Office of Career and Technical Education

Federal Legislation

Guidelines: These guidelines explain the civil rights responsibilities of recipients of Federal funds offering or administering vocational education programs.

Title IX (sex/gender):  The Education amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex/gender  in education programs receiving or benefiting from federal financial assistance.  The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare issued regulations implementing Title IX in 1975.

Sexual Harassment Guidance:  Harassment of Students by School Employees, Other Students, or Third Parties.  The Guidance provides information regarding the standards that are used by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR), and that should be used to investigate and resolve allegations of sexual harassment of students engaged in by school employees, other students (peers)

Section 504 (disabilities):  The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.  The Department of Health, Education, and Welfare issued regulations implementing Section 504 in 1977.

Americans with Disabilities Act:  Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public entities.  It extends the prohibition of discrimination in federally assisted programs established by section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to all activities of state and local governments, including those that do not receive federal financial assistance.  Effective date: January 26, 1992.

Section 508:  Standards which Federal agencies must follow in constructing their own web pages.   The Department of Justice has information about accessible web page design in an April 2000 report to the President.   The General Services Administration hosts an online course for web developers interested in accessible web design.  This program was developed in conjunction with the Access Board, the Department of Justice, and the Department of Education and provides an interactive demonstration of how to build accessible web pages.  This course is available at www.section508.gov.