Wauzeka-Steuben School District

Our vision is to prepare our students to become responsible, compassionate citizens empowered with the character, knowledge, and skills to make a difference in the world.

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Cities

Boydtown
Steuben
Wauzeka

County

Crawford County
Grant County
EVALUATION OF DISTRICT NONDISCRIMINATION PROCEDURES

School district 1) policies and 2) procedures are board-approved documents that extend throughout the district.

Policies generally describe the expectations and requirements of the school district on specific topics.
= Yes
= Maybe
= No
= Not Discussed.

Procedures will provide specific considerations that provide more detail for each policy.
= Allowed
= Allowed with Parental Consent
= Prohibited
= Not Discussed.

Date of most recent policy revision: 3/17/14

TopicPolicyProcedure
Student Nondiscrimination and Equal Educational Opportunity. Learn more.
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Employee Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity. Learn more.
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Student Bullying and Harassment. Learn more.
Sexual Orientation
Gender Identity
Gender Expression
Title IX. Learn more.
Did the school district provide updated Title IX policy meeting 2024 regulations?
Does current Title IX policy include protections for sexual orientation?
Does current Title IX policy include protections for gender identity?
Does current Title IX policy include protections for pregnant students?
Does current Title IX policy include protections regarding sex-based harassment?
Curriculum Review and Opt-Out. Learn more.
Do parents have the right to review the curriculum?
Do parents have the right to opt out of survey research?
Do parents have the right to opt out of controversial issues?
Do parents have the right to opt out of sexual health education?
Do parents have the right to opt out of any curricular instruction?
Records and Privacy. Learn more.
Can students change their name and pronouns in school records without a legal name change?
Can students informally use a name or pronoun in classroom settings without permission?
Can parents view a minor students' educational records without permission?
Book Bans. Learn more.
Has the school district engaged in book bans?
Additional Policies. Learn more.
Can students use the bathroom that aligns with their gender identity?
Can students use the locker room that aligns with their gender identity?
Is the dress code gender-neutral?
Can students participate in Physical Education activities and intramural sports that align with their GI?
For overnight field trips, is rooming considered by gender identity?
Do policies indicate an ongoing commitment to professional development regarding LGBTQ+ topics?
Does the district's policy/procedure reference using Gender Support Plans to document and support students' needs?
For more information about how each topic, and what possible school district documents were considered, click ‘learn more’ in the policy topic description for each item.
Student Nondiscrimination and Equal Educational Opportunity

Student Nondiscrimination and Equal Educational Opportunity policies typically define protections for a number of student identities, including race, religion, national origin, and disability. We identified policies that specifically included protections for “sexual orientation”, “gender identity” (or “transgender status”, “change of sex”), and “gender expression” (or “gender nonconformance”).

Wisconsin’s pupil nondiscrimination law (state statute 118.13) does not protect students based on their gender identity or gender expression. As of the spring of 2025, a majority of Wisconsin school districts, however, have added protection for gender identity to their local Pupil Nondiscrimination and/or Equal Educational Opportunity policies. Without these protections, transgender and nonbinary students could be denied admission to any public school or denied the benefits of or discriminated against in any curricular, extracurricular, pupil services, recreational, or other program or activity.

Inclusive school nondiscrimination procedures help educators implement inclusive nondiscrimination policies and provide guidance around topics such as privacy, names and pronouns, restrooms and changing areas, field trips and overnight accommodations, dress codes, physical education, interscholastic athletics, and more. Procedures vary from district to district and often do not need school board approval. We coded procedural and other guidance documents that provide information about working with transgender and gender-diverse students.

For more information on Wisconsin's state Pupil Nondiscrimination Law, including steps for filing a complaint, please visit the DPI website.

Employee Nondiscrimination and Equal Employment Opportunity

Employee nondiscrimination and equal employment policies are structured similarly to student nondiscrimination policies. While Wisconsin employment law does not protect employees based on their gender identity or gender expression, the Supreme Court’s 2020 ruling, Bostock v. Clayton County, affirmed that Title VII protects employees nationwide from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity (Williams Institute, 2020). As a result, most school districts have adopted protections for employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

We identified policies that specifically included “sexual orientation”, “gender identity” (or “transgender status”, “change of sex”), “gender expression” (or “gender nonconformance”). Our search for school district policies focused on student-oriented procedures. When those procedures reference employee protections, they are described here as well.

Student Bullying and Harassment

Anti-bullying and harassment policies are central to creating safe and supportive school environments. Wisconsin law (§ 118.46) requires each school district to adopt a policy prohibiting bullying by students, and many districts include protected characteristics within their definitions of harassment. We identified policies that explicitly name “sexual orientation,” “gender identity,” and “gender expression” as protected categories. These policies typically define bullying as deliberate or repeated behavior that causes physical, emotional, or psychological harm, and harassment as unwelcome conduct that interferes with a student’s educational opportunities or creates a hostile environment.

Procedures accompanying these policies vary across districts. Some omit specific references to sexual orientation and gender identity altogether. Inclusive anti-bullying procedures are critical for ensuring transgender and gender-diverse students can access their education without fear of mistreatment or marginalization.

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex-based discrimination in any federally funded education program or activity. While Title IX does not explicitly mention gender identity or sexual orientation, recent federal guidance interprets the law to include protections for transgender and gender-diverse students. Decisions from the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, which apply across the state of Wisconsin, continue to affirm previous rulings prohibiting discrimination against trans and gender-diverse students. However, district-level implementation of Title IX varies significantly, and policies often reflect outdated or narrow interpretations. We reviewed school district Title IX policies and procedures for language inclusive of transgender and gender-diverse students.

The Biden administration passed Title IX regulations in 2024 that outlined protections for sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnant or parenting students, while expanding the definition of sex-based harassment to include such protections. This policy took effect on August 1, 2024. In January 2025, a federal district court issued a decision that halted all portions of the recent regulation (U.S. Department of Education, 2025). Our analysis of school district policies related to Title IX reflects whether current policies, collected between late January and March 2025, protect sexual orientation, gender identity, and pregnant and parenting students, and define sex-based harassment.

Curriculum Review and Opt-Out

School districts often have formal policies and procedures that allow parents or guardians to review curriculum and, in some cases, opt their children out of instruction that conflicts with their beliefs. These policies are frequently titled “Student Privacy”, “Controversial Issues”, and “Parents’ Rights”. While originally intended to apply to topics such as human growth and development or religious content, some districts have expanded opt-out policies to include materials or discussions related to gender identity and sexual orientation; these policies are also likely to see increased attention and review after the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor.

We examined district policies governing curriculum transparency and parental opt-out rights, with attention to how they affect LGBTQ+ inclusion. The implementation of opt-out policies plays a significant role in shaping the inclusivity of the learning environment for transgender and nonbinary youth.

Records and Privacy

School records policies are critical for safeguarding student privacy, especially for transgender and gender-diverse students who may be at risk if their gender identity is disclosed without consent. We examined district policies titled “Student Records” and “Student Privacy”, in addition to guidance documents, noting how these documents reference formal changes to student records, informal changes to names and pronouns, and the sharing of records with parents/guardians.

Book Bans

We utilized PEN America’s index of book bans to note which school districts have engaged in book bans since 2021. Districts that have engaged in any book ban in the 2021-2022, 2022-2023, or 2023-2024 school year are marked as “Yes”.

Additional Policies

We included questions reflecting policies and guidance documents reflecting access to facilities, including bathrooms and locker rooms, dress codes, physical education, overnight field trips, ongoing professional development, and the use of gender support plans.

While some school districts maintain policies or guidance that reflect athletic participation, it is best practice to allow students to participate in interscholastic athletics in a way that aligns with their gender identity. Most districts with guidance procedures defer to the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (WIAA) transgender athletes policy, which effectively prevents the participation of transgender and nonbinary students in competitive athletics, particularly transgender girls.

School policies should comply with current state and federal laws while reflecting best practices that ensure that all students, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, are safe and included in school. However, expectations for such policies may shift over time as federal guidance and legal interpretations shift. Relevant resources include GLSEN’s Model Local Education Agency Policies on Implementing Title IX (2025) as well as GLSEN and the National Center for Transgender Equality’s Model School District Policy on Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Students (2018). Note that some guidance in these documents may be outdated due to recent legal or policy changes. To better understand how your school district’s policies align with legal and inclusive practices, contact GSAFE.