The U.S. Department of Education stated it is marking progress in enforcing Title IX to ensure biological females have equal athletic opportunities by limiting women's sports categories to those assigned female at birth.
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, the department cited policy changes by several states and institutions since early 2025, including the NCAA and United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee. It also noted resolution agreements with the University of Pennsylvania over transgender participation on its women's swim team and with Wagner College regarding its women's fencing team.[1]
Harvard University removed its transgender inclusion policy from its handbook following NCAA policy updates. Trinity University publicly revised its intercollegiate athletics transgender policy in March 2025 to restrict women's sports to student-athletes assigned female at birth.[1]
The department reported ongoing enforcement, including U.S. Department of Justice lawsuits against state agencies in Maine and California for permitting biological males to compete in girls' high school sports.[1]
The Education Department is in dispute with San Jose State University after the school declined to enter a resolution agreement over alleged Title IX violations involving a transgender woman on its women's volleyball team. The university and California State University system sued the federal government to contest the findings.[1][2]
Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated San Jose State must resolve the issues by the end of the month or risk federal funding cuts and referral to the Justice Department.[1]
The Office for Civil Rights has opened Title IX investigations into school districts in Colorado, New York and California, as well as the University of Nevada, Reno.[1][2]
The San Jose State case stems from complaints by female volleyball players alleging competitive disadvantage from outside hitter Blaire Fleming, who previously played on men's teams at Princeton and San Diego State. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Mountain West Conference.[2][3][4]
- San Jose State women’s volleyball: 2024 record 14-15 overall, 10-6 conference (3rd place); Fleming recorded 244 kills (2.66 per set).[3][4]
Sources
- Fox News Digital
FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Department of Education is celebrating one year of its fight to keep biological males out of women's and girls' sports
Accessed October 2025
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/us-department-education-celebrates-year-fight-keep-men-out-womens-sports - U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Letter of Findings and Voluntary Resolution Agreement Requirement to San José State University
December 20, 2024
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/investletters/sjsu-ltr-20241220.pdf - Mountain West Conference (official)
2024 Women's Volleyball Standings and Statistics
Accessed October 2025
https://mountainwest.sportswave.com/sports/wvball/2024-25/standings - ESPN.com
San Jose State volleyball faces Title IX scrutiny over transgender player
January 15, 2025
https://www.espn.com/college-sports/story/_/id/39587234/san-jose-state-transgender-volleyball-title-ix-probe
