Guidance.

That's what's lacking from the state Department of Education when it comes to how public school districts can best accommodate transgender students, officials say.

Case in point is the Delsea Regional School District where an after-school bathroom sexual tryst involving two students -- including one transgender student -- caused a sudden shift in bathroom-use rules and an outcry from parents.

School districts are waiting for promised help from the New Jersey Department of Education because of a measure signed into law last year.

"What everyone now is waiting for now is the commissioner of education to issue those guidelines (on transgender students)," Andrew Lee, Delsea's solicitor told a forum that drew about 70 parents last week.

"Right now districts are left without that guidance."

Public school administrators say they must allow transgender students to use the bathroom of the gender they identify with because of state law. And while officials can offer other facilities, including single-person restrooms, they can't force students to go in particular facilities.

Garden State Equality, an LGBT advocacy organization in New Jersey, estimates are that there are 13,900 transgender students in New Jersey public schools.

There seem to be more questions than answers and districts are struggling on how to best meet their needs.

Q: What laws are in place in New Jersey to protect transgender students?

A: The New Jersey Law Against Discrimination applies to transgender students in the state's public schools. The law says a person may not be discriminated against based on gender identity or gender expression. Under the law, transgender students must be able to use sex-segregated restrooms and locker rooms on the basis of gender identity.

Q: Where does the state Department of Education come in on all this?

A: A law signed by then-Gov. Chris Christie last summer mandates the commissioner of the Department of Education develop guidelines concerning transgender students. That would include everything from confidentiality and privacy concerns, procedures for school records, to ensuring transgender students are addressed at school by the names and pronouns they prefer. The guidelines, according to the law, will also address "use of restrooms and locker rooms," one of the issues that seems to be drawing the most concern of districts and parents around the state.

Q: Why haven't these new guidelines been announced and given to public school districts?

A: A spokesperson said the Department of Education said it is "working closely with various stakeholders and the new (governor's) administration to finalize guidance which will be in place by the 2018-2019 school year."

Q: Where can school districts reach out to for guidance on how to provide a positive learning environment for transgender students?

A: Some school districts have already developed policies and enacted them, but are awaiting more guidance from the state. The New Jersey School Boards Association also can help districts by providing sample transgender policies for them to consider crafting for their specific districts and implementing them.

Q: Are there federal rules that deal with transgender student bathroom use?

A: Not anymore. The Trump administration in February 2017 ended those federal protections and left it to the states and local governments to deal with the issue. However, under federal law, Title IX forbids discrimination in education based on sex.

Q: So, how are individual districts determining how to accommodate transgender students?

A: Many districts have, in the past few years, adopted their own individual polices, but they must conform with any state or federal laws and districts will be required to follow the education commissioner's guidelines -- when they are announced.

Q: Why are we hearing more about transgender issues in schools?

A: "The more accepting we become of the LGBT community, the more we are willing to bring these issues to light and correct them as they are brought up," said Colin DeLucca, communications manager for Garden State Equality. DeLucca says the younger LGBT students are finding they are "living in a more accepting environment and now they can say 'this is who I am'."

Bill Gallo Jr. may be reached at bgallo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Bill Gallo Jr. on Twitter @bgallojr. Find NJ.com on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips