How to File A Complaint with the Office for Civil Rights at the U.S. Department of Education

Recent changes at the Department of Education will impact how the general public interacts with the Department. Parents Defending Education has received questions related to somewhat conflicting information about the preferred way to file an OCR, or Office for Civil Rights, complaint. 

Prior to February 28, 2025:

The Dear Colleague Letter from Feb 14 instructed people to go through the original PDF method (either email or mail).

Complaints were submitted via a PDF and emailed to [email protected]

Complaints could also be mailed to the Office of Civil Rights, Department of Education. 

The Office has 90 days to respond to a complaint once received.

Post February 28, 2025

The Office for Civil Rights, Department of Education has now launched a submission portal for OCR complaints, at: https://enddei.ed.gov/

Complaints should be submitted through the portal. 

The Office has 90 days to respond to a complaint once received.

The closing of Department of Education OCR Offices:

The Department of Education has announced the closing of field offices in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. Offices in Atlanta, Denver, Kansas City, Seattle and Washington, DC will remain open. Those remaining offices will absorb the complaints from offices that are closing. 

Advocates who have submitted OCR complaints or plan to submit them in the future should continue to follow up with the Department on the status of their filed complaints.