Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

The Justice Department's top civil rights official stated that parental rights and student gender transitions will be priorities under FERPA enforcement, with the department planning to increase litigation. The Trump administration's interpretation of FERPA, which claims policies limiting parental access to gender identity information violate the law, is being reinforced through new interagency agreements with the Education Department.

The Trump administration announced potential enforcement action against Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools for policies preventing staff from notifying parents of a transgender student's gender identity, citing violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The Education Department accused the district of obstructing parents' access to education records and stated it would pursue measures including withholding federal funding.

The Trump administration threatened to withhold federal funding from Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools over policies that restrict staff from informing parents about a student's transgender status, citing violations of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. The Education Department and Justice Department announced enforcement actions, including potential judicial proceedings, against the district for obstructing parental access to education records.

Montgomery County Public Schools faces a complaint from Trump-aligned America First Legal alleging violations of constitutional rights and federal laws through its gender transition policies. The complaint claims the district's handbook restricts parental involvement and hides gender-related information from parents under FERPA.