Key Takeaways
- Education Department formally rescinds Biden-era Title IX LGBTQ protections for LGBTQ students.
- Schools return to the 2020 Title IX regulatory framework.
- LGBTQ advocates warn the change could weaken protections for transgender students.
The U.S. Education Department in Washington on Monday formally rescinded Biden-era Title IX rules extending sex-discrimination protections to sexual orientation and gender identity, aligning federal regulations with court rulings that had voided them.
Department Restores 2020 Title IX Framework
The action removes the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX regulations from the federal code and restores the regulatory framework issued during President Donald Trump’s first administration. The department says the change formally reflects court decisions that have already prevented the 2024 rules from taking effect nationwide.
Title IX, enacted in 1972, bars sex discrimination in education programs and activities receiving federal financial assistance. The 2024 rule, issued under President Joe Biden, interpreted that protection to include discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the rollback will reduce uncertainty for schools, students and parents.
“Thanks to today’s action, the published Title IX regulations faithfully reflect court orders and Congressional intent — reducing confusion for parents, students, and educational institutions,” McMahon said.
She also said the department will continue enforcing protections for women and girls, including their athletic opportunities and privacy.
The department had already returned to enforcing the 2020 Title IX regulations in early 2025 after a federal district court in Kentucky vacated the Biden rule nationwide on Jan. 9, 2025, ending the Title IX LGBTQ protections under that rule. The department says the 2020 regulations remain the basis for federal Title IX enforcement.
Courts Already Blocked Biden-Era Rules
The legal fight began after several Republican-led states challenged the Biden administration’s rule. Federal courts issued injunctions against the regulations in multiple states, and the Kentucky court later vacated the entire rule nationwide.
The Trump administration subsequently dropped efforts to defend the Biden regulations and directed the Education Department to enforce the 2020 framework instead. Monday’s action therefore largely formalizes a policy shift already in place since 2025.
The administration has also used Title IX enforcement in disputes involving transgender athletes. In July 2025, the University of Pennsylvania entered a resolution agreement requiring it to bar males from female athletic programs and restore records and honors that the department said had been affected.
Advocates Warn of Weaker Student Protections
Civil rights advocates say the rollback will reduce protections for transgender students and may affect how schools respond to sexual harassment and assault complaints.
Shiwali Patel, senior director of education justice at the National Women’s Law Center, said the administration should focus on enforcing protections for student survivors of sexual violence.
“Sexual harassment and assault continue to be pervasive in schools,” Patel said, adding that the administration is “weaponizing Title IX to attack trans students.”
Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president of Defending Education, a legal group that supports the administration’s approach, described Monday’s action as “a long-awaited and much-needed regulatory move by this administration,” according to Education Week.
The department says the rescission brings the federal regulations into line with existing court orders. Critics say the change removes Title IX LGBTQ protections that the Biden administration had applied to LGBTQ students and could weaken safeguards for survivors of sexual misconduct.
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