U.S. Department of Education Finds Burlington Public Schools Violated Federal Parental Rights Laws by Ignoring Parent Requests to Opt Children Out of Inappropriate Survey 

SPPO found that the District ignored parents’ requests to opt their children out of a survey that asked students as young as 7th graders explicit questions about sexual encounters, drug and alcohol use, and their so-called “gender identity,” a clear violation of the PPRA and parents’ authority to shape the moral education of their children.  

“Parents must always have the final say when it comes to their children – not schools,” said Frank Miller, Director of the Student Privacy Policy Office. “We will not stand idly by as schools violate federal law, disregard parents’ clear instructions, and expose young students to disturbing information and invasive questions. The Trump Administration will always enforce parental rights laws and hold school districts accountable when they fail to comply.” 

The District admitted that it administered the 2025 “Youth Risk Behavior Survey” to students despite receiving opt out notices from several families. SPPO has now proposed a Resolution Agreement to voluntarily resolve the District’s violations of the PPRA. If the District fails to reach a voluntary agreement, it risks imminent enforcement action. The proposed Resolution Agreement requires significant corrective action to ensure the District comes into compliance with federal law, including: 

• Sending all parents copies of the 2025 survey questions that were improperly administered to ensure families understand the survey’s content and have the opportunity to discuss it with their children; 

• Issuing apology letters from the superintendent to the families who filed complaints; 

• Ensuring districtwide policies fully comply with federal parental rights laws; and,  

• Submitting all future surveys that may contain explicit information or sensitive questions to the Department for review. 

In August 2025, the Department opened an investigation into Burlington Public Schools amid claims that the District failed to honor parental requests to opt their children out of a survey that included inappropriate questions in violation of PPRA. According to the complaint, Burlington administered a 2025 “Youth Risk Behavior Survey,” which included sexually explicit and highly sensitive questions, including several about student’s so-called “gender identity.”  

The Department recognized National Parents’ Day on July 26, 2026, honoring the important role parents play in their children’s education. Throughout this week, the Department will be announcing significant actions to enforce federal parental rights laws across the country, including an Administration-wide crack down on school districts that are secretly “transitioning” students and hiding it from parents. Secretary McMahon announced these actions on Fox News Sunday.  

PPRA is a federal law enforced by SPPO. PPRA gives parents notice and opt-out rights when a school administers surveys, evaluations, or questionnaires asking students for certain sensitive, private information about students and their families. Additionally, parents must be notified before any medical examinations or mental health screenings. PPRA also grants parents the right to review all school curriculum and education programming upon request. 

Violations of PPRA can result in termination of an educational entity’s federal funding.