Department of Education Reverses Biden-Era Title IX Regulation, Reinstates 2020 Rules
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the Department of Education is formally withdrawing the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX rule and returning to the 2020 regulatory language. The Biden rule had already been invalidated by courts, and the department had said in January 2025 that it would enforce the first Trump administration’s rules. McMahon said the move gives clarity to students, teachers, schools, and parents, but she did not announce a new compliance deadline.
The Education Department said it is withdrawing the 2024 Title IX regulation and putting the 2020 text back into the Code of Federal Regulations. Courts had already struck down the Biden-era rule, and the agency had signaled since January 2025 that it would apply the first Trump administration’s version. Secretary Linda McMahon said the change clarifies expectations for students, teachers, schools, and parents, though she did not set a new compliance date.
The 2024 rule had extended sex-discrimination protections to gender identity; a separate athletics-eligibility proposal was pulled in December 2024. The Trump administration has used investigations, funding conditions, and Justice Department referrals, including a special investigations team announced in April 2025 and a lawsuit against Maine.
The shift may affect students, parents, schools, and athletic programs as institutions interpret which Title IX rules govern sex discrimination and sports participation. Schools in states with policies allowing transgender athletes could face greater scrutiny, funding conditions, or referrals, while female athletes and families may see changed eligibility and complaint processes. Because no new compliance deadline was announced, near-term effects could depend on how federal agencies enforce existing rules and how courts and states respond.