Education Department Stops Collecting Data on Trans and Nonbinary Student Harassment

In July, the Office of Management and Budget authorized a revision that halts the United States Department of Education’s data collection on bullying, harassment and assaults of transgender and nonbinary students. The Office of Civil Rights will no longer monitor whether schools have policies safeguarding these students, and the department’s definition of rape now excludes gender identity as a protected category. The revision follows a 2020 executive order that limited federal recognition to two sexes.

Former deputy assistant secretary Seth Galanter condemned the decision, noting the data had been the first systematic glimpse into the experiences of trans and nonbinary youth. The administration justified the cut by citing cost concerns, stating that the benefits did not outweigh the expenses. Advocates point to a recent Trevor Project survey showing high rates of bullying and suicide attempts among LGBTQ, especially trans and nonbinary, students, underscoring the loss of a federal reporting mechanism.