Biden Administration Releases Updated Title IX Regulations

On April 19, the Biden Administration issued new regulations on implementation of Title IX, the 1972 law barring discrimination on the basis of sex. Under the new regulations, discrimination on the basis of sex will be broadened to include sexual orientation, gender identity, sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, and pregnancy.

The new rule, clocking in at over 1500 pages, does not include highly anticipated new regulations on athletic participation and gender identity, that policy will apparently be announced separately at a later date. Nonetheless, the April 19 rule has unleashed a storm of controversy, a phenomenon that now occurs with almost metronomic regularity every four or eight years when a presidential administration overturns the rules governing Title IX promulgated by the previous president.

The new rule takes effect August 1, 2024.

Congratulations to Eight Green Ribbon Private Schools

Congratulations to eight private schools that received the 2024 Green Ribbon Schools recognition. Administered by the U.S. Department of Education, the award highlights schools with a commitment to sustainability and health in education. These schools have implemented innovative programs to reduce environmental impact, promote wellness, and spearhead sustainability learning.

Green Ribbon Awardees

Pacific Ridge School; Carlsbad, California
St. Patrick’s Episcopal Day School; Washington, District of Columbia
Northside Christian School; St. Petersburg, Florida
The Waldorf School of Baltimore; Baltimore, Maryland

West Side Christian School; Grand Rapids, Michigan
Nerinx Hall; Webster Groves, Missouri
Salisbury Academy; Salisbury, North Carolina
The TASIS School in Dorado; Dorado, Puerto Rico

NAEP Launches 2024-2025 Program, Seeks Private School Participation

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) will be conducting the long-term assessments in mathematics and reading to 9, 13, and 17 year-old students in public and private schools throughout the country. In prior years, NAEP has shown that private school students score higher on average than students in public schools.

Accurate private school representation in the NAEP relies on enough schools participating. Help give private schools a voice in the national education conversation by signing your school up for test participation. Representatives provide all materials and equipment, and administer the assessment at no cost to schools.

For more information about the NAEP program and the importance of private school participation, click here.

Nebraska School Choice Update

Governor Jim Pillen signed school choice legislation which effectively replaces the tax credit scholarship program passed in Nebraska last year with a new program that will fund scholarships for private school tuition. “I’m very excited for a bunch of low-income kids who couldn’t access an education that best fits their needs, and now they’ll be able to,” State Senator Lou Ann Linehan told the Nebraska Examiner.

Department of Labor Issues New Overtime Rules

On April 23, the U.S. Department of Labor released new regulations governing when employees may be classified as exempt from overtime pay requirements under the Fair Labor Standard Act. It is expected that perhaps 4 million workers will be eligible for overtime pay under the new policy.

The new rule has implications for private K-12 schools, see this helpful article from Fisher Phillips for more information.