Civil Rights Data Collection Intern

Overview

Description

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) Office for Civil Rights (OCR) Program Legal Group (PLG), located in Washington, DC, is responsible for the Department’s Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC).  The CRDC collects data on leading civil rights indicators related to access and barriers to educational opportunity at the early childhood through grade 12 levels. The CRDC is also a longstanding and critical aspect of the overall enforcement and monitoring strategy used by OCR to ensure that recipients of the Department’s Federal financial assistance do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, and disability. OCR relies on CRDC data it receives from public school districts as it investigates complaints alleging discrimination, determines whether the Federal civil rights laws it enforces have been violated, initiates proactive compliance reviews to focus on particularly acute or nationwide civil rights compliance problems, and provides policy guidance and technical assistance to educational institutions, parents, students, and others. Furthermore, the CRDC is a valuable resource for other Department offices and Federal agencies, policymakers and researchers, educators and school officials, parents and students, and the public who seek data on student equity and opportunity.

CRDC interns will work closely with program staff and statisticians on a variety of assignments and special projects related to the CRDC. Interns work directly with CRDC staff and leadership and will have the opportunity to attend meetings and events on a range of topics. Interns can expect to conduct research on education issues and policies related to civil rights laws and enforcement, conduct data analyses, review and comment on statistical reports, draft technical memoranda and responses to public inquiries, and assist in developing and drafting technical and statistical reports for lay audiences.

Qualifications:  For CRDC internships — currently matriculating at an undergraduate or graduate institution working towards a degree and in academic good standing at the time of application.  Candidates with strong knowledge and skills in a full range of statistical theories and techniques, including methods for collecting, computing, and analyzing large-scale data sets; and applying statistical techniques such as measurement of central tendency, dispersion, skewness, correlation, analysis of variance, and tests of significance, are preferred.

Compensation: Volunteer (without compensation).  Course credit is available depending upon school requirements.

Application Deadline: OCR is currently accepting applications for Fall, Spring, and Summer CRDC internships in Washington, DC.

Application Materials:  To apply for a CRDC internship with the Program Legal Group, please email a cover letter, resume, transcript, and writing sample to OCR (OCRDCInterns@ed.gov) and include Program Legal Group – CRDC Internship in the subject line. Additional application materials may be required at a later date.