Locally controlled school boards often find themselves creating policy after a transgender student comes forward to ask for supports at school. Content concerning gender identity and gender expression may also be unfamiliar to some board members. Without a place to begin, developing such a important policy can seem like a overwhelming task.
Fifteen states and the District of Columbia have developed policy guidance for schools regarding the support of transgender and gender diverse students. The "Gender Inclusive Policy Builder" was created as a resource to expedite the process of developing gender inclusion policies. School boards do not need to reinvent the wheel, or become experts on gender inclusion, to create policy that will help keep their students safe!
Take a look through each of the different sections, see how other states have organized their guidance, and mix and match the language that works best for your school board.
Important Notes:
All policies, or guidance, were created by state government entities.
Some policies were created several years ago. Recent policies are more likely to have language and terms that considered acceptable by the transgender community.
In some cases, Departments of Education did not issue a comprehensive policy, instead directing school districts to state school boards associations. While not analyzed here, those resources would also be helpful during policy development.
The name of the state in each section is a link to the full policy.
*Gender Inclusive Schools does not assume responsibility for the legality of any information provided. No content is intended to replace the advice of legal council.
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“Students are safer at school when expectations are clearly defined and communicated to all stakeholders in the community.”