“Fifty years ago today, Title IX was signed into law, making the sweeping and important promise that ‘No person . . . shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.’
We celebrate all that Title IX has accomplished over the past five decades, while also recognizing the continuing challenges and utmost importance of fully realizing the goals of this landmark legislation.
Title IX has been central to the significant gains that women have made in accessing and succeeding in higher education. The percentage of women holding a bachelor’s degree is four times higher today than before Title IX became law. The number of women earning advanced degrees also has risen substantially, and the share of STEM workers who are women has increased more than three-fold. Women’s participation in intercollegiate athletics has soared, bringing with it many of the additional educational benefits conferred on student-athletes. In 1971, about 30,000 women played sports at the college level—today, that number is more than 200,000.
There are more chapters to be written in the history of Title IX, including by policymakers and educational leaders. Truly delivering on the promise of Title IX will take broad cooperation and hard work. For its part, the Biden administration is revising Title IX regulations, which we hope will be crafted to better support colleges and universities in their efforts to increase educational access and equity for all students.”