POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — In a letter to Polk County Public Schools Superintendent Frederick Heid, the U.S. Department of Education states its Office for Civil Rights is “deeply concerned that the District may be discriminating based on race.”

The concerns stem from the school district’s partnership with Latinos In Action, a college and career readiness program offered at at least three Polk County high schools in Davenport, Haines City, and Kathleen.

The letter states “Latinos In Action” excludes students based on race and engages in “racial balancing.”

It cites as an example a question on the organization’s FAQ page that asks “Is this class only for Latino students?” and the response is “80% of the class must be Latino. 20% of students may be from any other racial/ethnic background.”

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