Trump Administration Rescinds Transgender Student Protections in Several Schools

The Education Department terminated agreements with five school districts and a college aimed at enforcing protections for transgender students.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 2:09am

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A dynamic, fragmented painting of school supplies in shades of blue, purple, and grey, conceptually representing the disruption and uncertainty facing transgender students due to the administration's policy changes.The Trump administration's rollback of transgender student protections in schools creates uncertainty and upheaval for vulnerable students.Fife Today

The Trump administration has terminated federal agreements with five school districts and a college that were aimed at upholding protections for transgender students, including requirements for faculty training on using students' preferred names and pronouns and allowing students to use bathrooms that align with their gender identity. This move removes these federal obligations and represents a step back from protecting vulnerable students in schools.

Why it matters

The rescission of these civil rights agreements is part of the Trump administration's broader efforts to roll back protections for transgender people, including in education, sports, and healthcare. This decision disproportionately impacts transgender students, who already face high rates of discrimination and harassment in schools.

The details

The affected school districts are Delaware Valley School District in Pennsylvania, Cape Henlopen School District in Delaware, Fife School District in Washington, La Mesa-Spring Valley School District and Taft College in California, and Sacramento City Unified School District in California. The Trump administration has also filed lawsuits and opened civil rights investigations related to transgender student policies in other states.

  • In February 2026, the Trump administration sent a letter to the Delaware Valley School District rescinding a settlement agreement reached under the Obama administration.
  • In late March 2026, the Delaware Valley School District voted to change its transgender student policies to abide by the Trump administration's demands.

The players

Education Department

The federal agency that terminated the agreements with the school districts and college aimed at enforcing protections for transgender students.

Delaware Valley School District

A rural school district in eastern Pennsylvania that received a letter from the Trump administration in February 2026 rescinding a settlement agreement reached under the Obama administration that required the district to permit students to use bathrooms aligned with their gender identity.

Sacramento City Unified School District

A school district in California that said it "remains committed to the support of our LGBTQ+ students and staff" despite the Trump administration's actions.

Taft College

A community college in California's Central Valley that settled a case in 2023 with the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights after a student accused faculty of discrimination, including refusing to use the student's preferred pronouns.

Kimberly Richey

The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights who said the action reflects the administration's efforts to keep transgender students from participating in girls' and women's sports teams and accessing shared locker rooms.

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What they’re saying

“Today, the Trump Administration is removing the unnecessary and unlawful burdens that prior Administrations imposed on schools in its relentless pursuit of a radical transgender agenda.”

— Kimberly Richey, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

“This is part of the Trump administration's assault on education and assault on those who are most vulnerable to experiencing discrimination and harassment, including trans students. They've made their intention very clear in wanting to erase protections for trans people.”

— Shiwali Patel, Senior Director of Education Justice, National Women's Law Center

What’s next

The Trump administration's actions are expected to face legal challenges from civil rights groups seeking to reinstate protections for transgender students.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's decision to rescind federal agreements protecting transgender students in schools is part of a broader effort to roll back LGBTQ+ rights and disproportionately impacts one of the most vulnerable student populations, raising concerns about discrimination and harassment in educational settings.