Trump Administration's Actions Impacting Education Department's Title IX Enforcement

Fri Jan 16 2026 21:40:33 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The Trump administration's policies have led to significant changes in the Education Department's handling of sexual violence cases in schools, resulting in a drastic reduction in investigations and a backlog of thousands of cases.

The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, once a strong advocate for addressing sexual violence in educational institutions, has faced severe cuts and changes under the Trump administration. Investigations into sexual assault complaints have plummeted, with recent statistics showing fewer than 10 cases opened since layoffs that halved the investigative team. Conversely, the administration is actively pursuing cases against schools that support transgender rights through Title IX. Critics argue that the current state of the office leaves victims with little recourse for accountability.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Before President Donald Trump’s administration started dismantling the Education Department, the agency served as a powerful enforcer in cases of sexual violence at schools and universities. It brought the weight of the government against schools that mishandled sexual assault complaints involving students.

That work is quickly fading away.

The department’s Office for Civil Rights was gutted in Trump’s mass layoffs last year, leaving half as many lawyers to investigate complaints of discrimination based on race, sex or disability in schools. Those who remain face a backlog of more than 25,000 cases.

Investigations have dwindled. Before the layoffs last March, the office opened dozens of sexual violence investigations a year. Since then, it’s opened fewer than 10 nationwide, according to internal data obtained by The Associated Press.

Yet Trump’s Republican administration has doubled down on sexual discrimination cases of another kind, using Title IX against schools that make accommodations for transgender students and athletes. The Office for Civil Rights has opened nearly 50 such investigations since Trump took office.

Critics argue the civil rights office is underperforming. Many law firms that handle Title IX cases have stopped filing complaints, labeling it a dead end.

“It almost feels like you’re up against the void,” said Katie McKay, a lawyer at a New York firm that represents victims.

Many students who are mistreated by their schools, including victims and wrongly accused ones, have few options left to seek justice. They can either file a lawsuit or walk away.

One woman expressed her frustration over a complaint filed back in 2024, alleging her graduate school failed to follow its policies in a sexual assault case. She recently resorted to suing her institution, feeling overwhelmed by the power imbalance she faced.

An Education Department spokesperson defended their actions, attributing the backlog to the previous administration and claiming that the current policies are designed to protect all students, including LGBTQ+ individuals.

With investigations at a standstill, critics worry that the progress made in addressing sexual violence and discrimination in educational settings is at risk of being lost.