District Title IX report: high schools within federal participation thresholds; district to survey students on interests

Dr. Tom Sherwood, director of high schools, reported Sept. 16 that the district’s high schools were within the 10% participation variance that triggers corrective action under Title IX for the 2024–25 school year. “All of our schools… are still within the 10% variance… None of them are in trouble,” Dr. Sherwood told the board.

Sherwood attributed small variances at some schools to demographic shifts — for example, he said Hillcrest’s largest variance (about 8 percent) was in part the result of a 2‑percent shift in overall student gender counts and the district’s recent adoption of boys volleyball, which added roughly 35–45 male athletes at participating schools.

The district also plans to survey students this fall about accommodating interests, Sherwood said, and will have legal and communications staff review the draft survey. Sherwood said the district has adopted new activities sanctioned by the Utah high‑school activities association (e.g., boys and girls lacrosse, girls competitive cheer, boys volleyball) when the association adds them.

As part of implementation of a past settlement, Sherwood said the district is promoting girls’ athletics earlier in lower grades and that promotional posters will go to elementary and middle schools to encourage girls to participate.

Ending: Dr. Sherwood offered to answer questions and said the district will continue to monitor participation rates and, if needed, pursue Title IX‑required accommodations or expansion of offerings.