Title IX Coordinator

Date:                            9/14/2020

Reports to:                   Board of Education

Supervises:                 Building Principal’s

Qualifications:             Valid Oklahoma Teacher’s and Administrator’s Certification

Job Goal:                    Coordination of District’s Title IX compliance efforts.

Employment Terms:     12 Month Contract FLSA

Classification:              Exempt

Physical Demands:

This is an overview intended for compliance with the ADA – it is not an exhaustive list of the duties to be performed. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals to perform the essential functions of a specific position.

Regular Requirements: Stand for extended periods; walk; twist at the neck and trunk; bend and reach with hands and arms overhead, above shoulder and horizontally; repetitive use of fingers and hands to grasp and/or operate equipment and demonstrate lessons to students, staff or others; lift/move up to 15 pounds.

Occasional Requirements: Lift/move up to 25 pounds.

Visual Requirements: Close, distance, color, peripheral, depth perception, ability to adjust focus.

Hearing/Speaking Requirements: Exceptional to facilitate training and education of diverse groups and to exchange information.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Responsible for overseeing District’s compliance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
2. Serve as the District’s subject-matter expert on requirements of and compliance with Title IX and related federal and state laws.
3. Pursuant to the Board’s grant of full authority—coordinate the District’s Title IX efforts, including the development, implementation, and monitoring of policies, procedures and practices designed to achieve full compliance with federal and state legislation, regulations, and case law requiring the prompt and equitable resolution of Title IX complaints.
4. Provide ongoing consultation with employees, students and stakeholders regarding Title IX requirements, compliance and grievance processing and resolution.
5. Provide resource referrals to students and staff involved in investigations. 
6. Cultivate relationships and collaborate with a variety of district partners to ensure Title IX policies are communicated to all constituencies.
7. Develop and retain knowledge of federal and state laws and regulations, trends within K-12 related to sexual harassment and other discriminatory practices. 
8. Identify and integrate Title IX best practices into knowledge base and practices.
9. Develop, deliver and oversee culturally responsive educational programs for students, faculty, staff and parents including disseminating educational materials and conducting outreach and training.
10. Organize and maintain all training and complaint records.
11. Develop and implement a case management database to organize, manage, and track Title IX incidents.
12. Coordinate interim measures and accommodations with complainants, respondents, and departments throughout the District.
13. Ensure fair, timely and well-documented Title IX processes; maintain accurate and thorough records and notes of processes.
14. Meet with complainants and respondents, as appropriate, to provide information regarding supportive or interim measures, the complaint process, available resources, interim measures and resolution options. 
15. Maintain and update content for the District’s Title IX Resources website.

To find the slideshow for Professional Development, click here.

To find the slideshow for the Title IX Student Presentation, click here.

OTPS parents and guardians,

We are excited to inform you that our school has enrolled with STOPit, an anonymous online reporting tool designed to deter and mitigate bullying, cyber abuse, sexual harassment, discrimination and other unsafe behaviors. STOPit is available on every student’s school issued Chromebook, and there is also an app available for download to their personal devices.

STOPit has two simple but powerful features:

• Report can be used by students to report incidents to school contacts anonymously.
• Messenger can be used to engage in anonymous two-way communication with trained members of the school administration and counseling team.

Both of these features empower students to stand up for themselves and for one another. Students have the power to help put an end to harmful and inappropriate behavior they see online through social media and other means. They can use STOPit to reach out for help if they or a peer are facing a personal crisis or experiencing bullying or abuse, or if they are otherwise in need of assistance. Our goal with STOPit is to create safer, kinder school communities both online and off.

No student information is needed to use STOPit. The only way personally identifiable information will be accessible through STOPit is if a student voluntarily includes it within the content of a report or message. Both our school and STOPit are committed to protecting the privacy of student data. STOPit is a signatory to the Student Privacy Pledge, spearheaded by the Future of Privacy Forum and the Software & Information Industry Association. You may review STOPit's Privacy Policy for details, including more information on how anonymous reporting works. More information and resources can be found online at stopitsolutions.com.

We are excited to have this as an anonymous reporting tool so all our students have an opportunity to voice their concerns. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 918-443-6000, ext. 6080.

Respectfully,

Kendra Adkins, Assistant Superintendent

TITLE IX INVESTIGATION STEPS

1. Actual Notice: If any employee of the district has notice of conduct that may violate Title IX’s prohibition against sexual harassment, report it to the Title IX coordinator and building principal.
2. Initial Discussion/Supportive Measures: Title IX coordinator contacts the complainant (i.e., the individual alleged to be the victim of harassment) and:
   1. offers supportive measures, and
   2. Explains how to file a formal complaint.
   3. Document what supportive measures were taken or denial of supportive measures by parents.
3. Law Enforcement/DHS/State Dept. of Education Referral: Does the allegation require a law enforcement, DHS referral and/or State Department of Education report?
4. Formal Complaint: To proceed under Title IX, a formal complaint must be submitted by the complainant or the Title IX Coordinator? If no formal complaint, proceed under a different aspect of the student code of conduct. (The Title IX coordinator may proceed with filing the formal complaint.) 
5. Supportive Measures: The Title IX Coordinator determines whether supportive measures are necessary for both parties.
6. Jurisdictional Determination: Determine whether the district has jurisdiction over the subject matter, the people, and the place, event or activity at which the conduct allegedly occurred.
7. Assign Investigator: If the district has jurisdiction, assign an employee to investigate the allegations.
8. Informal Resolution: If the district offers an informal resolution process, determine whether it is appropriate in the matter being investigated. (Informal resolution is not appropriate if the respondent is an employee of the district.) 
9. Notice to Parties: Provide written notice to parties that meets the requirements of 34 C.F.R. 106.45(b)(2).
10. Emergency Removal: Before an emergency removal, the district must perform an individualized risk analysis, determine that an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees justifies removal, and provide the respondent with notice and an opportunity to challenge the decision immediately following removal.
11. Notice of Interviews: Provide notice of interviews that provides the date, time, place, and purpose.
12. Interviews: Interview the complainant and respondent, and any witnesses that may have relevant information to contribute.
13. Evidence: Obtain any evidence that will help the district make a determination (e.g., text messages, emails, social media posts, surveillance video, medical documentation, etc.). This should begin after notice of the possible conduct and continue throughout the investigation.
14. Opportunity to Inspect: Prior to completion of the investigatory report, provide all evidence directly related to the allegation(s) to both parties and their advisors in electronic or hard copy format, and allow both parties ten (10) days to provide a written response. These responses must be considered before finalizing the investigatory report.
15. Report: Write a report that contains all relevant evidence and analyzes the issues under investigation. Witness statements, interview notes and other evidence should be attached as exhibits.
16. Submit Report to Parties: The report must be submitted to the parties and their advisors, and they must be given at least ten (10) days to review and provide written responses. Review the responses and determine whether any aspect of the responses should be added to the report.
17. Submit Report to Decision-Maker: The final report must be submitted to the decisionmaker.
18. Live Hearing (optional): Determine whether a live hearing should be held. 
19. Follow-up Questions: With or without a live hearing, the decision maker must ask each party and any witnesses any relevant questions and follow-up questions, including that challenging credibility, that a party wants asked of any party or witnesses.
    1. Afford each party the opportunity to submit written questions;
    2. Provide each party with the answers; and
    3. Allow for additional, limited follow-up questions from each party. 
20. Outcome Letter: Send a written notice of the determination, that complies with 34 C.F.R. 106.45(b)(7), to both parties.
21. Appeal: Ensure that the parties are aware of their rights to appeal the final determination. If an appeal is filed, follow the steps in district policy.

To find the slideshow made for New Teacher Onboard Training, click here.

Assistant Superintendent

• Title IX Role: Title IX Coordinator
• Duties:
  • Coordinates the district’s Title IX efforts, including the development, implementation, and monitoring of appropriate policies, procedures, and practices to ensure compliance with federal and state law with regard to sexual misconduct
  • Upon receipt of allegations of sexual harassment, ensures that proper reports are made, including to law enforcement, the Department of Human Services, and the State Department of Education
  • Receives reports/complaints of discrimination and harassment (including sexual assault and sexual harassment) and coordinates the investigation of and effective response to such reports/complaints.
  • Contacts reporting party to explain how to file a formal complaint of sexual harassment, and offers supportive measures to reporting and responding parties
  • Makes jurisdictional determinations when complaints are received
  • Assigns investigators or personally investigates
  • Ensures the grievance procedures are adhered to throughout the investigation, including that proper notices are provided to the parties
  • Offers general guidance throughout the investigation

School Site Principals, Assistant Principals and Athletic Director

• Title IX Role: Investigators
• Duties:
  • Conduct reliable, prompt and fair investigations ofsex and gender-based harassment
  • Identify and interview relevant witnesses
  • Provide appropriate notices in accordance with the Title IX regulations
  • Identify and obtain relevant evidence
  • Provide parties an opportunity to inspect the evidence
  • Write an investigatory report that fairly summarizes the evidence
  • Provide parties the opportunity to review the final investigation report and submit responses
  • Consider responses and determine whether responses should be added to investigation report

Superintendent

• Title IX Role: Decision-Maker
• Duties:
  • After receipt of investigative report, allows each party to ask questions, in writing, of the other party, and supplies the answers
  • Makes determination whether district policies and code of conduct violated
  • Determines consequences and remedial actions, if necessary
  • Develops written determination and issues to parties in accordance with Title IX regulations

Either one or more of the following (Lower Elementary Principal), (Upper Elementary Principal), (Middle School Principal), (Middle School Asst. Principal), (High School Principal), (High School Asst. Principal), (Athletic Director). The individuals chosen from this list cannot have participated in the specific investigation being appealed.

• Title IX Role: Appeal Decision-Maker
• Duties:
  • Handles appeals submitted by either party
  • Upon receipt of appeal, notifies parties in writing that appeal has been submitted
  • Gives each party a reasonable, equal opportunity to submit a written statement either supporting or challenging appeal
  • Issues written determination

To find the slideshow for the High School Student Guide to Innappropriate Behavior by Adults Brochure, click here.

To find the slideshow for the Elementary and Middle School Guide to Inappropriate Behavior Brochure, click here.

To find the slideshow for Investigating Sexual Harassment Allegations, click here.

To find the slideshow for Informal Resolutions, click here.