A nonprofit organization is urging the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights to reopen a civil rights investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District, alleging a race-based program violates federal law.
Defending Education requested this week that the department reinvestigate the district after its initial complaint, filed in July 2023, was dismissed.
The complaint targeted LAUSD’s Black Student Achievement Plan, launched in 2021 to improve academic outcomes and well-being for Black students through culturally responsive teaching and expanded family and community engagement.
In 2024, the Office for Civil Rights dismissed the complaint, finding “no evidence of a current violation.”
“Reopening the investigation is necessary to determine whether LAUSD is continuing to administer race-based benefits to ensure the district is complying with federal civil rights law,” Defending Education told The Center Square in an email.
