In February, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights launched an investigation into the Minnesota State High School League for the organization’s stance on transgender inclusion in female sports. That office last month gave Minnesota ten days to respond to the DOE’s decision that the policy violated Title IX. The DOE said Minnesota must ban transgender women from competing in women’s sports or risk losing federal funding.
According to KFGO, Minnesota has let that deadline pass with no answer.
The ten days were up on Oct. 10, 2025, but rather than respond, Minnesota’s lawmakers said there “would be no substantive response because of a lack of clarity while the federal government is shut down.”
Related: DOE to Launch Title IX Investigations Into Two Athletic Associations
According to CBS News, if Minnesota were to comply with the DOE’s requests, the Minnesota Department of Education and MSHL would be required to “revise any guidance permitting males to compete in girls’ sports.”
Per the investigation’s findings, the DOE has ordered the Minnesota Department of Education to issue a state-wide notice “to all federally funded entities operating interscholastic athletic programs mandating their strict compliance with Title IX by separating athletics and intimate facilities based on sex," and the notice must require "entities to adopt biology-based definitions of 'male' and 'female'" and have a reminder that non-compliance could place federal funds in jeopardy.”
Despite lawmakers’ commitment to upholding the state’s transgender policies, roughly 200 Minnesota high school board members have signed a petition asking the state to comply with the DOE’s requests.
However, not all school board members are in favor of complying with the DOE. A letter from 21 school board members and six school board candidates was also sent to lawmakers, including Governor Walsh, that read, “Every student, including transgender and nonbinary students, deserves the opportunity to participate, belong and thrive in a welcoming and equitable environment. Participation in athletics is a vital part of the educational experience, fostering leadership, teamwork, health and belonging. Excluding transgender students from school athletics undermines these educational goals and violates both federal and Minnesota legal protections."
The fire under Minnesota’s transgender athlete participation policies was lit when Champlin Park’s high school softball team won the state championship with an openly transgender pitcher on the team. Three female student-athletes then sued the state’s attorney general and the MSHL, arguing that allowing the transgender athlete to compete created an “unsafe and unfair environment.”
