KCKPS denies noncompliance, disputes DOJ claims over transgender guideline in detailed response letter

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — KSHB 41 reporter Rachel Henderson covers neighborhoods in Wyandotte and Leavenworth counties. Share your story idea with Rachel.

—

In a five-page letter dated Tuesday, Aug. 4, Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools responded to the Department of Justice’s demands over its transgender guideline.

This comes after the DOJ gave the district 14 days to comply with five demands or risk losing almost $70 million in federal funding.

The district’s general counsel sent the letter, which is addressed to the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas.

MORE | Read the full letter here

USD 500 says it disagrees with the DOJ’s assertion there has been “ongoing substantial noncompliance” with FERPA and has no desire or intention to violate FERPA in any manner.

The district also denies that the transgender guideline the DOJ refers to was ever adopted, approved or utilized by the district.

Attached in the response was the "Kansas City Kansas Public Schools Guidelines for Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming Students at School" document, which the district said is not official policy.

KCKPS clarified the 2017 document community members believe to be the policy is still accessible on the district's website through BoardDocs.

The district says it's still online only because it was presented at a public board meeting on Sept. 18, 2017, and must be retained as part of the public record.

USD 500 added that it submitted a Freedom of Information Act request to the Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) on Sept. 5, 2025 — nearly a year ago — and has received no substantive response.

The district submitted the FOIA at the direction of SPPO itself, shortly after the federal investigation was initiated.

The district also states it has never been notified of any specific parent complaint that triggered this investigation.

In response to the DOJ’s third demand, KCKPS has committed to issuing a written directive to all staff clarifying that no district policy, guideline or practice prevents a parent from exercising their rights under FERPA — including access to records related to a student's gender identity.

The district also asks the DOJ to provide the full version of the recording referenced in the original letter sent on July 21.

Superintendent Dr. Anna Stubblefield shared that the district hadn’t seen the full video, as reiterated in Tuesday's letter.

KSHB 41’s Rachel Henderson sat down with the superintendent Friday to discuss the matter.

Henderson also reached out to the DOJ for a response to the district’s letter.

—