Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination in the assignment of students to schools, classes, ability groups, and tracks in programs or activities that receive federal assistance. These assignments may not be made on the basis of race, color, or national origin. The law does not require schools and activities to be racially balanced, but reasonable efforts must be made to prevent the segregation of students. When classes have a substantially disproportionate number of minority or nonminority students, there must be valid nondiscriminatory reasons for the assignments. Only students who have been appropriately classified as handicapped students may be assigned to special education classes. Courses for students with limited proficiency in English may include disproportionate enrollments of national origin minority students, but the programs must be designed to move these students into regular classes as soon as the students are able to participate in the regular classwork. All students must be provided with counseling and have equal access to elective classes. In schools with ability grouping or tracks, students must have opportunities to change group or track according to their progress. Tests and other evaluative procedures must be sound indicators of the students' needs and achievements. Information is given about the regional Civil Rights Offices. (VM)