A DeKalb County school bus (FOX 5)
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - Federal education officials have launched an investigation into the DeKalb County School District over inaccurate reports of sexual assault and harassment allegations involving school employees, officials said.
What we know:
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to DeKalb County School District officials on July 10 notifying them of the directed investigation.
Federal officials said the probe was sparked by inaccurate district responses regarding rape and sexual assault data from the 2023–24 Civil Rights Data Collection, according to the letter.
The investigation will examine if the district maintains proper procedures for data reporting and whether its handling of student sexual harassment or assault by school staff aligns with Title IX requirements.
School district officials received the notification letter late Wednesday and stated that their legal division is communicating with federal regulators about the issues, a spokesperson for the DeKalb County School District said.
What we don't know:
Federal officials emphasized that initiating this directed investigation does not prove the school district violated any civil rights laws. It is still unclear which specific employee allegations from the 2023–24 school year were reported incorrectly.
The district has not shared any further details regarding the active case beyond the federal letter and their initial public response. It is also unknown when federal investigators will conduct their on-site data reviews and personnel interviews.
What they're saying:
Interim Superintendent Dr. Norman C. Sauce III stated that protecting students and maintaining safe schools remains the district's top priority. See the full statement below:
"The safety and well-being of every student is the DeKalb County School District's (DCSD) highest priority. Protecting students is our most important responsibility. Every allegation involving student safety is taken seriously, reported as required by law, reviewed through established processes, and addressed promptly in accordance with federal and state law, Board policy, and District procedures.
The District has received a letter from the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) notifying DCSD of a directed investigation. According to OCR, the review will examine the District's reporting of certain 2023–24 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) information and whether its policies, procedures, and handling of allegations involving sexual harassment and sexual assault are consistent with Title IX requirements.
OCR's letter also states that the initiation of an investigation is not evidence of a violation of federal civil rights laws or regulations. OCR has indicated it will conduct a neutral review to determine compliance.
DCSD expects every employee to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and comply with Georgia's mandatory reporting laws and Board policy. Allegations involving suspected child abuse or potential criminal conduct are reported to the appropriate law enforcement and child protection agencies. The District fully cooperates with law enforcement, child welfare officials, and all external investigations.
Because student and personnel matters are confidential, the District cannot comment on specific allegations or active investigations.
What our students, families, staff, and community should know is this: Student safety is not negotiable. Protecting every student entrusted to our care is our highest responsibility. It is the foundation of public trust, and we will never compromise our commitment to providing safe schools, holding individuals accountable, and complying fully with all applicable state and federal laws."
Federal officials noted they will maintain a neutral stance as they collect and evaluate evidence to determine legal compliance. The district stated it fully cooperates with law enforcement and external investigators, calling student safety non-negotiable.
Dig deeper:
The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) announced on July 10 they had launched a national K-12 initiative "to crack down on sexual predators in schools."
OCR has opened 20 investigations into school districts across the country, saying the districts had not handled correctly addressing staff on student sexual misconduct appropriately, according to 2023-24 Civil Rights Data Collection.
"The investigations will determine if the districts have appropriate policies and procedures in place to ensure accurate data collection and reporting of these incidents occurs and if their handling of allegations of sexual harassment, including sexual assault by district employees, complies with federal law," OCR said when announcing the investigation.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from a notification letter sent by the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, as well as official public statements released by DeKalb County School District administrators.