A local news source from New Haven, Connecticut, reported that the New Haven Public Schools and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights have reached a tentative agreement on their current transgender athlete dispute. The deal reportedly will allow transgender athletes to continue to play on athletics teams that coincide with their gender identities without losing federal funding. As discussed in an earlier blog post, OCR issued a letter in late August threatening to take away funds from a handful of Connecticut school districts and the Connecticut athletic association if transgender female students continue competing with cisgender female athletes. Subsequently, the Department of Education threatened to cut certain grant funds for magnet schools expected by numerous Connecticut schools in October. In response, the Board of Education in New Haven threatened legal action if the Department cut the grant funds. Although we will have to wait to understand the terms of any agreement, this turn of events on this issue is undoubtedly noteworthy and one we will continue to watch.

[View source.]