Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Education’s 2026 Unified Agenda was formally published in the Federal Register, prompting discussion throughout the education compliance community about what may be coming next for Title IX, Title VI, Clery, and other civil rights regulations. Before diving into the individual items, it’s worth answering a simple question: What […]
On June 30, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced that it is partnering with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to protect parental rights in Kansas City, Kansas by jointly enforcing the ED’s April 2026 finding that Kansas City, Kansas Public School District (District) violated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) by […]
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced a change to how it enforces one of the country’s oldest civil rights laws. The Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) published a final rule rescinding several disparate-impact provisions from its Title VI regulations, the part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination based […]
An OCR Reminder: Schools Still Cannot Rely on Law Enforcement Alone Over the past several months, much of the conversation surrounding the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has focused on athletics, parental rights, antisemitism, gender identity, and, more recently, Immediate Action Agreements (IAAs). Those topics have understandably dominated the civil rights […]
The Supreme Court Is Deciding Fewer Cases But Its Influence Continues to Grow Last week, we discussed the Supreme Court’s decision in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and what it means for Title IX and transgender participation in athletics. This week, we want to step back from any single opinion and look at a broader shift […]
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court concluded its October 2025 Term, issuing several decisions that will shape the legal landscape for schools, colleges, and universities. While not every case directly involved education, many addressed issues that influence civil rights enforcement, federal authority, and institutional compliance. Over the next two weeks, we’ll highlight several of the […]
Documentation Is Your Defense. OCR’s Latest Resolutions Prove It. Having a Policy Isn’t Enough. OCR Is Looking at What You Actually Do. The Queue Is Growing But The Obligations Haven’t Changed. Your Written Policies Won’t Protect You But Your Implementation Will. OCR recently published several new resolution agreements and case closures that provide useful insight […]
Title IX Coordinator Burnout Is Real. Let’s Talk About It. If you work in Title IX or civil rights compliance, you already know that this is not a nine-to-five job. It is a responsibility that follows you. The cases are weighty. The regulatory environment seems to shift constantly. And the people who come to you […]
Federal funding has become the ultimate motivator for enforcing civil rights, even for institutions with massive resources. Harvard University, with its roughly $53 billion endowment, was recently placed on Heightened Cash Monitoring by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) due to concerns over financial responsibility and civil rights compliance. Under this status, Harvard must disburse […]
The courts and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) are shaping the compliance landscape in ways that could alter how schools approach Title IX, Title VII, and equal protection obligations. Three current matters deserve particular attention. Kluge v. Brownsburg – Pronouns, Title VII, and Religious Accommodation In August 2025, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals […]
