New London schools have to make changes to Title IX policy after review

The Department of Education said the New London School District will need to take steps to address their handling of sexual assault cases.

Education officials said they've resolved a compliance review that found the district violated Title IX by not ensuring adequate coordination and oversight in recent years.

The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights said the school district failed to adopt and publish Title IX grievance procedures, and failed to respond equitably to complaints of employee-involved sexual harassment during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years.

Officials found that New London Public Schools failed to maintain their Title IX responsibilities by not independently investigating students' sexual harassment allegations.

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The department said the school district did not investigate harassment claims or provide appropriate support for victims and the school community.

As a result, the resolution agreement says the school district will now have to take the following course of action:

Revise the district’s Title IX grievance procedures to ensure compliance with the Title IX regulation and consistency across related policies and procedures.
Modify the district’s current recordkeeping procedures to comply with the Title IX regulation.
Provide the Office of Civil Rights with the district’s response to all reports and formal complaints of sexual harassment between the 2021-2022 and the 2024-2025 school years.
Prepare a written description of the Title IX Coordinator(s)’s responsibilities to ensure compliance with the Title IX regulation and overall coordination of Title IX responsibilities.
Conduct annual Title IX training for all district administrators, staff, Title IX Coordinator, investigators, decision-makers and any person who facilitates an informal resolution process.
Issue a student climate survey to district students in grades 6-12 to assess a need for additional changes.

“New London Public Schools’ agreement today addresses serious noncompliance with Title IX that had left district students vulnerable to unredressed – and sometimes serial – sexual harassment from employees as well as other students,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon said in a statement.