ATIXA’s Policy Platform
Executive Summary
The Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) is a professional organization of 10,000 school and college Title IX coordinators, investigators, and administrators interested in serving their districts and campuses more effectively. It is ATIXA’s mission to address gender equity by bringing Title IX professionals together in collaboration to explore best practices, understand industry standards, share resources, and enhance the profession.
The purpose of this ATIXA policy platform is to identify the core issues and policies that ATIXA values as an organization. It creates a funnel through which ATIXA can determine what advocacy actions to take and what legislation and regulatory initiatives to initiate or support.
The ATIXA policy platform centers on advancing the goal of gender equity in education and, to that end, supports policies and actions in areas including:
- Title IX
- Civil rights for underserved communities in educational institutions
- Educational equity and school climate
While these are broad areas, our level of engagement on specific issues will vary. ATIXA will also annually establish a smaller set of legislative priorities within these areas that will be the primary focus of ATIXA’s policy work.
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Student Loan Deferment for Sexual Violence Survivors Act
Sponsored by Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA), the Loan Deferment Bill (H.R. 7980) would create a federal financial aid repayment exception for victims of sexual violence and would have the U.S. Department of Education create a Federal financial aid repayment deferment for victims of sexual violence who temporarily withdraw from college in order to seek treatment and focus on the victim’s mental and physical health rehabilitation.
Many victims of sexual violence are forced to temporarily withdraw from college for more than six months. Under current law, there is no deferment exception for these victims and thus their withdrawals from college triggers repayment and interest accrual after six months. The Federal Student Aid (FSA) process, in its present form, does in fact cause a discriminatory effect for victims of sexual violence. The process as it stands creates a discriminatory effect by financially punishing victims of sexual assault if they have to withdraw or take a pause to deal with the impact of the sexual assault. These financial penalties amount to discrimination on the basis of sex through the accrual of interest and the loss of the six-month grace period on student loans. Click here to view the full submitted Student Loan Deferment for Sexual Violence Survivors Act (H.R. 7980).
This legislation will be a life-altering change for the better for thousands of survivors of campus sexual violence. Learn more about the acute need, background, statistics of sexual violence, the reason for this bill, and more.
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Want to know even more about this bill and how your support can help? We’ve created a FAQ to walk you though even more information.
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ATIXA linked a Find Your Representative Look-up Tool to make your outreach efforts easier. Enter in your zip code to access the contact information for your Congressperson’s office.
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ATIXA encourages you and your organizations to reach out to your Representatives as a constituent of your state about the Loan Deferment Bill and why this is an important piece of legislation! We’ve put together a letter of support for you to complete and send to make this process even easier!
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Who has sponsored the Loan Deferment Bill so far?
Representative Madeleine Dean
U.S. House of Representatives, 2018 - Present
Serving Pennsylvania's Fourth District
Representative Deborah Ross
U.S. House of Representatives, 2021 - Present
Serving North Carolina's Second District
Representative Katie Porter
U.S. House of Representatives, 2019 - Present
Serving California's Forty Fifth District
Representative Jahana Hayes
U.S. House of Representatives, 2019 - Present
Serving Connecticut's Fifth District
Twenty-One Title IX Related Organizations
View those organizations committed to the Loan Deferment Bill.
Learn MoreSponsored by Representative Mikie Sherrill (D-NJ), the bill would establish a Gender Equity Commission for college sports which would compare how the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) operates men’s and women’s championship tournaments with respect to the treatment of the participating men’s and women’s teams.
A Message from Senator Mazie K. Hirono
A message from Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Title IX. Senator Hirono honors the legacy of Title IX and the success of the law which fights for sex and gender equity in education. While looking forward to the next 50 years of Title IX, Senator Hirono reintroduced the Patsy T. Mink and Louise M. Slaughter Gender Equity in Education Act (S. 2186). The bill would support the implementation of Title IX by providing resources, funding, and training to those in higher education and K-12 support sex and gender equity in education and fully implement Title IX.
Detailed Policy Platform Efforts
Support clear and fair application of Title IX
To this end, ATIXA supports:
- Protecting all students and employees, of any gender, from discrimination on the basis of sex
- Designating a school-based Title IX administrator to oversee Title IX compliance
- Institutions providing training and resources to support Title IX coordinators’ advancement of gender equity in education
- Ensuring equitable access in academic and other areas, including STEM courses, school-related extracurricular activities, scholarships, and research opportunities
- Protecting the rights of pregnant and parenting students to stay in school and have equitable educational opportunities
- Ensuring students have equal opportunities to participate in athletics and related activities
- Ensuring students and employees have adequate protection against sex-based harassment and assault, including requiring schools take immediate and appropriate action in cases of sexual violence and harassment that creates a hostile environment
- Determining when single-sex education and programs/activities are permissible and when it is discriminatory and based on gender stereotypes
- Ensuring transgender students have the right to equal access to educational opportunities, including access to activities and facilities consistent with their gender identity
Support laws, policies, and activities that promote nondiscrimination based on protected classes such as race, sex, disability, and gender identity in education
To this end, ATIXA supports intersectional approaches to the resolution of complaints of discrimination by schools and prohibiting discrimination:
- On the basis of race, color, or national origin in any educational program or activity
- Based on sex in educational programs and activities
- Against transgender and gender-diverse students
- Based on disability in education
Support equitable, healthy, and safe school environments
To this end, ATIXA supports:
- Providing targeted mental health services, particularly those that support students who have been impacted by discrimination or abuse
- Advancing policies that promote positive school climates that are inclusive and free from discrimination
- Requiring educational institutions to establish a comprehensive approach to student mental health, which can include behavioral intervention teams to support student well-being and safety
- Increasing resources for professional development and training for school staff who provide student support services and enforce civil rights compliance
- Offering comprehensive, age-appropriate prevention education and training for students and employees
News & Events
January & February 2023 Policy Corner
Read about a study request by the US Government Accountability Office (GAO) on student survivors of sexual assault and loan repayment.
Read MoreMarch 2023 Policy Corner
Read about ATIXA's written testimony against Bill No. 1256, which would classify false allegations of sexual harassment or discrimination as a Class A misdemeanor.
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View the 50th Anniversary Virtual Congressional Briefing
For the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, ATIXA and our members were honored to collaborate with the Democratic Women's Caucus in a Virtual Congressional Briefing. To view a recording of this historical event, click below.
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ATIXA Written Submission to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
How to Fix Title IX
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ATIXA Written Submission to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
2020 Regulations, a Line by Line Commentary
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ATIXA's Verbal Comments: June 11, 2021 Title IX Live Hearings
Brett A. Sokolow, J.D., President of ATIXA spoke at the live hearings
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ATIXA Written Submission to the Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Increasing Protections for Students, Loan Repayment, Targeted Loan Cancellation Programs, and Other Higher Education Regulations
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ATIXA's Verbal Comments: June 21, 2021 Title IX Live Hearings
Ryan Thompson, Esq., Affiliated Consultant, Publications Committee, and ATIXA Member spoke at the live hearings
Read NowWant to Help with ATIXA’s Legislative Efforts?
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