KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Olathe Public Schools announced Friday that the district has submitted a voluntary resolution agreement to the U.S. Department of Education’s offices to address alleged federal law violations.
The Olathe Board of Education and Olathe Public Schools approved the agreement during a meeting Thursday, per a document from the school district.
An investigation into three Kansas City-area school districts — Olathe Public Schools, Shawnee Mission School District and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools — was launched in August 2025. Topeka Public Schools was also being investigated.
Back in April, the education department's Student Privacy Police Office and Office for Civil Rights determined the school districts had policies that violated the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.
READ MORE | U.S. Department of Education says 3 Kansas City-area school districts violated federal law
Olathe schools said in a press release Friday that the district does not agree with the allegations, but it has decided to move forward with the agreement in order to “avoid prolonged disruption and financial impact.”
The district also said its commitment to serving its students and protecting vital federal funding were key reasons for the decision.
“The district trusts this resolution satisfies the Department of Education’s requirements and will allow Olathe Public Schools to move forward responsibly from this drawn-out political display,” the school district said in a press release.
KSHB 41 News has reached out to Shawnee Mission School District and Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools to learn about those districts’ plans. We had not heard back as of 5 p.m. Friday.
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