Education Department widens school-rights investigations
The U.S. Department of Education widened its review of school policies affecting parental access, student records and transgender-related issues through actions announced July 28 and July 30, 2026.
On July 28, the department opened Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment investigations into Bethel School District in Washington and Denver Public Schools in Colorado. The department also said its Office for Civil Rights would review whether Denver appropriately responded to an alleged incident under Title IX.
On July 30, the department sought updated information from the California Department of Education and Washington’s Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction about policies governing disclosure of education records to parents. The actions do not establish that either district violated federal law, and no funding cutoff was announced.
What the district investigations cover
The department said its July 28 investigations will examine reports involving a display of testosterone vials at a Bethel high school and a classroom exercise in Denver that allegedly required students of the same sex to kiss.
Those descriptions are allegations under review. The department has not issued final PPRA findings in either matter. The article should not be read as a determination that Bethel used testosterone improperly or that Denver violated PPRA.
The Denver case also includes a separate Office for Civil Rights review of whether the district responded appropriately under Title IX. Title IX prohibits sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The review is not a final determination that Denver violated the law.
The Associated Press reported that Denver took personnel action involving the teacher connected to the classroom exercise. Bethel disputed aspects of the federal characterization of the display, according to the report.
What the July 30 requests mean
Two days later, the department requested updated information from California and Washington education officials about policies concerning parental access to education records and disclosure of gender-related information.
The requests are not final policy changes, enforcement orders or new findings against either state agency. The department said the responses would inform its next steps in ongoing reviews, including its investigation involving Washington’s education agency and its follow-up to an earlier California FERPA finding.
The department’s description of recent court rulings and state policies reflects the agency’s legal and policy position. Those disputes may continue through agency proceedings, court challenges or revised state guidance.
How FERPA, PPRA and Title IX differ
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, generally gives parents of minor students the right to inspect and review education records, seek corrections and consent to disclosure of personally identifiable information, subject to statutory and regulatory exceptions. The right to inspect records generally must be honored within 45 days of a request. FERPA rights transfer to the student at age 18 or when the student enrolls in a postsecondary institution at any age.
FERPA therefore does not create an absolute right to every piece of information held by a school, and disputes can turn on whether information is an education record, which exceptions apply and who holds the right at the time of the request.
PPRA addresses a different set of issues. It provides parents with notice, review and, in some circumstances, opt-out rights involving certain surveys, evaluations, examinations and instructional materials. The department’s July 28 inquiries focus on whether parents received the notices and opportunities required for the activities under review.
Title IX concerns sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. In the Denver matter, the Office for Civil Rights is reviewing the district’s response under that statute while the PPRA inquiry examines separate parental-notice and opt-out questions.
Earlier California finding and parallel review
The department’s July request to California follows a January 28, 2026 finding that the California Department of Education violated FERPA by withholding information about students’ gender transitions from parents. That was an earlier federal determination, not a new finding announced in July.
The Justice Department also announced a June 8 compliance review involving four California school districts. That review includes questions about parental notice, opt-out policies and Title IX-related practices, but the department said no conclusions had been reached.
What happens next
Federal investigators may request records, interview officials and seek corrective agreements. If an agency concludes that a recipient failed to comply, federal law can provide funding-related enforcement options, including possible termination procedures. That possibility is not the same as an announced funding cut in these cases.
Parents and districts should watch for formal findings, resolution agreements, updated state guidance and court orders. Those documents—not the opening announcements alone—will determine whether the reviews produce required policy changes, litigation or other consequences.
Sources
- Education Department investigation announcement, July 28, 2026
- Education Department Student Privacy Policy Office legal basics
- Associated Press reporting on the district investigations
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