U.S. Education Department probes Ann Arbor and Anne Arundel districts over transgender student privacy

The U.S. Department of Education has opened investigations into two public‑school systems—Ann Arbor Public Schools in Michigan and Anne Arundel County Public Schools in Maryland—over policies that keep a student’s transgender status confidential from parents.

Officials say the districts’ practices may conflict with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, which requires that schools provide parents access to education records. Ann Arbor has been given until Aug. 10 to justify its policy; Anne Arundel faces similar scrutiny after a complaint alleging the school concealed a student’s gender transition.

The Education Department’s Student Privacy Policy Office warned that non‑compliance could trigger enforcement actions, including the loss of federal funding.