LM May 2023

Legal Corner

Chad Watkins IASA Associate Director/General Counsel

To help school leaders navigate uncertain times, IASA has partnered with leading law firms throughout Illinois to provide districts with critical guidance during the 2022–23 school year. In every issue of Leadership Matters, the IASA Legal Corner will showcase an article written by attorneys who specialize in legal matters related to education. It is our hope you find the content insightful, timely and helpful in addressing the critical matters you face.

This month, Jennifer Smith, an attorney with Franczek, writes about a proposed rule updating Title IX on student eligibility for athletics. As a reminder, IASA Legal Corner articles are provided for informational purposes only, and you are advised to contact your district counsel for legal advice. Click on the link below to access the article

Proposed Rule on Student Eligibility for Athletics On April 6, the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) released its much-anticipated proposed Title IX rule on the eligibility of students for participation in athletic programs based on their gender identity. The proposed rule, which has garnered a great deal of attention over its application to transgender students, would prohibit schools and colleges that receive federal

financial aid from categorically banning students from participating in sports programs based on their gender identity. At the same time, the proposed rule would provide some flexibility for schools and colleges to determine their own sex-related eligibility criteria for more competitive programs, provided that the criteria fit within the rule’s framework... (continue reading)

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LM May 2023