April 22, 2021
Dear Superintendent:
I hope this letter finds you well in these challenging times. I write to let you know about current efforts by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to address questions regarding the 2020–21 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)1 survey instrument that OCR published earlier this year, on January 14, 2021.
OCR recognizes that the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected the way many schools provide instruction. To assist local educational agencies (LEA) and schools that have offered virtual instruction for all or part of the school year, OCR has added new instructions and directional indicators to the 2020–21 CRDC LEA- and school-level forms, clarifying how to respond to CRDC items related to virtual, in-person, and hybrid (both virtual and in-person) educational environments.
To prepare for the 2020–21 CRDC, your LEA should use the updated 2020–21 CRDC forms that are available on the CRDC website (http://crdc.ed.gov) and the CRDC Resource Center website (https://crdc.communities.ed.gov/#program). OCR also encourages you to contact the CRDC Partner Support Center for technical assistance via email (crdc@aemcorp.com) or by phone (855-255-6901). The Center is staffed with experts who are here to support you in fulfilling this important responsibility.
As OCR continues to review and respond to inquiries, please know that all of us at OCR recognize the ongoing challenges that state educational agencies, LEAs, and schools have been experiencing due to the shifting dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic. We are grateful for the critical work you do and for the work of the many school administrators, teachers, specialists, and support staff in your district to ensure all students have equal access to education, free from discrimination. This work—and your contributions to the CRDC that will help us learn about this most unusual and difficult period of time—are profoundly important.
Thank you for your ongoing efforts.
Sincerely,
Suzanne B. Goldberg
Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights
400 MARYLAND AVE. S.W., WASHINGTON, DC 20202-1100
www.ed.gov
The Department of Education’s mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global
competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
