PRIA Logo™
Title 20 — EducationRelease 119-73not60

§1234f Compliance Agreements

Title 20 › Chapter 31— GENERAL PROVISIONS CONCERNING EDUCATION › Subchapter IV— ENFORCEMENT › § 1234f

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary may make a compliance agreement with a program recipient to get that recipient to follow the legal rules that apply as soon as possible. Before making the agreement, the Secretary must hold a hearing where the recipient, affected students and parents (or their representatives), and other interested people can take part. The recipient must prove that meeting the rules cannot be done until a later date. If the Secretary agrees, they must write that finding and publish it and the main points of the agreement in the Federal Register. The agreement must set a date for full compliance no later than 3 years from the written finding and must list the steps the recipient must follow until then. If the recipient does not follow the agreement, the Secretary can cancel it and use any lawful actions against the recipient.

Full Legal Text

Title 20, §1234f

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In accordance with section 1234c of this title, the Secretary may enter into a compliance agreement with a recipient under an applicable program. The purpose of any compliance agreement under this section shall be to bring the recipient into full compliance with the applicable requirements of law as soon as feasible and not to excuse or remedy past violations of such requirements.
(b)(1)Before entering into a compliance agreement with a recipient, the Secretary shall hold a hearing at which the recipient, affected students and parents or their representatives, and other interested parties are invited to participate. The recipient shall have the burden of persuading the Secretary that full compliance with the applicable requirements of law is not feasible until a future date.
(2)If the Secretary determines, on the basis of all the evidence presented, that full compliance is genuinely not feasible until a future date, the Secretary shall make written findings to that effect and shall publish those findings, along with the substance of any compliance agreement, in the Federal Register.
(c)A compliance agreement under this section shall contain—
(1)an expiration date not later than 3 years from the date of the written findings under subsection (b)(2), by which the recipient shall be in full compliance with the applicable requirements of law, and
(2)those terms and conditions with which the recipient must comply until it is in full compliance.
(d)If a recipient fails to comply with the terms and conditions of a compliance agreement under this section, the Secretary may consider that compliance agreement to be no longer in effect, and the Secretary may take any action authorized by law with respect to the recipient.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective 180 days after Apr. 28, 1988, but not applicable to recipients receiving written notice to return funds prior to that date, see section 3501(b) of Pub. L. 100–297, set out as an

Effective Date

of 1988 Amendment note under section 1234 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

20 U.S.C. § 1234f

Title 20 — Education

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60