Skip To Main Content

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in education programs and activities that receive federal funding. Title IX applies to all Santa Barbara Unified School District programs and activities.

What Title IX Prohibits

Title IX covers, among other things:

Sex-based harassment and sexual harassment (including sexual violence). Unwelcome conduct of a sexual nature, sexual violence, and gender-based harassment.

Recruitment, admissions, and counseling. Recruitment materials, admission forms, class and career selection materials, admission of students, and counseling services.

Financial assistance. Procedures and practices for awarding financial assistance to students.

Athletics. Nondiscriminatory participation based on student interests and abilities; equal opportunities in equipment, supplies, training facilities, recruitment, and support services; and equitable financial assistance.

Marital or family status; pregnant or parenting students. Different treatment on the basis of parental, family, or marital status; exclusion from educational programs or activities based on pregnancy, childbirth, or lactation; and reasonable accommodations for lactating students.

Discipline. Imposing consequences based on sex, gender identity, or failure to conform to stereotypical gender expectations.

Schools, classes, and extracurricular activities. Providing programs separately on the basis of sex, or requiring or refusing participation on the basis of sex.

Employment. Employment, recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, leave, benefits, and selection for employment, including on the basis of pregnancy or marital status.

Retaliation. Against anyone who has reported, investigated, filed, or participated in a Title IX complaint.

For more detailed information, see the Title IX Resource Guide from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, and the California Department of Education's Gender Equity/Title IX page.

Your Rights Under Title IX

Under California Education Code section 221.8, you have the right to:

  • fair and equitable treatment, without discrimination based on sex;
  • an equitable opportunity to participate in all academic and extracurricular activities, including athletics;
  • inquire of the athletic director or your school as to the athletic opportunities offered by the school;
  • apply for athletic scholarships;
  • receive equitable treatment and benefits in the provision of equipment and supplies, scheduling of games and practices, transportation and allowances, tutoring, coaching, locker rooms, practice and competitive facilities, medical and training facilities and services, and publicity;
  • access the District's Title IX Coordinator to answer questions regarding equity;
  • contact the California Department of Education and the California Interscholastic Federation for information on gender equity laws;
  • file a confidential discrimination complaint with the U.S. Office for Civil Rights or the California Department of Education if you believe you have been discriminated against or have received unequal treatment on the basis of your sex;
  • pursue remedies for discrimination; and
  • be protected against retaliation for filing a discrimination complaint.

Notice of Nondiscrimination

We are committed to schools that are free from unlawful discrimination and to providing equal educational opportunity for all students. We prohibit discriminatory practices whose purpose or effect is to negatively impact a student's academic performance or to create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment. We promote programs designed to eliminate discriminatory practices in all District activities.

Any student who engages in discrimination against another student or any person connected to the District may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion. Any employee who permits or engages in discrimination may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

Site Title IX Coordinators

At Santa Barbara Unified, the principal at each school site serves as the Title IX Coordinator for that school. If you have a concern about sex-based conduct at a school, contact the principal at that school directly. Principal names, phone numbers, and email addresses are available in our School Directory.

You do not have to raise your concern with the site principal before filing a formal complaint.

For District-wide Title IX questions, or for Title IX matters not tied to a specific school, contact Student & Family Services:

Santa Barbara Unified School District Student & Family Services 720 Santa Barbara Street Santa Barbara, CA 93101 (805) 963-4338, ext. 6278 or 6208 (English and Spanish) titleixucp@sbunified.org

How to File a Formal Complaint

To file a formal Title IX complaint, use the District's Complaint Form. Our Complaint Procedures page describes the process, the statute of limitations, how the complaint will be investigated, and how you can pursue your complaint further, including how to file with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights.

Athletics Participation Data

Under California Education Code section 221.9, we publish the following information at the end of each school year: total enrollment at each school classified by gender, the number of students at each school participating in competitive athletics classified by gender, and the number of male and female teams at each school classified by sport and by competition level. Current data.

Governing Policies

  • BP/AR 5145.71 Title IX Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures (student)
  • BP/AR 4119.12 Title IX Sexual Harassment Complaint Procedures (employee)

Title IX Training Materials

Federal Title IX regulations at 34 CFR 106.45(b)(10) require us to make publicly available the training materials used to train our Title IX Coordinators, investigators, decision-makers, and informal resolution facilitators. Access Title IX training materials here.