ActionPapers

EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT: TITLE IX

“Diversity and equal opportunities are necessary…” _ Myra Elliot (online comment to Wisconsin Women = Prosperity’s Educational Achievement Task Force)

WHY:

• In 1994, 63% of female high school graduates aged 16–24 were enrolled in college, compared to 43% in 1973.
• In 1994, 27% of women earned a bachelor’s degree, compared to 18% in 1971.
• In 1994, women received 38% of medical degrees, compared with 9% in 1972.
• In 1994, women earned 43% of law degrees, compared with 7% in 1972.
• In 1994, 44% of all doctoral degrees to U.S. citizens went to women, up from 25% in 1977.
• In recent years the number of females taking high school algebra, geometry, and calculus is now similar to the number of males taking the same courses.
• Today more than 100,000 women participate in intercollegiate sports, up from 25,000 in 1971.
• In 1995, women made up 37% of athletic program participants, compared to 15% in 1972.
• In 1996, girls constituted 39% of high school athletes, compared to 7.5% in 1971. ¹
• 83 percent of girls have experienced sexual harassment in school; almost 1/3 of all girls were sexually harassed “often.”²
• Where are we in 2005?

WHAT: Ensure compliance with Title IX and advocate for educational equity

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was the first comprehensive federal law to prohibit sex discrimination against students and employees of educational institutions. The regulations implementing Title IX, published in 1975, prohibit discrimination, exclusion, denial, limitation, or separation based on gender. Title IX states:

Title IX regulations explicitly prohibit sex discrimination, which includes harassment. Through Wisconsin Women = Prosperity Regional Solutions Networks (RSNs) you can revitalize local efforts to ensure legal compliance with Title IX. Educational equity is essential to women’s full participation in society and economic prosperity.

HOW:

Work with local individuals and groups in the Regional Solutions Networks to:

• Change culture to expect gender equity in academic performance. Conduct a test of the school, campus, or training environment for students. Use the student and/or parent survey and school administrator and staff checklist developed by AAUW http://www.aauw.org/research/girls_education/hostile.cfm) to better understand the problems of gender discrimination, including sexual harassment.³ Download and use the AAUW guide to Harrassment-Free Hallways (http://www.aauw.org/ef/harass/index.cfm). Also, see WW=P “Educational Achievement: STEM Education”, “Educational Achievement: Media” and the WW=P “Young Women Leaders’ Summit” on March 21, 2005 for more ways to change culture.
• Make sure girls and women are actively engaged in all school learning activities. Replicate “fun” programs, such as Janesville Craig High School’s Dreams Club and organize Young Women’s Leadership Summits to showcase success that can inspire others. (Contact Jennifer Scott, (608) 743–5438; .) Learning from the “Raising the Grade Curriculum” that draws upon successful models developed in Wisconsin and elsewhere in the nation (http://www2.edc.org/WomensEquity/resource/title9/raising/index.htm).
• Insist that local school administrators, regents, union leaders, or school board representatives institutionalize gender equity. Serving all students equitably is not optional or dependent upon “budget.” Title IX requires equitable treatment within existing programs. Be sure to require performance targets and regular reports of results. Because sexual harassment is the most common complaint filed under Title IX, identify ways in which the school can better prevent it.⁴ You have the right and responsibility to make sure students fulfill their learning potential and are protected from violence and harassment at school.
• Provide training to student leaders on how to educate their peers about sexual harassment. Training should outline required components of a school harassment policy, the process for filing a formal complaint, and strategies to deal with the outcomes. As you would with any similar training, offer regular and ongoing sessions.

RESOURCES:

• Craig High School Dreams Club: http://janesville.k12.wi.us/cra/showcase/ontheweb.html
• Raising the Grade Curriculum: http://www2.edc.org/WomensEquity/resource/title9/raising/index.htm
• Wisconsin Technical College System, “Gender Equity Resources,” http://www.wtcsystem.org/Studentserv/genderequityresourcesR.htm.
• Younger Women’s Task Force: http://www.womensorganizations.org/index.cfm
• American Association of University Women: http://www.aauw.org/index.cfm
• National Women’s Law Center: http://www.nwlc.org/
• Programs for Educational Opportunity: http://www.umich.edu/~eqtynet/
• Office for Civil Rights: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

¹ http://womensissues.about.com/od/discrimination/i/titleix.htm Accessed 3/13/2005.
² Hostile Hallways: Bullying, Teasing, and Sexual Harassment in Schools. Report commissioned by the American Association of University Women Education Foundation (2001).
³ Harassment-free hallways: How to stop sexual harassment in schools (American Association of University Women Education Foundation, 2004).
⁴ http://www.aauw.org/research/titleix.cfm. Accessed 3/14/2005.