Southern Education Foundation Urges U.S. Department of Education to Preserve Equity Assistance Center Program
Organization submits formal comment opposing proposed rescission of Equity Assistance Center regulations, citing continued need for specialized technical assistance to help schools comply with federal civil rights law.
ATLANTA, GA. — July 30, 2026 — The Southern Education Foundation (SEF), host organization of the Region II Equity Assistance Center (EAC-South), has submitted a formal comment urging the U.S. Department of Education to withdraw its proposed rule rescinding the regulations governing the Equity Assistance Center (EAC) Program.
Authorized under Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equity Assistance Centers provide states, school districts, and schools with specialized technical assistance to help address school desegregation, comply with federal civil rights law, and expand educational opportunity for all students.
“At a time when more than 128 school districts across the South remain under federal desegregation orders—and an increasing number of districts not under such orders are requesting assistance—the need for trusted, evidence-based technical assistance has not diminished; it has evolved,” said Raymond C. Pierce, President & CEO of the Southern Education Foundation. “Eliminating the Equity Assistance Center Program would weaken one of the nation’s most important tools for helping school districts proactively meet their civil rights obligations and serve students effectively.”
SEF’s comment explains that the proposed rescission would dismantle a longstanding national infrastructure Congress created to help educational institutions comply with federal civil rights law before challenges escalate into litigation. The organization argues that preventing discrimination through expert technical assistance is both more effective and more efficient than relying solely on enforcement after violations occur.
Since becoming the home of EAC-South in 2022, Southern Education Foundation has expanded the center’s impact across its Region II service area, which includes Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Over the past three years, EAC-South has provided direct technical assistance to two state education agencies, 15 school districts, and approximately 225 schools, supporting educational communities that collectively serve approximately 1.48 million students and more than 110,000 educators.
The comment also notes our centers’ work extends beyond districts currently operating under federal desegregation orders. School systems increasingly seek assistance addressing complex challenges such as educator recruitment and retention, school boundary changes, community engagement, equitable access to advanced coursework, and other issues closely connected to federal civil rights obligations.
“The constitutional promise established through Brown v. Board of Education and the statutory framework created by Title IV remain unfinished,” Pierce said. “The Equity Assistance Centers continue to help states and school districts translate those legal obligations into practical action that expands educational opportunity for students and strengthens communities.”
SEF’s comment concludes that the Department should preserve, not dismantle, the Equity Assistance Center Program because the need for specialized technical assistance has evolved alongside the changing landscape of public education, not disappeared.
Read the Southern Education Foundation’s full public comment
About the Southern Education Foundation
The Southern Education Foundation (SEF) is the nation’s longest-standing education opportunity organization, committed to advancing education policies and practices that elevate learning for students from low-income families and students of color in the South. Since 1867, SEF has worked to disrupt systemic inequities in education by providing technical assistance to build capacity, research-based solutions, shaping public policy, strengthening advocacy efforts, and developing transformational education leaders. As a trusted convener, SEF brings together educators, policymakers, and advocates to drive collective action and lasting change across the South.
SEF works across the entire education continuum, from early learning to and through postsecondary, to ensure every student, regardless of race, income, or zip code, receives a high-quality education that unlocks opportunity and success. Visit southerneducation.org to learn more.