Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Further Update Regarding Title VI Compliance

The purpose of this letter is to share relevant updates to a communication that we shared with you on April 4, 2025.

As discussed in the California Department of Education’s (CDE) April 4, 2025, “Update Regarding Title VI Compliance” (https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/fa/yr25cosoltr0404b.asp), the U.S. Department of Education (ED) requested a certification relating to Title VI within 10 days. Subsequently, ED extended the deadline to April 24, 2025.

Today, California provided its response to ED on behalf of all of California’s local educational agencies (LEAs), which includes that, among other things

• California and its LEAs have previously submitted assurances of compliance with Title VI, which remain in effect, and LEAs have already submitted assurances for the 2024-2025 school year.
• There is nothing in state or federal law—including Title VI—that outlaws the broad concepts of “diversity,” “equity,” or “inclusion.”

A copy of our response is attached.

In addition, on April 9, 2025 in the case of National Education Association, et al, v. United States Department of Education, Case No. 1:25-cv-00091-LM, in the United States District Court for the District of New Hampshire, the parties to that case submitted an agreement to dismiss as moot the Plaintiffs’ Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order relating to the requested certification. Although California is not a party to that case, we understand that, as part of that agreement, ED directed all States to share that agreement, and we are also attaching it here. Under that agreement, ED has agreed that it will not initiate enforcement action, investigation, or otherwise take action based on any State or LEA certification, lack of certification, or communication with ED regarding the certification” until after April 24, 2025.

We recognize that the frequency and volume of federal actions related to education is disruptive to our schools at this critical time of year for our students. Again, we want to applaud all educators and school staff for their focus on moving the needle for student achievement, as well as for everything that you do to support our students, families, and school communities. We will continue to keep the field apprised of the CDE’s responses to federal action. An ongoing list of CDE’s 2025 responses to federal actions is maintained at: https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/fa/

If your local educational agency or school community experiences disruption or other direct impacts to educational services for students as a result of federal action, please continue to reach out to EdReliefFunds@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Signed by

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