U.S. Education Department Reverses Biden’s Title IX Rule

The U.S. Department of Education has reversed the Biden administration’s 2024 Title IX regulation. Education Secretary Linda McMahon revealed this decision in an interview with OutKick, stating the move emphasizes the administration’s stance on keeping girls’ and women’s sports exclusive to females.

We’re just acknowledging that boys and men are in boys’ and men’s sports, and girls are in theirs, McMahon told OutKick.

The department returns to the 2020 regulatory framework, invalidating Biden’s attempt to broaden Title IX’s sex-discrimination protections to include gender identity. This action comes after courts nullified Biden’s rule, with the department indicating in January 2025 that it would enforce the Trump administration’s earlier policies.

During the interview, McMahon expanded on this enforcement, It just gives clarification to students, teachers, schools, parents. Everyone now knows what the rule is and how everyone is going to abide by it, she explained. McMahon affirmed that schools should adhere to the Trump-era regulations without specifying new compliance deadlines.

Under the Biden administration, Title IX protections expanded to gender identity, but the associated athletic eligibility proposal was withdrawn in December 2024. President Trump recently signed the “No Men in Women’s Sports” executive order alongside female athletes.

Further enforcing its interpretation, the Trump administration has taken steps through investigations and funding restrictions, often referring cases to the Department of Justice. In April 2025, the Title IX Special Investigations Team was formed. The federal government has also initiated legal action against Maine’s policy allowing trans-identifying males in girls’ sports.

Regarding repercussions for states such as Maine, California, and Minnesota, McMahon noted the department’s use of reimbursement requirements for recipients marked as high-risk. They don’t get their funding in advance. They have to produce receipts to us, she explained.

For female athletes affected by Title IX rule changes, McMahon highlighted the University of Pennsylvania’s agreement to restore records and titles to women athletes. This came in the wake of Lia Thomas’ participation on Penn’s women’s swimming team.

Not only were apologies extended, but the titles were then given to the women who had rightfully won, said McMahon.

The department may use this agreement as a framework for other cases but intends to evaluate each situation separately. McMahon suggests parents of female athletes competing against male athletes or sharing locker rooms with them should report these concerns to school officials and federal authorities.

The Supreme Court recently upheld Idaho and West Virginia laws limiting girls’ and women’s sports participation strictly to females. Asked about nationwide enforcement, McMahon referred to Title IX’s legal precedence by stating, It is in law, it exists, it’s a statute, and it should be obeyed.