WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education has opened investigations into three Michigan school districts over allegations they violated federal Title IX protections by allowing students to participate in athletics and use locker rooms based on their gender identity.
The department's Office for Civil Rights announced Thursday it is investigating Ann Arbor Public Schools, Monroe Public Schools and Chippewa Valley Schools.
Federal officials said the investigations will examine whether the districts violated Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in education programs receiving federal funding.
According to the Education Department, Ann Arbor Public Schools allegedly maintained policies that allowed a biological male student to compete on a girls' volleyball team and use female locker room facilities.
In Monroe Public Schools, officials said complaints alleged female volleyball players were required to compete against a team that included a biological male athlete and share locker room facilities with that athlete. The department said some parents reported their concerns were not adequately addressed by school officials.
The investigation involving Chippewa Valley Schools centers on allegations that a female student athlete was permitted to use a male-only locker room.
"The convoluted practice of allowing students to participate on sex-segregated athletic teams and make use of locker rooms based on 'gender identity' is not only known to be unsafe for students, but is a direct violation of federal law," said Kimberly Richey in a statement released by the department.
Richey said the Trump administration would continue enforcing Title IX based on biological sex and investigate allegations of violations.
The announcement comes as the Education Department marks what it calls Title IX Month, commemorating the law's anniversary. The department said it has recently opened similar investigations in other states and issued enforcement warnings to several school districts nationwide.
The investigations follow a February 2025 executive order signed by Donald Trump directing federal agencies to protect opportunities for women and girls in sports. The administration said the order was intended to ensure participation in women's sports is limited to biological females.
The districts have not yet publicly responded to the allegations. An investigation does not indicate wrongdoing has occurred, and the Department of Education said it will review the facts before determining whether federal law was violated.
Title IX, enacted in 1972, prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in educational programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The U.S. Department of Justice is threatening legal action against Ann Arbor Public Schools unless the district changes policies that federal officials say violate parents’ rights under federal education privacy laws.
In a letter dated Sunday, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division said the district has 14 days to address what it described as “substantial noncompliance” with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, known as FERPA, and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, or PPRA.
The dispute centers on Ann Arbor Public Schools’ Policy 5011, which addresses transgender and gender-nonconforming students.
According to the Justice Department, the U.S. Department of Education first raised concerns about the policy in July, arguing that it did not provide parents with full access to their children’s education records.
The Ann Arbor Board of Education amended the policy Aug. 26. However, federal officials said the revisions did not substantially change the policy. The Justice Department cited comments made by board members during the meeting as evidence that the changes were intended largely to clarify the policy rather than alter its effect.
The Department of Education determined Aug. 31 that the district remained out of substantial compliance with FERPA and PPRA and authorized the Justice Department to begin enforcement measures, according to the letter.
Federal officials are demanding that the district rescind Policy 5011 or revise it to comply with federal law.
Among the requested changes, the Justice Department wants the district to remove language directing school personnel to privately consult with students about requested names and pronouns. It also wants the district to obtain prior written parental consent before requiring minors to answer questions involving information protected under PPRA.
The federal government is also demanding that parents be given an opportunity to challenge, correct or seek deletion of information in their children’s education records that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. The letter specifically references records involving changes to a student’s name or gender markers and reports concerning a student’s legal name or gender.
The Justice Department also directed the district to review its policies and practices to ensure parents can inspect their children’s education records and exercise their rights under federal law.
If the district does not comply within the 14-day deadline, the Justice Department said the federal government could file a civil lawsuit and take other enforcement action related to conditions attached to federal education funding.
“This letter constitutes a formal demand and a final opportunity to cure before litigation is initiated,” the Justice Department wrote.
The letter was signed by Harmeet K. Dhillon, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division.
The documents provided do not include a response from Ann Arbor Public Schools to the latest Justice Department demand.
