August 19, 2015

More and more transgender students of all ages are asking their families and communities to support them in living their lives authentically. Having that support in school is critical because of the central role that schools play in their lives. But often, many are unfamiliar with the needs of transgender students, and how to best support them.

A first-of-its-kind publication, Schools In Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools, has been released to inform administrators, teachers, and parents about how to provide safe and supportive school environments for transgender students. The report was created by five national organizations: American Civil Liberties Union, Gender Spectrum, Human Rights Campaign Foundation, National Center for Lesbian Rights, and the National Education Association.

Schools In Transition offers practical guidance and field-tested tips for all school stakeholders to work together planning and supporting a transgender student’s gender transition at school, and is geared toward the needs of all students, kindergarten through twelfth grade. 

In the guide you will find:

• Information about basic concepts of gender.
• The importance of gender identity and the harm society suffers when any students are marginalized at school.
• General guidelines for meeting the needs of transgender students, including intentionality and an awareness of the trade-offs inherent in any decisions about a student’s transition.
• Specific issues affecting transgender youth, including the use of chosen names and pronouns, student confidentiality and student records, restroom and locker room access, sports and other sex-separated activities and harassment or bullying.
• Best practices for working with unsupportive parents or parents who disagree about the appropriate response to their child’s expressed gender identity. It also addresses how special education plans can be used to help transgender students.
• Overview of the legal landscape that administrators, educators, parents and students should be aware of as they work together to create a safe and supportive school environment for all students.

The guide also includes worksheets such as a Gender Support Plan and a Gender Transition Plan that stakeholders can complete together.

Click here to download Schools In Transition.