Education Department opens investigations into Colorado and Washington school districts
The U.S. Department of Education has opened federal investigations into two school districts over allegations involving parental rights and student information, while Denver Public Schools also faces a separate investigation under Title IX.
The department announced the action July 28, 2026. Its Student Privacy Policy Office opened investigations under the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, or PPRA, into Bethel School District in Washington state and Denver Public Schools in Colorado. The department’s Office for Civil Rights opened the Title IX investigation into Denver.
The investigations are not final findings. The department has not determined that either district violated federal law, and its announcement did not provide a date for the investigations to conclude.
What federal officials are examining
The department said the PPRA investigations concern alleged failures involving parental rights and access to student information. Under the department’s description of the law, PPRA gives parents notice and the ability to opt out of certain surveys. It also requires notice before some medical examinations or mental-health screenings.
For Bethel School District, the department cited a June 2026 incident involving testosterone vials displayed at a Bethel high school as part of the factual basis for its investigation. The department’s announcement describes that allegation, but the source packet does not establish the incident independently or identify a final finding about it.
In Denver, the department is examining both the PPRA allegations and whether the school district violated Title IX. The announcement does not state what penalties, if any, could follow specifically from the Title IX investigation or how the department will resolve the allegations.
Why the investigations matter
The cases put two school systems under federal review and could affect how districts handle parental notice, student information and certain school activities. The department said violations of PPRA or Title IX can result in termination of federal education funding.
That consequence remains conditional. The department has not said that funding will be withheld from Bethel or Denver, and the announcement did not say whether either district faces an immediate change in funding or services. Any enforcement action would depend on the outcome of the investigations and the department’s subsequent decisions.
The action reflects a broader federal campaign focused on parental access to student information and the administration’s interpretation of Title IX. On July 27, one day before the Bethel and Denver announcement, the department described related actions involving Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Ann Arbor Public Schools. That separate announcement said the Student Privacy Policy Office was pursuing enforcement related to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA, and gave one district an Aug. 10, 2026, deadline to respond.
The related actions are distinct from the PPRA and Title IX investigations announced July 28. The approved information does not identify which of those districts received the Aug. 10 response deadline.
What happens next
Bethel and Denver are now subject to PPRA investigations, and Denver is also subject to the Title IX review. Federal investigators will determine whether the allegations support findings under the applicable laws.
The department has not announced when either investigation will end. It also has not said whether federal funding will be terminated, withheld or otherwise affected. Until the department issues final findings, the allegations should not be treated as established violations.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Education Investigates Districts in Washington and Colorado to Protect Parental Rights Laws and Uphold Title IX, U.S. Department of Education
- Trump Administration Cracks Down on School Districts Secretly “Transitioning” Students and Hiding it from Parents, U.S. Department of Education
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