KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The U.S. Department of Education has issued three letters of impending enforcement action and one letter of impasse to four Kansas school districts for continued federal law violations.
Two Kansas City-area school districts — Olathe Public Schools and Shawnee Mission School District — have been sent letters of impending enforcement action. Topeka Public Schools was also issued the warning.
The Kansas City, Kansas, Public School District was sent a letter of impasse.
The education department’s action is due to the school districts' failure to comply with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), per a press release from the department.
The ongoing dispute stems from a federal investigation that launched in August 2025 after a complaint from the Defense of Freedom Institute.
Back in April, the department said the Olathe, Shawnee and KCK school districts violated the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The agency determined Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 was violated as well. Topeka Public Schools was also found to have policies violating these laws.
READ MORE | U.S. Department of Education says 3 Kansas City-area school districts violated federal law
In May, Olathe submitted a voluntary resolution agreement to address the alleged violations, while SMSD rejected a voluntary resolution agreement from the department.
Olathe Public Schools, Shawnee Mission School District and Topeka Public Schools have 10 days from Thursday to comply with Title IX or face repercussions, including legal action and impacts to federal funding, according to the press release.
KCKPS was alerted to preparations for looming enforcement action.
In a response Thursday, Olathe discussed concerns raised by the department's decision not to accept its voluntary resolution agreement submitted May 8.
"The Department of Education's rejection of a negotiated resolution raises serious concerns about whether the goal of this process is to reach a practical and lawful outcome or to pursue a predetermined result that does not reflect the facts, the law or the district's actual practices," Olathe Public Schools said in part in a press release.
The school district also mentioned how the prolonged process has impacted time and resources that could instead be used to support its students.
The press release said Olathe maintains the district is in compliance with federal law and is now shifting its focus.
"Despite the district's willingness to engage in a voluntary resolution process, the department has chosen to reject an agreement that would have brought closure to this matter and allowed everyone involved to move forward. Faced with the threat of losingcritical federal funding or being referred for litigation, the district has been placed in a position that feels less like a collaborative effort to resolve concerns and more like an attempt to strong-arm the district into accepting allegations and remedies it does not believe are supported by the facts or the law.
"Olathe Public Schools will now shift its focus to defending our school system through any and all legal avenues to ensure we continue to receive federal funding, protect our district and the students we serve, and ensure the record reflects the truth: Olathe Public Schools has always been in compliance with both Title IX and FERPA. We will not allow inaccurate allegations or politically driven narratives to undermine the work of our staff, the trust of our families, or the educational opportunities available to our students."
The district said it remains hopeful the education department will decide on a path based on facts and that best serves students.
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