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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
SUPPORTING TRANSGENDER YOUTH IN SCHOOL
Every student deserves to learn in a safe and supportive setting, free from discrimination. As the Department of Education has reaffirmed, discrimination based on sex—including sexual orientation and gender identity—isn’t just wrong, it’s prohibited in America’s schools. Yet many lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) students experience bullying, harassment, and other discrimination because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
For transgender students in particular, this discrimination can threaten students’ well-being and ability to thrive or even participate in school—one national survey found that transgender students were three times more likely to miss school than other students. Additional research cited in a report from the Department’s Office for Civil Rights found transgender youth were more likely to report feeling unsafe at
school and being bullied, and that the COVID-19 pandemic harmed their mental health. Some transgender students experience multiple forms of discrimination at once, including race, gender or disability discrimination, which amplify the challenges they face.
HOW CAN SCHOOLS SUPPORT TRANSGENDER STUDENTS?
There are many ways for schools to ensure that all students, including transgender students, are safe and supported in school and have equal access to educational opportunities. Here are examples of policies and practices schools can consider developing in partnership with students, families, and advocates to support transgender students:
- Using welcoming and inclusive language in school, district, college, and university mission statements, such as a commitment to ensuring a safe and supportive campus that is free from discrimination and harassment for LGBTQ+ students.
- Ensuring that school policies clearly affirm students’ right to be free from discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in all aspects of school, including the nondiscriminatory use of discipline and equal access to school programs and activities.
- Adopting policies that respect all students’ gender identities—such as the use the name a student goes by, which may be different from their legal name, and pronouns that reflect a student’s gender identity—and implementing policies to safeguard students’ privacy—such as maintaining the confidentiality of a student’s birth name or sex assigned at birth if the student wishes to keep this information private, unless the disclosure is legally required.
- Adopting policies or model plans to guide school staff on how to support students and communicate with families, such as developmentally appropriate protocols to support students in any transition process, and a checklist of issues to discuss with the student or their family.
- Did you know? Some schools and districts develop gender support plans to ensure a supportive environment for transgender students and create gender communication plans tailored to specific students’ needs.
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