Education Department finds California schools hid students’ gender transitions from parents

An investigation by the Department of Education’s Student Privacy Policy office found that the California Department of Education violated federal law by pressuring school officials to conceal information about students’ “gender transitions” from their parents.

The Education Department said in a news release Wednesday that the CDE “pressured school officials to withhold information” about students’ gender identity and transitions despite the action directly violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act. 

FERPA is a federal law that generally gives parents the right to access their children’s education.

The investigation, started in March 2025, found that California’s guidance and state laws have created pressure for schools to hide gender identity information from parents, denying them access to records and support plans related to a student’s gender. 

Education