Office for Civil Rights (OCR), U.S. Department of Education serves student populations facing discrimination and the advocates and institutions promoting systemic solutions to civil rights problems. An important responsibility is resolving complaints of discrimination. Agency-initiated cases, typically called compliance reviews, permit OCR to target resources on compliance problems that appear particularly acute. The U.S. civil rights laws extend to most educational institutions in the nation, since most educational institutions receive some type of federal financial assistance. They protect large numbers of students attending, or applying to attend, our education institutions. One important way that OCR carries out its responsibilities is by resolving complaints filed by students, parents and others. The person or organization filing the complaint need not be a victim of the alleged discrimination, but may complain on behalf of another person or group. Generally, OCR will take action only with respect to those complaints that have been filed within 180 calendar days of the last act of alleged discrimination, or where the complaint alleges a continuing discriminatory policy or practice.
