Title IX Athletic Interest Survey Executive Summary GCISD Board of Trustees Meeting March 30, 2009

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 states: “No person in the United States 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.”

In 1979, the then U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare (now the Department of Education) issued a policy interpretation for Title IX as it pertains to athletics, including what has become known as the “Three-Prong Test” of an institution’s compliance with the law.

Prong One – An institution is in compliance if it provides athletic opportunities that are substantially proportionate to the student enrollment; orProng One – An institution is in compliance if it provides athletic opportunities that are substantially proportionate to the student enrollment; or Prong Two – An institution is in compliance if it demonstrates a continual expansion of athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex; orProng Two – An institution is in compliance if it demonstrates a continual expansion of athletic opportunities for the underrepresented sex; or Prong Three – An institution is in compliance if it is fully and effectively accommodating the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex.Prong Three – An institution is in compliance if it is fully and effectively accommodating the interests and abilities of the underrepresented sex.

An institution is in compliance with Title IX if it satisfies any one of the three prongs. if it satisfies any one of the three prongs.

Like most school districts, the GCISD does not meet the Prong One standard of the three-prong test. Even though there are as many girls as boys in our District, the participation rate of boys in athletics is much higher than the girls. This is due in part to two things: 1.No sport, boys or girls, requires as many participants as football. Football numbers skew participation percentages. 2.Activities that interest girls such as cheerleading, drill team, and dance are not considered to be athletic activities by Title IX definition.

The GCISD believes that we are in compliance with both Prong Two and Prong Three of the test.

Though not a requirement, the Office of Civil Rights recommends that institutions conduct surveys periodically to determine if the needs and interests of female students in sports are being met. A District committee was formed to design such a survey. The committee was composed of students, parents, coaches, campus administrators, and central office administrators. The goal was to survey as many of our female students in middle and high school as possible.

The survey design was completed in late November, and a Spanish translation was completed in December. GCISD students began taking the survey in December, and the survey closed on February 18. 3,325 students completed the English version of the survey, and 49 students completed the Spanish version. Total number of surveys completed = 3,374

The survey was designed to ask our girls a few primary questions: 1.Are you participating in school sports? 2.If not, why not? 3.Is the District encouraging your participation, or discouraging your participation? 4.If you play sports for your school, is it an enjoyable experience? 5.Would you like to participate in sports not currently offered in GCISD?

Survey Highlights Do you participate in a sport for your school? Do you play a sport outside of school? For School Outside of School For School Outside of School Grade 6 NA75% Grade 6 NA75% Grade 7 55%72% Grade 8 45%70% Grade 9 41%54% Grade 10 36%50% Grade 11 34%43% Grade 12 22%30%

Summary * An average of 35.1% of our secondary female students participate in school sports. * Participation rates of females in both school and community sports decline each year from grades 7 to 12 at about the same rate.

If you do not play a sport for your school, why not? Grade 7 1. I am too busy with school work. 2. The sport I like to play is not offered. 3. I am not interested in sports. 4. Practice schedules and game times are inconvenient. Grade 8 1. I am too busy with school work. 2. I would rather participate in other extracurricular activities. 3. The sport I like to play is not offered. 4. Practice schedules and game times are inconvenient.

If you do not play a sport for your school, why not? Grade 9 1. I am too busy with school work. 2. I would rather participate in other extracurricular activities. 3. I am not interested in sports. 4. It conflicts with other school activities. Grade 10 Grade I am too busy with school work. 2. I would rather participate in other extracurricular activities. 3. I am not interested in sports. 4. Practice schedules and game times are inconvenient.

If you do not play a sport for your school, why not? Grade I am too busy with school work. 2. I would rather participate in other extracurricular activities. 3. I have a job and do not have the time. 4. I am not interested in sports. Grade I am too busy with school work. 2. I would rather participate in other extracurricular activities. 3. I have a job and do not have the time. 4. I am not interested in sports.

Summary * 64.9% of our secondary female students do not participate in school sports. * The most common reasons cited do not suggest a lack of opportunity, or that they are being discouraged from participation. * Female students were given three opportunities to report why they are not participating in sports. Depending on how the question was asked, between 3.1% and 7.1% of the students who responded to the questions reported that they tried out but did not make a team. * 68.6% of secondary-age females report participating in extracurricular activities other than school sports.

Please respond to the following statement: “Coaches and other school personnel encourage me to try out for teams.” Agree Somewhat Agree NAD* Somewhat Disagree Disagree Grade 6 50% 26% 16% 3% 6% Grade 7 39% 29% 17%6% 9% Grade 8 37% 29% 18% 5% 11% Grade 9 28% 28% 24% 7% 13% Grade 10 21% 29% 26%6% 17% Grade 11 24% 21% 26% 8% 22% Grade 12 19% 19% 29% 8% 25% * Neither Agree nor Disagree

Summary * Though 76% of our sixth graders believe that school personnel encourage them to participate in school sports, this number declines through grade % of students in grade 12 feel that school personnel encourage them to participate.

Have coaches or school officials made negative or discouraging remarks to you? If you do not participate in school athletics, mark all the reasons that best apply to your situation: Coach (Neg.) School Official (Neg.) Coach (Neg.) School Official (Neg.) Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade All Responding 4.6%.08%

Have coaches or school officials made negative or discouraging remarks to you? If you played a school sport last year but did not play this year, which statement(s) best describes why you did not play? Coach (Neg.) School Official (Neg.) Coach (Neg.) School Official (Neg.) Grade 7 NA NA Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade All Responding 8.2%.08%

Have coaches or school officials made negative or discouraging remarks to you? If you are in a sport this year but are not going to tryout next year, please tell us why. Coach (Neg.) School Official (Neg.) Coach (Neg.) School Official (Neg.) Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade Grade 12 NA NA All Responding 4.9%.08%

Summary * Students were given three opportunities to point out negative comments from coaches and other school personnel. Depending on how the question was asked, anywhere from 92.8% to 95.4% of the students surveyed did not report receiving negative comments from coaches. * 99.2% of the students did not report experiencing negative comments from other school personnel.

While participating in school sports, did you enjoy the experience? Really Enjoyed Somewhat Enjoyed NLD* Somewhat Disliked Really Disliked Grade 7 55% 34% 5% 3%3% Grade 8 51% 35% 7% 4%2% Grade 9 54% 31% 5% 6%3% Grade 10 51% 27% 6% 8%8% Grade 11 46% 37% 8% 5%3% Grade 12 46% 31% 8% 7%8% *Neither Liked or Disliked

Summary * Girls who participate in athletics seem to enjoy the experience in the GCISD. * Between 77% and 89% of the girls report either “Really Liking” or “Somewhat Liking” the athletic experience. Between 6% and 16% report either “Somewhat Disliking” or “Really Disliking” the experience, with no more than 8% having no opinion.

Would like to play sports that are not offered at your school? Middle SchoolHigh School Middle SchoolHigh School 1. Soccer (251)1. Archery (159) 2. Swimming (212)2. Bowling (113) 3. Gymnastics (167)3. Fencing (113) 4. Softball (112)4. Lacrosse (97)

If you tried out for a school sport but did not make the team, would you want to play that sport on a recreational level for no credit after school on your campus? (Intramurals) *Of the 2,637 female students who responded to this question, 1,411 (53.5%) answered “yes” and 598 students skipped the question.

Summary 1.An average of 35.1% of our secondary female students participate in school sports. 2.Girls who participate in athletics in GCISD seem to enjoy the experience. Between 77% and 89% of the girls report either “Really Liking” or “Somewhat Liking” the athletic experience. Between 6% and 16% report either “Somewhat Disliking” or “Really Disliking” the experience, with no more than 8% having no opinion. 3.Of the 64.9% who do not participate in school sports, the most common reasons cited do not suggest a lack of opportunity.

Summary, continued % of our girls are in school activities other than athletics girls (34%) report participating in cheerleading, dance, or drill team. Title IX does not consider these activities to be “sports.” 6.Just over half the girls surveyed (53.5%) expressed an interest in recreational sports opportunities.

Conclusions *The purpose of this survey was to further examine if the GCISD is, in fact, meeting the athletic needs and interests of secondary-age female students. *Survey responses indicate that the vast majority of girls who do not participate in sports are doing so by choice rather than being denied opportunities or being discouraged from participation. *The survey responses indicate that the GCISD is meeting the athletic needs and interests of females in middle and high school.