The Department of Education (ED) announced on Thursday that several Kansas school districts face losing federal funding if they continue to allow transgender-identifying boys in girls bathrooms and locker rooms, in violation of Title IX.
ED’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued “Letters of Impending Enforcement Action” to three Kansas school districts, including Olathe Public Schools, Shawnee Mission School District, and Topeka Public Schools. The department’s OCR also sent a “Letter of Impasse” to the Kansas City, Kansas Public School District informing the district of its alleged failure to comply with Title IX.
ED’s OCR determined in April 2026 that the districts allegedly violated Title IX by allowing male students to use female restrooms, locker rooms, and changing rooms. OCR also said some of the districts allegedly allow males to play on female sports teams based on their self-proclaimed “gender identity.” Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex as a condition of receiving federal funding.
ED said that despite receiving OCR’s proposed resolution agreements to bring the districts voluntarily into compliance with Title IX, “the districts continue to take no action to protect women and girls and have failed to uphold parents’ rights to inspect their children’s educational records.”
“These Kansas school districts’ ongoing refusal to come into compliance with Title IX puts the safety, privacy, and dignity of young women and girls at risk,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said in a statement. “The Districts must come into compliance with Title IX or risk further enforcement action. As we recognize June as Title IX Month, the Trump Administration will continue to fiercely protect students and parents by enforcing federal law and ensuring that schools uphold the rights women and girls are guaranteed under Title IX.”
The department launched investigations into the school districts in August 2025 after receiving complaints from the Defense of Freedom Institute. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon also received a letter from Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach expressing concern about the districts’ adherence to Title IX.
The “Letter of Impasse” to Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools tells the district that ED is preparing for “impending enforcement,” which “could result in the termination of the Districts’ federal education funding,” the department said.
The “Letters of Impending Enforcement Action” to the other three schools districts notifies them that they have ten days to comply with Title IX or face enforcement action, which could also result in the termination of federal funding, ED said.
A spokesperson for Kansas City, Kansas Public School District told Breitbart News via email that the district has not had the chance to go over the letter from ED yet. Once the district assesses the letter, officials will inform the school board, the spokesperson said.
A spokesperson for Olathe Public Schools referred Breitbart News to a press release stating that the district submitted a voluntary resolution agreement to ED’s OCR that was allegedly rejected by the department.
“Despite the district’s full cooperation throughout the process and good faith effort to bring this matter to a reasonable conclusion, the Department of Education has ejected the signed agreement and has sent a notice of enforcement actions. Olathe Public Schools is deeply disappointed by this decision,” the district’s press release reads.
“The Department of Education’s rejection of a negotiated resolution raises serious concerns about whether the goal of this process is to reach a practical and lawful outcome or to pursue a predetermined result that does not reflect the facts, the law, or the district’s actual practices,” the statement continued. “Instead, the Department has chosen to prolong a process that has already consumed significant district time and taxpayer resources, resources that would be better spent supporting classrooms and student success.”
The districts said it “firmly maintains that it has always been, and continues to be, in compliance with both Title IX and FERPA [Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act].”
“For months, the district has worked transparently with federal officials in an effort to resolve this matter. Olathe Public Schools pursued a voluntary resolution not because the district agreed with the allegations, but to avoid additional disruption, protect critical federal funding, minimize unnecessary legal costs, and remain focused on our core mission of educating students,” the statement reads.
“Faced with the threat of losing critical federal funding or being referred for litigation, the district has been placed in a position that feels less like a collaborative effort to resolve concerns and more like an attempt to strong-arm the district into accepting allegations and remedies it does not believe are supported by the facts or the law,” the district said:
Olathe Public Schools will now shift its focus to defending our school system through any and all legal avenues to ensure we continue to receive federal funding, protect our district and the students we serve, and ensure the record reflects the truth: Olathe Public Schools has always been in compliance with both Title IX and FERPA. We will not allow inaccurate allegations or politically driven narratives to undermine the work of our staff, the trust of our families, or the educational opportunities available to our students.
We remain hopeful that the Department of Education will ultimately choose a path grounded in facts, fairness, due process, and the best interests of students. Until then, Olathe Public Schools stands ready to vigorously defend its practices, its reputation, and the students and families we are privileged to serve.
A spokesperson for Topeka Public Schools said it has received the letter and “is carefully reviewing the correspondence.”
“Throughout this process, Topeka Public Schools has remained committed to serving all students. Over the past six months, the district has participated in multiple discussions with OCR representatives and has worked cooperatively and in good faith to address questions raised by the agency,” the spokesperson said.
“OCR’s recent communication was unexpected, particularly given the ongoing dialogue and collaborative efforts that have taken place since August 2025. Topeka Public Schools believes it has taken appropriate steps to ensure compliance with Title IX and FERPA and remains committed to continuing that work,” they continued. “While the district respectfully disagrees with OCR’s findings and the June 11th correspondence, we will continue to work in good faith with the Office for Civil Rights to address any questions and seek a resolution through established processes.”
Shawnee Mission School District did not respond to Breitbart News’s request for comment by time of publication.
Katherine Hamilton is a political reporter for Breitbart News. You can follow her on X @thekat_hamilton.
