Citing legal challenges and searing public comment, along with the inauguration of a new president, on December 20, 2024 the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) withdrew its proposed rule that would have extended Title IX protections to transgender student athletes. The notice, published in the Federal Register, states the USDE “recognizes that there are multiple pending lawsuits related to the application of Title IX in the context of gender identity, including lawsuits related to Title IX’s application to athletic eligibility criteria in a variety of factual contexts.”

The Title IX athletics proposed rule is separate from a broader Title IX final rule that is now in place and extends sexual discrimination protections to include LGBTQI+ students and staff. That rule, which was implemented in August 2024, also faces several legal challenges and is temporarily blocked in at least 26 states.

Source: K-12 Dive