WI schools: gender and equity in transition

Two decisions in Wisconsin have reshaped how gender and equity are defined across the state’s schools. In February 2025, the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) updated its policy to limit girls’ athletic participation to students assigned female at birth, aligning state sports rules with new federal guidance on Title IX enforcement. Around the same time, the University of Wisconsin System faced ongoing scrutiny over its DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) programs following a 2023 funding deal that froze new DEI hiring and a 2025 state audit questioning spending and transparency.

Why it Matters

These changes may signal a turning point in how Wisconsin’s education system approaches gender inclusion and equity. The WIAA policy affects student-athletes—especially transgender girls—while the DEI audit shapes how universities support women, students of color, and other underrepresented groups.

Background

Girls’ Sports Policy
In February 2025, the WIAA Board of Control voted to require that participation in girls’ sports be based on sex assigned at birth, replacing previous guidelines that allowed case-by-case review for transgender athletes. The decision followed months of national debate and mirrored emerging federal Title IX enforcement priorities that define “sex” biologically for athletics. Supporters—including several athletic associations and parents’ groups—said the rule protects fairness in competition. Opponents, including LGBTQ+ and women’s advocacy groups, said it excludes transgender students and conflicts with the broader spirit of Title IX’s equal-access goals.

UW DEI Audit
Wisconsin’s DEI controversy began in 2023, when the state Legislature blocked $32 million in funding for the University of Wisconsin System until it agreed to freeze new DEI hires and restructure existing roles. The compromise, approved that December, reclassified dozens of DEI positions as “student success” roles and required periodic reporting on spending and staffing. In April 2025, a Republican-led audit found that UW institutions had spent about $40 million on DEI-related offices during the previous fiscal year but lacked consistent tracking and outcome measures. GOP lawmakers then held hearings criticizing the system’s transparency and pressed for deeper cuts.

UW officials maintain that the programs support student retention, campus climate, and federal compliance, but the dispute has left the system caught between legislative mandates and its stated equity goals. The Board of Regents continues to navigate how much DEI work can survive within the constraints imposed by the Legislature.

Resources

Wisconsin Public Radio - WIAA changes policy, now bans transgender students from playing in girls' sports
PBS Wisconsin - Targeting diversity programs, Republicans vote to cut UW System budget by $32M
White House Executive Order - Keeping Men Out of Women’s Sports