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The U.S. Department of Education\u2019s OCR is investigating Tulare City School District over handling of employee sexual misconduct allegations affecting TK-8 students.<\/p>\n
Tulare City School District<\/p>\n
The Tulare City School District is one of 20 districts across 15 states now under investigation<\/a> by the U.S. Department of Education\u2019s Office for Civil Rights, part of a broader federal push announced this month to scrutinize how public schools handle allegations of sexual misconduct by employees.<\/p>\n The TK-8 district serves about 10,000 students in Tulare County.<\/a> It drew federal attention when its 2023-24 Civil Rights Data Collection submissions raised concerns that the district \u201cmight not be addressing\u201d staff sexual misconduct appropriately, according to the U.S. Department of Education. The Wilsona School District in Los Angeles County is the only other California district on the federal list.<\/p>\n The scope of the inquiry remains unclear. Federal officials have not disclosed how many incidents are under review, and it is not yet known whether the district\u2019s data submissions for other school years were handled appropriately or whether the reports in question were limited to 2023-24.<\/p>\n What the federal review will examine<\/p>\n The Office for Civil Rights said the investigations will focus on whether districts\u2019 current policies and procedures are adequate \u201cto 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.\u201d<\/p>\n The review falls under a national K-12 initiative the department launched in July aimed at protecting students from sexual predators in schools. In a July 10 news release, the department said, \u201cCredible reports of sexual abuse and harassment by adults in positions of authority\u201d have gone uninvestigated in some districts, and that employees suspected of misconduct have in some cases been transferred to new schools or roles rather than removed.<\/p>\n \u201cOur schools must protect America\u2019s children. Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids\u2019 school employs and protects sexual predators,\u201d U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. McMahon said the initiative will hold school districts accountable.<\/p>\n The Trump administration has issued guidance reminding districts that receive federal funding of their legal obligations to respond to sexual misconduct under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972.<\/p>\n Tulare district\u2019s response<\/p>\n In a statement to The Fresno Bee on July 15, Tulare City School District officials said the district \u201ctakes all reports of employee misconduct seriously. When the district learns of potential misconduct of an employee, it investigates the matter in accordance with district policies, the law, and works closely with the appropriate authorities.\u201d<\/p>\n The district did not disclose how many reports of employee misconduct it received during the year the Office for Civil Rights is examining.<\/p>\n Officials said student safety, success and well-being remain the district\u2019s top priority, and that the district will cooperate with federal investigators.<\/p>\n \u201cThe district is committed to providing a safe learning environment for our students,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n The investigation places Tulare City Schools among a small group of districts nationally \u2014 and one of two in California \u2014 facing federal scrutiny as the Department of Education signals a more assertive posture on Title IX enforcement in K-12 schools.<\/p>\n This report was produced with the assistance of a proprietary tool powered by artificial intelligence based on our own originally reported, written and published content. Before publishing, journalists reviewed this content in compliance with McClatchy Media\u2019s AI policy<\/a>.<\/p>\n This story was originally published July 27, 2026 at 2:42 PM.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones<\/a><\/p>\n The Fresno Bee<\/p>\n Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones is a reporter and photographer for McClatchy\u2019s Vida en el Valle publication and the Fresno Bee. She covers issues that impact the Latino community in the Central Valley. She is a regular contributor to La Abeja, The Bee\u2019s free weekly newsletter on Latino issues. | Mar\u00eda G. Ortiz-Briones es reportera y fot\u00f3grafa de la publicaci\u00f3n Vida en el Valle de McClatchy y el Fresno Bee. Ella cubre temas que impactan a la comunidad latina en el Valle Central. Es colaboradora habitual de La Abeja, el bolet\u00edn semanal gratuito de The Bee sobre temas latinos.
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