180 calendar days of the discrimination. Please contact OCR, or visit the websites above, if you have any questions or concerns about this time requirement.
Investigation Procedure:
For information regarding OCR’s investigation process, please see https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/complaints-how.html.