Education Department’s final Title IX regulations draw mixed reactions

Higher Ed Dive

Natalie Schwartz

April 19, 2024

The U.S. Department of Education released one of its long-awaited rules governing Title IX on Friday, drawing praise from advocates for sexual assault survivors and condemnations from some free speech and legal groups.

Title IX is the sweeping law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in federally funded colleges and K-12 schools. The Biden administration has pledged to restore protections for sexual assault survivors that it says were weakened under the previous administration.

The new rule will take effect in August, giving colleges just a few months to come into compliance. It makes several key changes from the Trump-era regulations, including by no longer requiring live hearings in sexual misconduct cases, broadening the complaints that colleges must investigate, and offering protections to LGBTQ+ students.

Advocates for sexual assault survivors had been pushing the Education Department to release the final Title IX regulations, which were first promised last May and subject to multiple delays. 

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