US Department of Education data reveals 1,100 sexual assault allegations against public school staff

U.S. Department of Education Releases 2023‑24 Data on Allegations of Sexual Assault in Public Schools

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Education published its most recent Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) findings on Wednesday, revealing that about 1,100 public‑school employees were named in allegations of rape, attempted rape or sexual assault during the 2023‑24 school year. The data, gathered from more than 17,000 school districts and 97,000 schools nationwide, provide a snapshot of how districts are responding to serious misconduct claims.

Numbers Behind the Allegations

The CRDC, which now requires schools to report staff sexual‑offense incidents, reported the following breakdown of the 1,100 allegations:

• 320 employees resigned or retired before any final disciplinary action or termination.
• 280 cases were determined to involve employees who were not responsible.
• 230 cases remained pending at the time of release.
• 200 cases concluded with findings that the employee was responsible.
• 90 resulted in a reassignment of duties before any final disciplinary action or termination.

Separately, school districts reported roughly 11,800 incidents of rape, attempted rape or other sexual assault during the same period, of which about 460—or just over 4%—were attributed to school staff.

The Department stressed that the number of incidents reported by districts and the number of allegations recorded in the CRDC are distinct measures. Reporting of staff‑related offenses has evolved: the question about staff sexual offenses was optional in the 2020‑21 CRDC but became mandatory for the 2023‑24 cycle.

Department’s Push to Strengthen Student Safety

The release comes amid the Department’s broader initiative launched last July to protect K‑12 students from adult sexual misconduct. The initiative identified 20 districts that were alleged to have inadequately addressed staff‑on‑student sexual misconduct, prompting directed investigations by the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).

“Parents deserve to know that when they send their children to school, their safety comes first,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kim Richey said in a statement. “The Civil Rights Data Collection gives us critical information to identify potential failures to protect students and hold school districts accountable when concerns arise. Thanks to President Trump and Secretary McMahon’s leadership, the Office for Civil Rights will continue to follow the facts, enforce federal civil rights laws, and ensure schools take their responsibility to protect students seriously.”

The OCR warns that districts that fail to respond appropriately to sexual harassment or abuse could be found in violation of Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex discrimination in any education program receiving federal funding. Violations can lead to enforcement action, including the potential loss of federal aid.

Title IX Policy Shift

Under President Trump’s administration, the Department has re‑instated the 2020 Title IX regulations after a federal court vacated the Biden‑era rewrite in 2024. The 2020 rules outline how federally funded schools must respond to allegations of sexual harassment and assault while also providing due‑process protections for accused students.

The Department also issued an executive order in February 2025 directing federal agencies to interpret sex‑based protections based on biological sex, defining “woman” as an adult human female and “girl” as a juvenile human female, and treating sex as an immutable biological classification. OCR is now instructed to enforce Title IX in line with these definitions.

Additionally, the February order directed agencies to oppose male participation in women’s athletic competition. The Department has opened investigations and pursued enforcement actions against schools and athletic organizations whose policies it says deny female athletes equal opportunities, privacy or safety.

Broader Context

The data highlight the ongoing challenge of ensuring safe learning environments. While the Department’s new reporting requirements aim to bring greater transparency, officials caution that the numbers are still evolving and that districts’ ability to collect and report accurate data varies widely.

As schools across the country review these findings, the Department’s next steps will likely focus on clarifying compliance expectations, bolstering district training, and increasing oversight for schools that have demonstrated a pattern of inadequate responses to sexual misconduct allegations.

For now, the 1,100 allegations and 11,800 reported incidents underscore the urgency of the Department’s mandate to protect students and hold districts accountable for safeguarding the well‑being of all learners.