Cheltenham School District Under Federal Investigation

CHELTENHAM TOWNSHIP, PA — The Cheltenham School District is one of 20 public school districts in the nation being investigated by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights as part of “a national K-12 initiative to crack down on sexual predators in schools.”

The department said the investigations are based on districts’ responses to a 2023-24 federal civil rights data collection survey, which “suggest that districts might not be addressing staff on student sexual misconduct appropriately."

The investigations were announced as part of a broader initiative by the Education Department “to protect students from adult sexual predators in schools,” a related letter from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said.

“To be clear, the district is not aware of any instances where allegations of sexual assault or abuse by district employees have not been properly investigated and handled — for the 2023-2024 school year or any other year,” the Cheltenham School District said in a statement.

Schools Superintendent Brian Scriven said the district would fully cooperate with the pending investigation and share the multiple layers of policy and internal procedures that exist within Cheltenham to keep students safe.

Patch reached out to district spokesman Kevin Kaufman seeking more information about what the school district submitted or whether any sexual assaults were reported in schools that year.

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.

“Schools that receive federal funding have a duty to protect students, report sexual misconduct honestly, and follow the law. Through this initiative, we are holding school districts accountable because every child deserves to learn in a safe environment free from sexual abuse and harassment," McMahon said.

The Trump Administration has observed a "troubling and recurring pattern" in schools across the nation of credible reports of sexual abuse and harassment by adults in positions of authority going uninvestigated or of suspected offenders being transferred to new schools or roles in the district.

To combat this trend, the Trump Administration issued guidance reminding federally funded educational institutions of their legal obligations to safeguard children and appropriately respond to incidents of sexual misconduct under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX).

Click here to learn about the guidance instructions