The U.S. Department of Education has warned that the Kansas City Public School District in Kansas could face legal action and the possible loss of federal funding over its policies concerning transgender students.
According to a statement issued by the department, the district’s guidelines on student privacy may conflict with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Federal officials contend that the policy discourages school staff from revealing a student’s transgender status or gender nonconforming identity to parents, a practice they argue violates federal education law.
The Education Department said it is coordinating with the Justice Department to pursue enforcement measures. Those actions could range from court proceedings to suspending or withdrawing federal financial assistance if the district is found to be non-compliant.
Kansas City Public School District had not publicly responded to the federal government’s announcement at the time of the statement. The district serves more than 21,000 students, according to federal education data.
Federal officials specifically pointed to district guidance instructing school employees not to disclose information that could identify a student’s transgender status or gender expression to others, including parents.
The latest move is part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to challenge school policies related to transgender students. Since returning to office, President Donald Trump has pursued multiple executive actions aimed at limiting transgender rights, particularly in school athletics and education.
The administration has also sought to tie federal education funding to compliance with its policies on gender identity, a strategy that has drawn criticism from civil rights organizations, which argue that such measures undermine protections for transgender students.
The federal government’s action follows an earlier review in which the Education Department alleged that four Kansas school districts, including Kansas City, were violating federal law through similar policies involving transgender students.
The announcement also comes as the U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed states to enforce restrictions on transgender student participation in school sports, marking another significant development in the ongoing national debate over transgender rights in education.
