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Analysis reveals challenges in complaint handling and low enforcement action by OCR amid operational changes.
Here, in the first quarter of 2026, the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights finds itself in an unusual position. It's facing a growing backlog of complaints and historically low public enforcement output. However, it's simultaneously recalling attorneys to stabilize its operations, despite President Donald Trump's stated goal of eliminating the department.
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Eric Lyerly (2026) studied this question.
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