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Schoolhouse Intel

• States are tightening school rules on phones, privacy, safety, curriculum, and libraries as the 2025–26 year begins.
• A federal court vacated the 2024 Title IX rule nationwide; the 2020 regulations are back in effect unless and until new federal action occurs. McGuireWoodsHolland & Knight
• California leads with new student-privacy and curriculum laws; New York is rolling out a bell-to-bell smartphone crackdown; Florida, Texas, and Oregon have new guardrails on phones, safety, books, and health education. CDE Governor Kathy Hochul txstate.edu Oregon

By Samuel Lopez – USA Herald

Back-to-school isn’t just pencils and schedules—it’s legal updates that change daily life on campus. From phone-free school days to revamped Title IX procedures and new curriculum mandates, families and educators across California, New York, Florida, Texas, Oregon, and beyond face new requirements with real compliance risk this fall.

The Federal Baseline: Title IX reset

On January 9, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky vacated the 2024 Title IX final rule nationwide in State of Tennessee v. Cardona, returning schools to the 2020 Title IX regulations while litigation and policy debates continue. Institutions receiving federal funds should align grievance procedures and training with the 2020 rule until further notice. McGuireWoods Husch Blackwell

Practical impact: districts and colleges that had prepped for the 2024 rule must ensure their policies, notices, and hearing procedures reflect the 2020 framework again (definitions, jurisdiction, live-hearing requirements in higher ed, etc.). Holland & Knight

California: privacy protections, inclusive curriculum, and child-creator pay

Student privacy & staff protections (AB 1955 “SAFETY Act”)
California bars districts from adopting policies that force staff to “out” students regarding gender identity; it also protects educators from retaliation in related contexts. The California Department of Education’s guidance also reiterates that students may participate in programs and use facilities consistent with their gender identity (Ed. Code §221.5). AALRR CDE

CDE notes: “A pupil shall be permitted to participate in sex-segregated school programs… and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity.” As of August 18, 2025, this law remains hotly contested. Ongoing litigation and potential federal policy changes could lead to the statute being amended, enjoined, or vacated. CDE

Curriculum additions (AB 1821, AB 1805, AB 1815)
New and refined mandates include Native American history (AB 1821) and explicit inclusion of the Mendez v. Westminster desegregation case in history-social science materials (AB 1805). California also clarified anti-discrimination protections tied to hairstyles in education, building on the CROWN Act (AB 1815). AP NewsLegiScan+1Senate Judiciary Committee

Child influencers’ earnings (SB 764, AB 1880)
California extended “Coogan-style” protections to child influencers and minors heavily featured in monetized content—requiring a trust set-aside (up to 65% proportionate) and related disclosures. Schools that invite creators or host student content projects should be aware of these financial-rights rules as they touch student work and family expectations. Governor of California California State Senator Steve PadillaLegiScan+1