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We are nearly at the one-month mark with the 2024 Title IX Regulations in effect. Since the August 1 implementation date, school administrators have been busy getting trained, preparing for the school year ahead, and sorting through the different legal challenges to the new regulations. With most students now settling into their classrooms, we’d like to provide an update on all things Title IX.Continue Reading One Month In – Title IX Update

Earlier this morning, the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights released its long-awaited final Title IX regulations on sexual harassment. These new regulations, which replace the 2020 rules, will take effect on August 1, 2024. Until then, the 2020 rules continue to be in effect.  Continue Reading Final Title IX Rule on Sexual Harassment Released Today 

As a quick update for our education clients, the Biden administration purportedly plans to delay the release date of the Title IX final rule on transgender athletes until after the presidential election. While the Department of Education has yet to officially confirm the news, the Washington Post reported last week that individuals close to the…

We wanted to share a quick update that the final Title IX rules are now set to be released sometime in March 2024. The Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) just updated the final release dates on the Reginfo.gov website, which provides updates on federal regulatory actions, for both the Title IX rule on…

Athletics is poised to be a major topic in Title IX this year. The participation of transgender athletes in school sports continues to dominate headlines, as we reported earlier on this blog, while gender inequity remains a key concern in school sports programs 50 years after the passage of Title IX, despite major gains for female athletes and women’s sports. In this post, we provide updates on recent OCR resources and a complaint resolution that address Title IX issues related to school athletic programs. Continue Reading Title IX Updates in Athletics: Recent OCR Guidance, Complaint Resolution 

In this post, we continue our recap of recent Title IX-related news that you might have missed and noteworthy items to keep an eye on in 2023 (you can read updates from our last post here). Below, we cover recent federal government actions and proposals to bolster protections for students against sexual violence.  Continue Reading Title IX Updates: Recent Moves by Biden Administration, Congress to Address Sexual Violence on Campus 

Happy New Year from the Title IX team at Franczek! Over the next several posts, we will be providing Title IX updates from the end of 2022 that you might have missed, as well as noteworthy items to keep an eye on in 2023. Below, we cover recent federal court decisions on school district policies regarding transgender students, which we predict will continue to be a major issue this year.  Continue Reading Title IX Updates: Key Wins—and a Loss—in Federal Courts for Transgender Students and Athletes 

Recent court and OCR decisions regarding transgender students and employees reflect widely varying responses to the Biden administration’s efforts to expand protections for LGBTQ+ individuals under federal law, including Title IX. In January 2021, President Biden issued an executive order applying the Supreme Court’s decision in Bostock v. Clayton County to all federal laws prohibiting sex-based discrimination, clarifying that sex discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. 
Continue Reading What’s the Future for Biden Administration Protections for LGBTQ+ Students and Employees under Title IX?

On July 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released its revised Case Processing Manual (CPM), which was last updated in August 2020. The CPM outlines the procedures OCR uses to investigate and resolve complaints under the civil rights laws it enforces, including Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The revised manual contains several noteworthy changes schools and colleges should be aware of, including the following highlighted below. 

Definition of “complaint” 

  • Defines “complaint” as “a written statement to the Department [of Education] alleging that the rights of one or more persons have been violated and requesting that the Department take action.” 
  • Expressly states that the following are not considered complaints: oral allegations, anonymous correspondence, courtesy copies of correspondence or a complaint filed or submitted somewhere else, and inquiries that seek advice/information but not action/intervention. Previously, OCR was permitted to determine on a case-by-case basis whether to process such correspondence or inquiries as a complaint. 
  • Clarifies that OCR may investigate Title IX complaints filed by employees as well as by students, parents, and applicants. 

Continue Reading OCR Releases Revised Case Processing Manual with New Updates to Complaint Process

As we discussed in a previous alert, the Biden administration recently released its proposed Title IX regulations. Today, the administration published the proposed regulations in the Federal Register, beginning the 60-day public comment period. Members of the public will have until September 12, 2022, to submit comments related to the proposed rules. Comments may …