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Executive Order 13166:
Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency

 For information, guidance, and technical assistance on the implementation of the LEP initiative please visit http://www.LEP.gov

Overview of Executive Order 13166
  On August 11, 2000, the President signed Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency."  The Executive Order requires Federal agencies to examine the services they provide, identify any need for services to those with limited English proficiency (LEP), and develop and implement a system to provide those services so LEP persons can have meaningful access to them.  It is expected that agency plans will provide for such meaningful access consistent with, and without unduly burdening, the fundamental mission of the agency.  The Executive Order also requires that the Federal agencies work to ensure that recipients of Federal financial assistance provide meaningful access to their LEP applicants and beneficiaries.

To assist Federal agencies in carrying out these responsibilities, the U.S. Department of Justice has issued a Policy Guidance Document,  "Enforcement of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 - National Origin Discrimination Against Persons With Limited English Proficiency" (LEP Guidance).  This LEP Guidance sets forth the compliance standards that recipients of Federal financial assistance must follow to ensure that their programs and activities normally provided in English are accessible to LEP persons and thus do not discriminate on the basis of national origin in violation of Title VI's prohibition against national origin discrimination.

The Coordination and Review Section  is responsible for  governmentwide coordination with respect to Executive Order 13166.  The Section serves as the federal repository for the internal implementation plans that each federal agency is required to develop, to ensure meaningful access to its own federally conducted programs and activities, and it also reviews and approves each funding agency’s external LEP guidance for its recipients. As the Department of Justice prepared its own plan, the Section reviewed and approved each component’s submission.  Further, the Section  developed the Department’s external guidance for its own recipients.

The Section has initiated an aggressive program of intra- and inter-agency consultations and actively solicits comments and suggestions from representatives of recipient and LEP individuals on how to identify and address the needs of LEP individuals under Executive Order 13166 in an effective and cost-effective manner.

Commonly Asked Questions and Answers Regarding Executive Order 13166: Providing Meaningful Access to Individuals Who Are Limited English Proficient to Federally Assisted and Federally Conducted Programs And Activities
Guidance and Materials Specific to DOJ Recipients and Components
 
  • Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency" (HTML or  PDF)
  • Department of Justice Final Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons as published in the Federal Register on June 18, 2002 (HTML or PDF)
  • Assistant Attorney General July 8, 2002 Memorandum to Heads of Federal Agencies, General Counsels, and Civil Rights Directors concerning Executive Order 13166 (Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency) (HTML or PDF)
  • Department of Justice October 26, 2001 Memorandum Regarding Executive Order 13166 (Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency) (HTML or PDF)
  • Assistant Attorney General November 12, 2002 Memorandum to Heads of Federal Agencies, General Counsels, and Civil Rights Directors concerning Tools to Ensure Implementation and Understanding of Executive Order 13166 (HTML or PDF) with HOT LINKS to brochures and implementation tools.

  • Deputy Assistant Attorney General December 1, 2003 letter to State court administrators regarding the provision of language services to persons with Limited English Proficiency. (HTML or PDF)
  • "I Speak" Language Identification Flashcard (PDF)
  • Clearinghouse website providing and linking to information, tools, and technical assistance regarding limited English proficiency and language access for federal agencies, recipients of federal funds, users of federal programs and federally assisted programs, and others - www.lep.gov.
  • Assistant Attorney General Dec. 13, 2002 letter to recipients of DOJ assistance seeking and offering assistance in implementing LEP guidance (HTML or PDF). An article for possible inclusion in newsletters is attached (HTML)
  • Executive Order 13166 Limited English Proficiency Resource Document: Tips and Tools from the Field (HTML) .