After misconduct claims, Dallas ISD faces $1 million settlment

Dallas ISD is one of the largest school districts in the country.

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Editor’s Note, 3:52 p.m., 10/20/2026: This article has been updated to include a statement from Dalals ISD provided to the Observer after the article was originalyl published.

Dallas ISD has agreed to a $1 million settlement after allegedly mishandling sexual misconduct claims facing a former special education teacher, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in North Texas announced Tuesday.

According to a release from U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Ryan Raybould, the district will pay a $145,000 penalty and invest $855,000 in “sweeping” reforms, including audits, mandatory training, and hiring changes over three years. The settlement is tied to the district’s alleged false certification of compliance with reporting requirements, the release states.

In the settlement document, Raybould wrote that the agreement does not constitute a finding of fact and noted that Dallas ISD denies the allegations. He wrote that the settlement was reached to avoid the delay, “uncertainty, inconvenience, and expense of protracted litigation.”

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The allegations stem from reports that the district opened four separate investigations into reported sexual misconduct by a former special education teacher, Michael Roell, the release states. Tuesday’s settlement reported that the district allegedly did not refer the investigations into Roell’s actions to the State Board for Educator Certification, as required by law, and instead ruled them “unfounded” through its internal Title IX process. Roell was instead allowed to resign and placed on an internal “Do Not Hire List” without the knowledge of neighboring districts, according to the settlement. 

Raybould tied the settlement to his Project Safe Schools initiative, a federal push to improve accountability for public schools in reporting misconduct and other abuse in classrooms. Since new reporting requirements took effect last year, reports of teacher misconduct in Texas have tripled in 2026, according to Texas Education Agency Data.

“Let this be a warning to every district in the Northern District of Texas,” Raybould said in a release. “If you take federal funds and ignore state reporting laws; If you allow an accused educator to resign quietly instead of alerting the proper authorities; We will discover it and we will act without hesitation. Under Project Safe Schools, we are making sure no district can hide behind bureaucracy or internal procedures while a dangerous educator slips through the cracks. This agreement forces fundamental change, because student safety must always come before institutional convenience.”

“The mission of Dallas ISD is to ensure that all 130,000 of our students have a safe, supportive environment in which to learn, grow, and thrive,” a staetment proivided to the Observer on Tuesday afternoon read. “The District investigated the allegations about this former employee and could not corroborate any of them. We strongly encourage the public to review the settlement agreement, which calls for the District to invest over 85% of the settlement amount in initiatives that further support student safety. Thus, while we strongly disagree with the government’s allegations and legal interpretations of this statute, which was amended by the Texas Legislature last year, we share the fundamental goal of Project Safe Schools: protecting students and ensuring their safety.”

After resigning, Roell taught at Plano ISD before taking a final position at Forney ISD. While at FISD, Texas Rangers arrested him on multiple charges involving students. Roell, who was acquitted in 2018 on misconduct charges stemming from his time at Garland ISD before his stint in Dallas, is also facing federal fraud charges for trying to conceal his identity by using another name, “Johnathan Michael.” A former Forney ISD principal also faces conspiracy charges for her role in the scheme.

Tuesday’s settlement also alleges that the district failed to notify local law enforcement when allegations arose. The district’s Title IX office did not pursue further action after receiving reports of sexual abuse by Roell during his time as a Boy Scout leader between 2000 and 2004, the settlement alleges. The settlement also states that multiple concerns were raised about Roell changing students’ diapers and clothes without at least two adults present, a concern the district addressed internally but allegedly did not investigate independently.

Under the settlement, the district must pursue memoranda of understanding with law enforcement agencies; create civil liability disclosure requirements for new hires and volunteers; and implement mandatory training for Title X, HR, and investigative personnel. The district will also have to post signage detailing reporting procedures for child abuse and review sexual misconduct investigations dating back to 2022 and report its findings to the state.