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Educational equity means that each child receives what they need to develop to their full potential. At the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) Educational Equity is a federally mandated monitoring office for the K-12 public school system that monitors civil rights compliance in accordance with the U.S. Department of Education and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) regulations which prohibit:

  • Discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex discrimination, disability, age or religion (Title VI)
  • Discrimination on the specific basis of sex discrimination (Title IX). No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.
  • Discrimination on the basis of disability in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973)
  • Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and fair employment practices (Title VII)

Dispute Resolution Procedure

Federal regulations require that each state adopt procedures for receiving and resolving disputes pertaining to any of the federal Title programs. A dispute includes an investigation by NDDPI, which will result in a determination of findings of facts, conclusions, and reasons for a final decision.  

If a parent, school personnel, or any interested person wishes to file a complaint, please use the following process: 

The written complaint must be sent via mail or e-mail to:

[Specific Title program]
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept 201
Bismarck ND  58505-0440

  • Title I, Parts A & D Title I, Part B 
  • Title II, Part A/Transfer Title III, Part A 
  • Title IV, Part A 
  • Title IV, Part B 
  • Title I, Part C 
  • Title VI, Part A Special Education 

Any complaint must include:

  • Date
  • Name of the district, unit, or individual the complaint is against
  • Name, address, and telephone number of the person making the complaint
  • Detailed description of the complaint, including specific facts
  • Signature of the person making the complaint

Upon receipt of a written complaint, the appropriate NDDPI federal Title director will investigate and issue a written response within 45 calendar days from receipt of the complaint. 

Reconsideration 

Upon receiving a response from NDDPI, the person making the complaint may submit a written reconsideration request to the State Superintendent within 30 days of the date of the Title director’s response. The State Superintendent will issue a final decision within 30 days of the request for reconsideration. Upon receipt of the response from the State Superintendent, the person making the complaint may submit a written reconsideration request to the Secretary of Education, US Department of Education, 555 New Jersey Avenue NW, Washington DC  20208. Within 90 days, the secretary must investigate and resolve the approval of a state’s resolution of a complaint. 

Other Formal Dispute Resolution Procedures 

The North Dakota Century Code, chapter 67-22-01, outlines the dispute resolution rules regarding state and federal funds. 

Regional Office for Civil Rights

North Dakota is part of the Rocky Mountain Region. The regional office is located at:
Andrea Oliver, Regional Manager
HHS/Office for Civil Rights
1961 Stout Street
Room 08-148
Denver, CO  80294
Customer Response Center: (800) 368-1019
Fax: (202) 619-3818
TDD: (800) 537-7697