The transition to a new administration this past month has brought a host of rapid changes in education-related law and compliance. These changes can be overwhelming for those in education and for Title IX professionals, and now it is more important than ever to have a community to provide information in a digestible manner, support in any transitions as a result of legal changes, and care in the day-to-day work.

Here is a rundown of court rulings, Executive Orders and other developments over this past month:

1. On January 9, a U.S. District Court vacated the 2024 Title IX Regulations. This means that the 2024 Title IX Regulations are no longer in effect, and all schools are now under the 2020 Title IX Regulations.

On February 4th, the Office for Civil Rights released a Dear Colleague letter (superseding a Jan. 31st DCL) confirming that OCR will enforce Title IX under the 2020 Title IX Regulations. For schools working under the 2024 Title IX Regulations prior to January 9, there is much to do including updating your policies and procedures. ICS is now offering a 2020 Title IX Policy Blueprint to ease the transition. Contact us to get more information. Also, check out our blog posts, The Law and Education episodes, Living Title IX episodes, and upcoming ICS trainings for K-12 and Higher Education to ensure your Title IX team receives necessary and mandated trainings under the 2020 Title IX Regulations.

2. In his first weeks in Office, President Trump issued several Executive Orders that may impact school districts and institutions. These include Order 14168 and 14151. The impact of these Executive Orders is not yet clear. As always, consult with your legal counsel in evaluating any next steps in response.

3. The Office for Civil Rights launched its first investigation into a K-12 school district. This investigation signals OCR’s enforcement posture going forward.

4. The Stop Campus Hazing Act was enacted at the end of 2024, bringing about additional requirements in collecting and maintaining information on hazing for higher education. This is an important change for higher education and one that requires immediate action. We have added a special training to our Spring training calendar to assist institutions as they look to implement the changes required by this act.

In times of change, it is important to me that we do not overwhelm our Community Partners and Title IX professionals, and instead find ways to digest all that is happening and keep you informed. There is no better time to become a Community Partner to ensure you have access to (1) 24/7 on-demand 2020 Title IX training, (2) an active ListServ where you can lean on colleagues and the ICS team, (3) resources and compliance aids including our wildly popular triage tool, and (4) care and support from the ICS team. I hope you will consider being a part of the ICS Community.

I, along with my team, am committed to providing not only updates as they happen but practical, usable information and guidance to help you day-to-day in this changing environment.

Sending care and support to you!

Sincerely,

Courtney and the ICS Team