Office for Civil Rights Updates Resolutions Listings on Site for First Time Since January 2025
U.S. Dept. of Education's Office for Civil Rights quietly updated its “Office for Civil Rights Recent Resolution Search” section on its website—marking its first update since January 2025
United States Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) quietly updated its “Office for Civil Rights Recent Resolution Search” section on its website—marking its first update since January 2025.
While this update is a step forward, it is far from complete—and does not reflect all of the findings made, and agreements entered into, between January 1, 2025, and today.
Why it Matters
OCR’s resolution agreements offer transparency into how the agency enforces federal civil rights laws. These records are essential for educators, parents, and students to understand how complaints are resolved and what systemic issues are being addressed.
The six-month gap implied a possible slowdown—or worse, a lack of public accountability. It also placed an unfair burden on families, who had to rely on school districts to disclose the outcomes of investigations involving their own wrongdoing.
Why it isn't Complete
January 16, 2025, OCR issued a letter of findings and entered into a resolution agreement with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), Virginia, regarding serious civil rights concerns. Yet neither the findings nor the agreement are listed in OCR’s updated resolution database.
This raises questions:
How many more resolution agreements from 2025 (and before 2025) are still missing?
Why are they absent?
What is the process and timeline for uploading them?
Some might argue these agreements are under legal review before publication. However, OCR has not publicly explained the delay, and in the past, similar agreements have been posted within weeks of finalization—such as in the case of OCR's November 30, 2022, findings against FCPS and its November 29, 2022, agreement with FCPS.
Meanwhile, OCR’s separate webpage listing "Pending Cases Currently Under Investigation" has not been updated since January 14, 2025.
What’s New Now?
Between January and June 30, 2025, 35 of the 53 resolved cases posted relate to disability discrimination—highlighting how students with disabilities continue to represent a major share of civil rights violations in education.
Breakdown of the disability-related resolutions:
Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE): 17
Accessibility: 8
Denial of Benefits: 2
Accessibility – Website/Online Courses: 1
Academic Adjustments: 1
Discipline: 1
Discrimination Prohibited: 1
Effective Communication: 1
Procedural Requirements: 1
Retaliation: 1
Service Animal: 1
Other/Unspecified: 3
The fact that two-thirds of posted resolutions involved disability discrimination reinforces long-standing concerns about how schools serve students with disabilities—and how often they fall short of meeting their legal obligations under IDEA and Section 504. It also suggests OCR is resolving more disability-related cases, though we still don’t know how many are left unpublished.
Final Words
Something is better than nothing—but delayed access to information hurts parents, educators, and students who need timely updates to make informed decisions and advocate effectively.
OCR’s credibility depends on transparency. Timely posting of resolution agreements is not optional—it’s essential. Continued delays erode trust, especially after 2025’s controversial closure of regional OCR offices.
Some may argue that internal restructuring justifies the delay. While reorganization can disrupt workflows, that does not excuse omitting key agreements—especially when OCR continues to publicly state its commitment to civil rights enforcement. Others might claim the missing agreements will be posted later, but without a public explanation or timeline, stakeholders are left in the dark.
Reorganization doesn’t justify silence. If OCR is truly restructuring for efficiency, it should be faster and more transparent—not slower and more opaque.
For parents and educators, these agreements are more than paperwork—they show whether a school is being held accountable and whether students’ civil rights are being protected.
OCR’s partial update is a welcome sign, but the absence of major agreements and the silence around it is cause for concern. Transparency isn’t a luxury—it’s a legal and moral obligation. The coming weeks will reveal whether OCR is recommitting to public accountability—or merely adjusting the window dressings.
Thank you, Callie, for your ongoing and dedicated advocacy. It is very much appreciated.
Enlightening! Not surprising. We must do everything within each of our abilities to stop this planned, organized, and ongoing assault on our students.