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IPS Must Offer More Sports For Girls

Last updated on Thursday, February 27, 2014

(INDIANAPOLIS) - Indianapolis Public Schools have struck a deal with the federal government after the Department of Education found that the school district was not providing equal opportunities for girls who want to play sports.

The department's Office For Civil Rights found that while the student population is split 50/50 between boys and girls, about 65-percent of the school district's athletes are boys while only 35-percent are girls.

IPS failed "to provide actual sports opportunities to girls and through failure to provide equal access to practice and competitive facilities, locker rooms, equipment and supplies, and scheduling of games and practice times," read a press release from the Department of Education. That means IPS was in violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which ensures equal athletic opportunities for girls in public schools.

Under the deal with the department, IPS will be required to take steps to ensure that more girls have the chance to play high school sports. This will include an assessment of whether girls are being left out of chances to play sports and whether or not to create new high school sports teams for girls.

The school district also must come up with a policy to ensure that money from athletic booster clubs flows equally into boys and girls sports.

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