The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Dear Colleagues Letter on January 31, 2025, announcing that it will enforce Title IX under the provisions of the 2020 Title IX regulations effective immediately. The Department will no longer enforce the 2024 Title IX regulations, which contained expanded protections to include gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, and sexual orientation.
OCR also cited President Trump’s recently issued Executive Order, Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government. OCR noted that President Trump ordered all agencies and departments within the Executive Branch to “enforce all sex-protective laws to promote [the] reality” that there are “two sexes, male and female,” and confirmed that the Department of Education and OCR will enforce Title IX consistent with this order.
The U.S. Department of Education issued a near Dear Colleagues Letter on February 4, 2025, with minor changes. More information can be found in LCW’s Special Bulletin: U.S. Department of Education Confirms Enforcement of 2020 Title IX Regulations.
LCW provides training for Title IX officers, administrators, faculty and staff, as well as support with complaints and investigations, forms, templates, and policies.