Every school and every school leader has a responsibility to protect all students and ensure every child is respected and can learn in an accepting environment. Title IX protects all students, including LGBTQ students, from sex discrimination. Title IX encompasses discrimination based on a student’s failure to conform to stereotyped notions of masculinity and femininity. Schools should also be aware of their obligation under Title IX and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) to protect the privacy of their students when maintaining education records.

Policy Guidance
Learn about different types of guidance documents, including how to comment on significant guidance.

• Dear Colleague Letter Withdrawing Previous Guidance on Transgender Students PDF (387.47K) (Feb. 22, 2017)
• Examples of Policies and Emerging Practices for Supporting Transgender Students PDF (636.35K) (May 13, 2016)
• Dear Colleague Letter: Title IX Coordinators (Apr. 24, 2015), accompanied by a letter to Title IX coordinators and a Title IX resource guide.
• Dear Colleague Letter from Secretary of Education Arne Duncan on gay-straight alliances (Jun. 14, 2011), including legal guidelines for complying with the Equal Access Act.
• Dear Colleague Letter: Harassment and Bullying (Oct. 26, 2010)

OCR Case Resolutions

• Anoka-Hennepin School District (MN) (05-11-5901): Consent Decree and Resolution Letter
• Tehachapi Unified School District (CA) (09-11-1031): Resolution Agreement and Resolution Letter

Court Filings—Statements of Interest and Amicus Curiae Briefs

• Brief for the United States as Amicus Curiae Supporting Plaintiffs-Appellants and Urging Reversal, Carmichael v. Galbraith, No. 12-11074 (5th Cir. April 1, 2013).
• United States Memorandum as Amicus Curiae in Response to Defendants’ Motion to Dismiss/Summary Judgment, Pratt v. Indian River Central School District, No. 7:09-cv-00411 (N.D.N.Y. Aug. 13, 2010).”
• Memorandum of Law in Support of the United States’ Motion to Intervene, J.L. v. Mohawk Central School District, No. 6:09 Cv. 943 (N.D.N.Y. Jan. 14, 2010).

Federal Government Resources

• Stopbullying.gov
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration LGBT resources
• Resources from the Department of Health and Human Services
• Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Enforcement Protections for LGBT Workers
• Resources for Community-Wide Prevention of LGBTQ Youth Homelessness from the Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Guidance from the Department of Labor’s Job Corps Program on ensuring equal access for transgender applicants and students