California Department of Education

California’s Santa Ana Unified School District (SAUSD), like many districts across the state, offers a confidential arrangement known as an Identity Support Plan for transgender and gender-nonconforming students. Under this policy, staff are required to affirm a student’s stated gender identity in all aspects of school life — including names, pronouns, use of facilities, and records privacy. The plan explicitly allows students to exclude their parents from being notified or involved if the student chooses. Although the policy’s stated goal is to promote equity and safety for LGBTQ+ students — a goal many support — it also means parents may remain completely unaware of major developments in their children’s identities and experiences at school. The critical issue, according to SAUSD Read More ›