The U.S. Department of Education has scrapped longstanding “disparate impact” provisions used to evaluate discrimination based on statistics, even without proof of intent. Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey said the change will prevent the federal government from “weaponiz[ing]” civil-rights law, while civil rights organizations warned the move removes key protections for students harmed by seemingly neutral policies. The rescission follows broader education policy shifts tied to the Trump administration’s stated goal of “restoring meritocracy,” including efforts that tighten admissions policies and increase disclosure requirements. Critics argue the regulatory overhaul is occurring without an opportunity for public comment and will weaken enforcement related to school discipline and access to advanced coursework. Higher education professionals are likely to watch how the narrower enforcement approach affects institutional compliance reviews, OCR-facing legal risk, and how colleges design student discipline, placement, and support systems—especially where demographic outcomes are scrutinized under previous disparate-impact frameworks.