New data indicate inequities in education remain stark nationwide.

U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released data from its 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collections (CRDC), which schools nationwide are required to submit. According to OCR, the 2021-22 CRDC contains information from over 17,000 school districts and over 98,000 schools.

"The newly released data show that we cannot be complacent – that inequities in access to educational opportunities based on race, sex, and disability persist in school opportunities ranging from the number of STEM courses offered to our students to students’ experiences of suspensions in school,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

Reports, Snapshots & Key Findings

OCR released the following reports and snapshots:

1. A First Look: Students’ Access to Educational Opportunities in the Nation’s Public Schools 
2. An Overview of the U.S. Department of Education’s 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection
3. Civil Rights Data Quality from Start to Finish
4. Public-use data file for the 2021-22 CRDC

The following are a few of the key findings included in "A First Look":

• "The enrollment rates of public high school students with disabilities served under IDEA in
  mathematics, science, and computer science courses were lower than the enrollment rates of public high school students in all courses, except for Algebra I."

• "Although students with disabilities represented only 17% of K-12 student enrollment, 24% of students confined in justice facilities were students with disabilities."

• "Students with disabilities served under IDEA represented 14% of K-12 student enrollment, but 28% of students mechanically restrained, 68% of students secluded, and 76% of students physically restrained."

• "Preschool children with disabilities served under IDEA represented 23% of preschool enrollment, but 41% of preschool children who received one or more out-of-school suspensions and 74% of preschool children who were expelled."

• "Students with disabilities represented 17% of K-12 student enrollment, but 27% of students who received one or more in-school suspensions, 29% of those who received one or more out of-school suspensions, and 24% of those who received expulsions."

• "Students with disabilities attending public school were overrepresented in referrals to law enforcement and school-related arrests."

• • "Students with disabilities served under IDEA represented 14% of total K-12 student enrollment, but 25% of students referred to law enforcement and 25% of students subjected to school related arrests."

• • "Students with disabilities served only under Section 504 represented 4% of total K-12 student enrollment, but 5% of students referred to law enforcement and 5% of students subjected to school-related arrests."

• "Public school students with disabilities served under IDEA were underrepresented in receiving
  corporal punishment."

• • "The 12% of students with disabilities served under IDEA who received corporal punishment was less than their 14% of total K-12 student enrollment."

• "White students attending public schools were overrepresented in reports of being harassed or bullied on the basis of disability."

• • "White students represented 45% of total K-12 student enrollment, but 56% of students who reported being harassed or bullied on the basis of disability."

• "Public school students reported to school employees more than 143,000 allegations of harassment or bullying on the basis of sex, race, sexual orientation, disability, or religion."

• • "11% of the allegations involved harassment on the basis of disability."

• "Students with disabilities served under IDEA accounted for 14% of the total student enrollment, but 5% of students in dual enrollment or dual credit programs."

• "Students with disabilities served only under Section 504 were also overrepresented among reported nonbinary students. Students with disabilities served only under Section 504 accounted for 4% of total K-12 enrollment, but 7% of reported nonbinary students enrolled."

• "Students with disabilities served under IDEA were not significantly over- or under-represented among reported nonbinary students."

New Data Categories

The 2021-22 data collection marks the first time OCR has collected data on the following:

• Nonbinary Student Enrollment
• Religious Harassment Disaggregated by Perceived Religion
• Reported Incidents of Rape or Attempted Rape or Sexual Assault Committed by School Staff and How the District Responded