The U.S. Department of Education announced that its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has rescinded portions of several Title IX resolution agreements established under previous administrations, arguing they imposed unlawful requirements on schools.
According to the department, the agreements were based on interpretations of Title IX that extended protections to gender identity rather than biological sex. Officials said those interpretations lacked a legal foundation and resulted in burdensome compliance expectations for school districts.
Resolution agreements are typically used by OCR to address violations of federal civil rights law by requiring institutions to take corrective actions. The department said some past agreements penalized schools for actions such as the use of pronouns or inquiries about a student’s gender identity.
The rescinded provisions affect agreements with six educational institutions, including districts in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Washington, California, and a community college in California. The department confirmed it will no longer monitor or enforce those specific terms.
Federal officials cited a 2025 court ruling that invalidated the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX rule, which had expanded the law’s scope to include gender identity. Following that decision, the current administration reinstated the 2020 Title IX framework, which defines protections based on sex.
In a statement, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the move reflects a shift toward enforcing Title IX “based on its plain meaning” and prioritizing protections for female students in athletics and private spaces.
Title IX, enacted in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal funding.
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