Federal officials set a June 9 deadline for California schools to reject transgender athlete policies or risk civil rights violations.

California Schools Face Federal Deadline on Sports Policies

The U.S. Department of Justice has given California public high schools until June 9 to certify in writing that they do not allow transgender athletes to compete in girls’ sports, intensifying a federal investigation over Title IX compliance.

In a letter from Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon, schools were warned that failure to reject California’s gender identity-based sports rules could constitute sex discrimination under the Equal Protection Clause. Dhillon emphasized that her office seeks to ensure full adherence to Title IX, a landmark federal law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs receiving federal funds.

California’s current policy, governed by the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), allows students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, regardless of what is listed on official records. This policy now stands in direct conflict with federal directives issued by the Trump administration.

“Knowingly depriving female students of athletic opportunities and benefits on the basis of their sex would constitute unconstitutional sex discrimination,” Dhillon stated in the letter. She called on schools to confirm in writing their noncompliance with CIF rules to avoid potential legal liability.

The demand places public school districts in a difficult position, torn between the CIF’s rules—necessary for participation in state-level competitions—and federal requirements that may lead to penalties if ignored. The CIF had not issued a public response to the DOJ’s letter at the time of this publication.

Title IX Enforcement Shifts Under Trump’s Administration

The DOJ’s directive comes amid a broader initiative under President Donald Trump’s administration to reassert a traditional interpretation of Title IX. This includes defining sex strictly as biological and excluding gender identity from its protections.

Efforts to reinterpret Title IX under previous administrations have faced setbacks. While former President Barack Obama directed schools to accommodate transgender students, the policy was nonbinding. During his previous term, President Trump, with then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, introduced formal rules clarifying that Title IX did not cover gender identity. Those rules are now actively enforced in Trump’s current term.

President Trump has also issued executive orders reinforcing the “biological reality of sex,” directing federal agencies to challenge state policies that deviate from this principle. In addition to California, the DOJ has taken legal action against Maine, citing violations of Title IX after a transgender athlete won a girls’ pole-vault competition earlier this year.

In California, the federal action coincides with a controversial new pilot program backed by the CIF, which allows female athletes displaced by transgender competitors to still qualify for state championships. Governor Gavin Newsom has expressed support for this initiative, a position that has drawn criticism from some in his political base.

As the June 9 deadline approaches, school districts across California must navigate a tense legal landscape. The outcome could redefine the balance between state athletic regulations and federal civil rights enforcement, with implications for education policy across the nation.