Federal agencies target LAUSD over gender identity policies

The U.S. Departments of Education and Justice announced on October 6, 2026, that they are taking action against the Los Angeles Unified School District. The federal action targets district policies requiring staff to privately ask students how they wish to be referred to in communications with parents and to keep a student's gender identity confidential from parents, which the agencies say violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).

LAUSD denies notification and asserts compliance

Los Angeles Unified School District officials dispute the federal government's characterization. An LAUSD spokesperson said on October 6, 2026, that the district had not been notified of any new or additional enforcement actions by the U.S. Department of Justice. "At this time, LA Unified has not been notified of any new or additional enforcement actions by the U.S. Department of Justice," the spokesperson stated via email. The spokesperson affirmed that the district complies with all applicable state and federal laws and will continue to do so.

Broader crackdown on mental health screenings and LGBTQ+ policies

This move against LAUSD is part of a rapid escalation in federal investigations into school district policies. The Trump administration is using privacy laws to crack down on schools' approaches to LGBTQ+ students, such as creating gender support plans or using students' pronouns when they differ from biological sex. In July 2026, the federal agencies announced joint investigations into Washington’s Bethel School District and Colorado’s Denver Public Schools under PPRA. Those investigations remain pending.

On October 5, 2026, the Departments of Education and Justice sent a joint letter to state attorneys general. It cited school districts’ patterns of noncompliance with FERPA and PPRA, specifically regarding mental health screenings. The letter warned that such patterns could jeopardize federal funding. The administration states that any mental health screening, survey, or tool used to evaluate a student's mental health requires written parental consent. Simply offering an opt-out is not considered sufficient compliance.

The October 5 letter followed a Dear Colleague letter sent in August 2026 outlining parental consent requirements. It accused many superintendents and school officials of continuing patterns of noncompliance, behaving as if they will not be held accountable for policies that infringe parental rights. The conditions of federal funding under FERPA and PPRA are nonnegotiable, the letter stated.

Context of state law and pending regulatory changes

The federal action creates a direct conflict with state law in California. A 2024 state law prohibits school districts from outing LGBTQ+ students to their parents without the student's consent. This law has been the crux of intense legal and political conflict.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Education had planned to amend its regulations on FERPA and PPRA enforcement during August and September 2026, according to its 2026 Unified Agenda. As of the report's publication, the department has not yet amended those regulations.