New Landmark Report Calls for National Action to Stop Sexual Misconduct in K–12 Schools

Free, easy-to-read National Blueprint from top national experts reveals alarming prevalence, prevention strategies, and urgent policy reforms.

What You Need to Know

• Groundbreaking data: Up to 1 in 10 students report sexual misconduct by K–12 employees before graduation — and reports are rising.

• Trusted voices: The paper was authored by the nation’s leading researchers, scholars, and survivor advocates, including Jeffrey Haverland, Glenn Lipson, Terri Miller, Georgia Winters, Suruchi Sood, Dr. Charol Shakeshaft, Elizabeth Krimball, Dr. Billie-Jo Grant, Faith Colson, and Dr. Elizabeth Jeglic.

• Free and accessible: Understanding and Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Abuse by K–12 School Employees is a first-of-its-kind public resource, available to anyone committed to creating safer schools.

As headlines continue to expose cases of educator sexual abuse and misconduct across the United States, a coalition of national experts has released a groundbreaking, comprehensive report: Understanding and Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Abuse by K–12 School Employees.

The paper provides an unprecedented synthesis of recent data, definitions, and solutions, equipping parents, educators, journalists, attorneys, and policymakers with clear guidance to recognize, prevent, and respond to sexual misconduct in schools. Unlike dense academic texts, this report is written in plain language — designed to help every member of the school community understand the problem and take action.

“This is not an abstract academic discussion,” said Dr. Charol Shakeshaft, whose research helped expose the national scope of educator sexual misconduct. “These findings show the scope of harm—and they give every community the tools to stop it.”

Key Findings

• Between 5.2 and 9.4 million U.S. public school students are likely to experience some form of sexual misconduct by a K–12 employee before graduation.

• Grooming and boundary violations are often precursors to abuse and can be interrupted if adults are trained to recognize them.

• 13 states now criminalize sexual grooming, but loopholes remain nationwide.

  
  

The paper also includes model legislation, training recommendations, and practical prevention strategies for schools, districts, and lawmakers.

A Collaboration of Leading Experts

The authors represent the top scholarly and advocacy voices in the child protection field — including contributors from John Jay College, Cal Poly State University, Fairleigh Dickinson University, ChildUSA, and the National Center to Stop Educator Sexual Misconduct (NCSESAME).

Each contributor donated their time and expertise to create this free public resource, reflecting a shared commitment to ending child sexual abuse in schools.

“We’ve made this paper free because every parent, policymaker, and teacher deserves to know how to protect children,” said Terri Miller, President of NCSESAME. “Knowledge protects. Action heals.”

Access the Report

Understanding and Preventing Sexual Misconduct and Abuse by K–12 School Employees is available for free download at https://www.ncsesame.org/nationalblueprintsexualmisconduct.

Schools, legislators, and parent organizations are encouraged to share and distribute the report widely.