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Title IX Compliance
Meet all your Title IX requirements using the McGrath Response System™, including training for your designated leaders (coordinators, investigators, decision-makers, informal resolution facilitators), staff and students
What is Title IX?
Title IX requires K-12 schools to ensure that students and employees are not subjected to discrimination on the basis of sex in any education programs or activities that receive federal funding. This includes providing equal opportunities and access to educational and extracurricular activities for all students, preventing and addressing sex discrimination including sex-based harassment and misconduct, having clear and effective grievance procedures, and offering support to all parties involved. Schools must designate a Title IX Coordinator to oversee compliance efforts on Title IX rights and responsibilities including prevention, training, investigations, supportive measures, and remedy.
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Title IX regulations are continually evolving with the most recent updates in 2020 and 2024. Educational institutions must be in compliance with the 2024 regulations by August 1, 2024.
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2024 Title IX regulations require training for your designated leaders (coordinators, investigators, decision-makers, appeals officers, informal resolution facilitators) prior to engaging in this work. Training must be provided upon hire and if a new assignment is given in which the employee’s role is related to Title IX procedures. Annual awareness training must be provided to ALL school employees.
Our comprehensive McGrath Response System™ addresses ALL Title IX requirements.
Our approach helps school administrators get the knowledge, skills, and tools they need to rest easy at night. We’ve helped over 250,000 administrators and we can help you, too.
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We help your team understand what is required of them legally – and how to fulfill that responsibility well.
We provide frameworks, forms, and checklists – all with layman terminology that’s easy to use. Even better, the same McGrath Response System™ that addresses Title IX also handles bullying and discrimination so your staff does not have to juggle different approaches or tools.
Get the Title IX Support You Need
While the vast majority of school administrators desperately want to prevent sexual discrimination including sex-based harassment and sexual misconduct or abuse from happening in their schools, many are unaware or perhaps overwhelmed by the sheer responsibility and legal requirements for areas like Title IX. That’s because most administrators were trained to be educators – not incident or complaint investigators. 


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Our team at McGrath can help make things simple.
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Sadly, sex-based discrimination including sexual harassment and abuse occur every day in schools across the country. Failing to proactively prevent and respond sends negative ripple effects far beyond the immediate individuals affected, and can even lead to multi-million dollar lawsuits. 


Let us help you take steps to prevent these incidents and be ready to investigate them if they do happen.
 

We offer a personal and customized experience end-to-end. From our first call, you’ll talk to a qualified professional who will help co-design a training program for your specific needs. We have a wide variety of courses and trainings – including remote, hybrid, and in-person, so you can find the right Title IX training solution.
Title IX Requirements and Best Practices
Title IX Coordinator Training
Title IX Coordinators are responsible for overseeing Title IX compliance within their organization and must annually receive comprehensive training on Title IX regulations, procedures, and best practices.
McGrath’s Intake & Investigation Foundations Course ensures your Title IX Coordinator understands your school’s legal requirements and equips them with the knowledge, tools, and skills they need to effectively perform their role.
Title IX Coordinators, Investigators, Decision-Makers, Informal Resolution Facilitators, Supportive Measures Review Administrator, and Appeals Officers
Title IX complaints require a number of roles. Any individuals involved in the investigation and adjudication of Title IX complaints, such as Title IX Coordinators, Investigators, Decision-Makers, Informal Resolution Facilitators, Supportive Measures Review Administrator and Appeals Officers also benefit from specialized training to ensure fair, impartial and thorough handling of cases. While best practice is to have a team approach, one individual may hold several of these roles simultaneously.
McGrath’s Intake & Investigation Foundations Course thoroughly prepares your designated leaders for their roles in the intake and investigation of Title IX complaints.
Training for ALL School Employees
2024 Final Rule requires that 100% of a school’s staff be trained annually. School personnel, including administrators, teachers, counselors, and support staff, are required to undergo training on Title IX requirements, recognizing and reporting sex discrimination and sex-based harassment, discrimination, and understanding the school's policies and procedures.
McGrath's 90-minute Staff Awareness and Response Training teaches staff how to identify the early warning signs of harassment, abuse and discrimination and how to make a report.
Maintain Training Documentation
Title IX requires schools to maintain records of training for their designated leaders. 2020 regulations require that schools publicly post Title IX training materials while the 2024 regulations do not require that training materials be publicly posted. Training materials must be made available on request for inspection by members of the public.
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All graduates of McGrath's Intake and Investigations Course for designated leaders receive a course completion certificate. McGrath will provide materials for inspection by members of the public as requested.
Unbiased Investigations and Decision-Making
Investigators must be free from conflict and unbiased.
Identifying unbiased investigators and decision-makers is often very hard for small to medium-sized districts to comply with. McGrath offers third-party consulting services for investigation and decision-making.
Keep Records Pertaining to Title IX Complaints for 7 Years
Title IX requires schools to keep all records that pertain to a Title IX complaint for at least 7 years.
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McGrath recommends maintaining records indefinitely. Our Intake & Investigation Foundations Course thoroughly explains all requirements and provides tools and forms to comply.
Maintain Training Records
Schools are required to maintain records of training activities, including attendance and content covered, as part of their compliance efforts. Records must reflect the training was completed (as opposed to made available or optional).
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All McGrath Response System™ Courses provide attendance records, content covered and graduation certificates.
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Provide Age-Appropriate Student Awareness Training
Title IX suggests but does not explicitly require training for students. However, student awareness training is a well-accepted best practice and most school districts’ local policies include specific language requiring age-appropriate training in sex discrimination including sex-based harassment, how to report incidents, and how the school will respond to reports of sexual harassment or discrimination.
McGrath’s age-appropriate Student Awareness and Response Training is designed to fit within standard class periods and can easily be configured to align with your district’s specific policies. It’s also convenient with asynchronous online delivery, engaging content, and built-in pre and post learning validation.
*It’s important to note that Title IX training requirements may change over time due to updates in federal regulations or state laws. The McGrath Response System™ was developed by an attorney specialized in working with K-12 schools specifically to address compliance and training needs. The information and infrastructure contained within McGrath Courses and tools are general in nature and not intended to be a substitute for professional or legal advice from a licensed professional.
Risks of Noncompliance
The risks to a school district of not being compliant with Title IX include:
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Potential legal consequences, such as investigations, lawsuits, and financial penalties;
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Damage to the district’s reputation and community trust;
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Disruption to education and diversion of resources;
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Harm to student well-being and morale;
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Long-term impacts on the district’s educational mission and goals.
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Federal Title IX regulations have “the force of law” behind them and school districts that fail to comply can lose the funding they receive from the federal government. The Department of Education also conducts compliance reviews of how K-12 schools and districts handle cases of sexual assault. These consequences are in addition to the millions of dollars in civil claims that school districts may pay out for non-compliance if an incident happens on their watch.
