Department of Education reports over a thousand sexual assault accusations against school staff

The U.S. Department of Education released figures from its Civil Rights Data Collection for the 2023-24 school year, indicating roughly 1,100 accusations of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault made against public-school employees. The mandatory survey spans more than 17,000 districts and 97,000 schools nationwide. Outcomes show about 320 staff members resigned or retired before any final action, 200 were deemed responsible, 280 were cleared, 230 remain pending, and 90 were reassigned prior to discipline.

Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kim Richey said the data help identify failures to protect students and hold districts accountable. Districts themselves reported about 11,800 total incidents of such crimes, with roughly 460 (around 4%) attributed to staff. The department warned that non-compliance with Title IX could trigger enforcement actions, including loss of federal funding, and noted the Trump administration’s focus on enforcing 2020 Title IX rules and defining sex based on biological criteria.