Meet NCYL’s Students’ Civil Rights Act. Model legislation to help states protect students from discrimination and build the authority to enforce their rights.
The model legislation
Start with the core bill, then use the companion sections that fit your state. Each section includes Word and PDF downloads plus a direct link to the companion toolkit guidance.
Model language to prohibit education discrimination, including harassment and retaliation, and establish state authority to enforce students’ civil rights. The core bill sets out agency powers, a complaint process, remedies, and a private right of action.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language for guidance and training to help education employees identify, prevent, and address discrimination. Includes a publicly available model training program and training requirements for elementary and secondary education employees.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language for coordination between the state attorney general’s office, civil rights agency, and education agencies. Addresses investigations of systemic discrimination, information sharing, technical assistance, and input from impacted communities.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language for collecting and publishing education civil rights data, reporting on enforcement activities, and evaluating state efforts. Includes disaggregated data and protections for confidential and personally identifiable information.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language to strengthen state protections for students with disabilities in public schools. Addresses nondiscrimination, a free appropriate public education, evaluation and placement, services, accessibility, and effective communication.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language to protect equal access to public education regardless of a student’s or family’s immigration status. Addresses exclusionary practices and safeguards for school communities in the context of immigration enforcement.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language to support English Learners’ access to education and meaningful communication with limited-English proficient families. Addresses language instruction and language assistance services, including translation and interpretation.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Model language to protect students’ access to information and ideas and prohibit viewpoint-based censorship. Preserves educators’ and librarians’ professional judgment and provides transparent review processes for instructional and library materials.
View toolkit guidance PDF ↓Companion toolkit
The toolkit is separate from the model bill text. It is designed to help advocates, policymakers, attorneys, and partners understand the model legislation, adapt it to their state, explain its provisions, and build a strategy for passage and implementation.
An orientation to the model legislation, how the sections work together, and how to use the companion guidance.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Guidance for understanding and using the core enforcement framework.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Companion guidance for the training, attorney general coordination, and data collection provisions.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Guidance for adapting and advancing the disability rights provisions.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Guidance for understanding and advancing protections for immigrant students and families.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Guidance for the English Learner and language-access provisions.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Guidance for understanding, adapting, and advancing the censorship protections.
Download toolkit PDF ↓A reference guide to definitions used throughout the model legislation and toolkit.
Download toolkit PDF ↓Practical guidance for building support, adapting the model, and moving the legislation through a state process.
Download toolkit PDF ↓With thanks
NCYL is grateful to the advocates, organizations, and partners who contributed their time, expertise, and perspective to the development of this model legislation and toolkit. We look forward to recognizing individual contributors with their permission.
Connect with NCYL
Contact NCYL’s Education Civil Rights Alliance team to learn more about the model legislation and toolkit.
NCYL in action
Recent NCYL statements and actions on student civil rights and federal enforcement.
August 18, 2026 · Press release
NCYL responds to new federal school discipline guidance and its implications for students’ civil rights.
Read the release ↗July 23, 2026 · Press release
NCYL and partners respond to changes affecting civil rights protections for students.
Read the release ↗July 16, 2026 · Press release
NCYL and partners seek information about changes to federal civil rights enforcement and student complaints.
Read the release ↗Help build and scale this work
We would love to connect with funders interested in helping NCYL build and scale this work with state advocates and partners.
