Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/458422
A T H R E E - P A R T T E S T for participation opportunities determines whether schools provide students with equal athletic opportunities. To comply with Title IX schools must pass one of these three tests: 1. Proportionality: The first test compares the ratio of female to male participants in the athletic program with the ratio of female to male full-time students. If the resulting ratios are equal, the school is most likely in compliance in this area of Title IX. 2. History and Continuing Practice: Has your school shown a history and continuing practice of program expansion for the underrepresented sex? The courts have been firm in noting that the word "continuing" is important when using this test. Many schools added women's teams in the 1970s but either kept the status quo or decreased opportunities later on. 3. Effectively Accommodating Interests and Abilities: Educational institutions that offer athletic programs are required to effectively accommodate the interests and abilities of their students. Under Title IX, these institutions must provide opportunities for individuals of each sex to participate in sports, as well as provide those individuals with competitive team schedules. IS YOUR SCHOOL IN COMPLIANCE? Jane Grace and her students play the arcade game Dance Dance Revolution during PE. 41 V O L U M E 1 9 I S S U E 6