Full Breakdown
Trump Administration Restores 2020 Title IX Regulations, Rescinds Biden-Era Protections
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On Monday the U.S. Department of Education rescinded the 2024 Title IX regulations issued by the Biden administration and reinstated the 2020 regulations adopted during President Donald Trump’s first term. The change was codified in the Federal Register and took immediate effect.
Background & Context
Title IX, enacted in 1972, prohibits sex-based discrimination in any federally funded education program. The 2024 rule expanded coverage to gender identity and sexual orientation and broadened schools’ investigative obligations. Federal courts struck down that rule in early 2025, and the Department began enforcing the 2020 regulations on January 31 2025. The 2020 rule defines “sex” as binary, emphasizes due-process protections for the accused, and permits live hearings with cross-examination.
Timeline
- January 31 2025 – Department begins enforcement of the 2020 regulations after courts vacated the Biden rule.
- April 4 2025 – Education and Justice Departments launch a Title IX Special Investigations Team.
- June 30 2026 – Supreme Court upholds state laws restricting girls’ and women’s sports to females, reinforcing the administration’s focus on “biological reality.”
- Monday, 2026 – Department rescinds the 2024 rule and reinstates the 2020 regulations.
Data & Statistics
- The Office for Civil Rights recorded 112 resolution agreements in 2025, the fewest in at least 12 years, and no agreements on sexual harassment or violence that year.
- The reinstated rule lets schools choose between “preponderance of the evidence” and “clear and convincing” standards and narrows the definition of sexual harassment to conduct that is “severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive.”
Official Statements & Responses
Education Secretary Linda McMahon called the reversal a correction of an “illegal rewrite” and a return to “commonsense language.” A department fact sheet said the change does not alter day-to-day practices because the 2020 rules have been in effect since early 2025.
Criticism & Opposition
Advocates argue the rollback weakens protections for LGBTQ+ students and survivors of sexual violence. Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, warned the final rule “subverts” Title IX’s inclusionary purpose. Critics note limited practical impact for schools already operating under the 2020 framework.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the reversal’s effect. Pro-administration officials claim it simply codifies the status quo, while civil-rights groups say it will erode safeguards for transgender students and sexual-assault survivors. No comprehensive data yet exist on how the reinstated rule will alter reporting rates, investigation outcomes, or compliance costs for schools nationwide.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Thanks to today’s action, the published Title IX regulations faithfully reflect court orders and Congressional intent – reducing confusion for parents, students, and educational institutions,” — Linda McMahon, secretary
- “That's been the status quo for a while now, which is that these 2024 regulations are unenforceable, and that schools and universities should be operating based off the 2020 Title IX regulations,” — Lauren Greuel, attorney
- “Title IX has always been designed to promote inclusion, and this final rule attempts to subvert that intent," said Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin, which advocates on behalf of LGBTQ+ people statewide.” — Abigail Swetz, executive director of Fair Wisconsin
- “This has weakened protections for all students, especially trans students, women and girls, and those who experience sexual harassment or sexual assault,” — Cathy Renna, communications director, National LGBTQ Task Force