On July 10, 2026, the U.S. Department of Education announced a national initiative focused on protecting K-12 students from sexual misconduct by adults in schools. As part of the initiative, the Department issued a Dear Colleague Letter reminding state and local educational agencies of their existing responsibilities under Title IX and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).
The Dear Colleague Letter highlights several federal responsibilities, including the need to:
- Review policies and practices to ensure they comply with Title IX and the ESEA.
- Ensure officials with authority to respond to reports of sexual misconduct are properly trained
- Investigate reports of sexual misconduct promptly and thoroughly
- Provide appropriate supportive measures when required under Title IX
- Understand that reporting an incident to law enforcement does not replace a school's Title IX responsibilities
- Comply with state mandatory reporting requirements for suspected child abuse
While the Dear Colleague Letter does not create new federal requirements, it provides an opportunity for California school districts to review their policies, procedures, and practices alongside applicable state laws, district policies, and local procedures to help ensure an effective response to reports of sexual misconduct.
PRISM offers resources to support sexual misconduct prevention and response efforts. For questions about these resources, please. For questions about these resources, please contact Scarlett Sadler.