Pregnant & Parenting Students

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (“Title IX”), 20 U.S.C. §1681 et seq., is a Federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex—including pregnancy and parental status—in educational programs and activities.

According to guidance received from the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”), under Title IX, colleges must not exclude a pregnant student from participating in any part of an educational program. Piedmont Technical College is committed to ensuring that pregnant students receive reasonable accommodations to ensure access to our educational programs. You do not have to drop out of your classes or academic program or change your educational plans due to your pregnancy. 

A student should advise the Student Disability Services (SDS) Counselor of a potential need for accommodations as soon as she knows she is pregnant. It is extremely important that communication between student, instructors, and the SDS Counselor begin as soon as possible. Each situation is unique and will be addressed individually.

Title IX accommodations DO NOT apply to Financial Aid. Financial Aid regulations do not give the College any discretion in terms of Financial Aid eligibility. Any impact on a student’s Financial Aid due to absences related to pregnancy or childbirth is dictated by Financial Aid regulations, not the college. Therefore, if the student believes the pregnancy may affect Financial Aid eligibility, the student should contact the Financial Aid Office for additional information as soon as possible.
Certain educational programs may have strict certification requirements or requirements mandated by outside regulatory agencies. Therefore, in some programs, the application of Title IX accommodations may be limited.