Trump administration implements changes to school data and tax status

The Trump administration has implemented significant changes to federal education oversight and school regulations. The U.S. Department of Education recently released updated Civil Rights Data Collection figures for the 2023-2024 school year that omit data regarding nonbinary students and bullying based on gender identity. Following an executive order defining sex as strictly male or female, data columns related to gender identity were replaced with a code stating, “Suppressed in Compliance with Executive Order.” This suppression includes allegations of harassment and information regarding district policies prohibiting such conduct.

Additionally, the administration has proposed new federal regulations targeting the tax-exempt status of educational institutions. Under the proposed rule, private schools, trade schools, or universities that utilize race, color, or national or ethnic origin in admissions, scholarships, athletics, or other programs would no longer qualify for 501(c)(3) status. The IRS estimates these regulations could threaten the tax-exempt status of up to 18,000 schools and potentially impact scholarships for approximately 750,000 students.