Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Update Regarding Title VI Compliance

On April 3, 2025, the California Department of Education (CDE) received a letter from the United States Department of Education (ED) Office of Civil Rights requesting that the CDE sign and return a “requested certification” of a “reminder of legal obligations undertaken in exchange for receiving federal financial assistance and request for certification under Title VI and SFFA v. Harvard.”

As we review the requested certification, we want to assure you that the CDE and the local educational agencies (LEAs) in our state that receive federal funds regularly provide assurances that programs and services are and will be in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. California’s LEAs have already submitted such assurances for 2024-2025. In addition,LEA compliance with Title VI and other laws is monitored annually through the state’s federal compliance monitoring process and multiple accountability mechanisms.

The CDE plans to respond to ED on behalf of the state and its LEAs by the requested date, and we will share a copy of our response with you for your information once we have submitted it.

Thank you for your hard work on behalf of all students in the State of California. As we at CDE continue to focus on moving the needle for student achievement, we again commend all California school staff who are maintaining a local focus on the all-important task of serving our students.

Sincerely,

David Schapira
Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction
Chief of Staff
California Department of Education