Board rescinds 2024 Title IX regs and reinstates 2020 rules after federal court action

The Mill Valley School District board voted Feb. 13 to rescind recently adopted administrative regulations that aligned district policy with the U.S. Department of Education’s 2024 Title IX regulations and to revert to the 2020 regulations after a federal court decision vacated the 2024 rules.

Why it matters: Title IX regulations define how schools investigate and respond to sex- and gender-based harassment and discrimination. The 2024 rules broadened the triggers for investigation; a federal court ruling vacated those rules, prompting districts that had adopted the 2024-aligned policies to revert to prior rules.

Board discussion District administrators said the board must align district policy with the current enforceable federal regulatory framework. Trustees discussed implications for student and employee protections and for local implementation. One trustee recorded an opposition vote on the motion; other trustees voted in favor.

What the change does Reinstating the 2020 regulations returns the district to the earlier federal standard that requires a showing that harassment is “so severe and pervasive that it effectively denies a person equal access to a school program or activity” before a Title IX investigation is required. The 2024 rule had used a broader “so severe or pervasive” standard; the board said the federal enforcement posture changed after the court ruling, so district regulations must follow the enforceable federal standard.

Next steps The district will publish the reinstated regulations and continue mandated staff training on reporting and nondiscrimination obligations. Administrators said they will monitor federal developments and update policies if the regulatory environment changes.