Worldwide: Education

Massachusetts has enacted a new law criminalizing sexual conduct between mandated reporters and minors aged 16-17 over whom they exercise supervisory authority, carrying penalties up to 20 years in prison. The legislation addresses power imbalances in relationships between minors and adults in positions of authority such as teachers, coaches, and healthcare providers, even after formal supervisory roles have ended. Employers of mandated reporters must now update policies, training programs, and codes of con

A federal court has issued a nationwide injunction blocking the NCAA from enforcing its new five-year eligibility rule against Division I athletes who graduated high school in 2022. The ruling creates immediate compliance challenges for athletic departments as they navigate roster management, revenue-sharing caps, and potential penalties while the NCAA appeals the decision.

A single theme ran through all three hearings: members suggesting that institutions had renamed DEI programs rather than dismantled them and noting that a change in office names, course titles and website copy was not evidence of compliance.

With many school leaders asking whether the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on transgender athletes affects existing policies and practices, New Jersey districts should be aware that state requirements governing...

The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights has launched a Title IX investigation into Smith College's policy of admitting transgender women and providing them access to campus facilities designated for women. This investigation represents a significant shift in federal civil rights enforcement under the Trump Administration's interpretation that Title IX protections are based on biological sex rather than gender identity.

A new Department of Homeland Security rule will replace the longstanding "Duration of Status" system with fixed admission periods for F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors beginning September 15, 2026. This change creates unique immigration planning considerations for international student-athletes whose collegiate careers may extend beyond four academic years, requiring careful coordination between athletic eligibility and immigration status timelines.

A proposed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule that recently cleared White House review could fundamentally change how international students maintain lawful status in the United States.

A new interagency agreement between the Department of Education and Department of Justice fundamentally restructures federal civil rights enforcement in educational institutions, shifting from OCR's traditional compliance-focused approach to DOJ's more formal investigative protocols. While substantive civil rights laws remain unchanged, the partnership introduces rigorous investigative methods and reflects the Trump administration's evolving stance on disparate impact liability.

The NCAA Division I Cabinet has approved changes to the eligibility framework for DI student-athletes. The new framework shifts from the “five-year rule” to an “age-based” eligibility model, eliminating...