Stop Sexual Harassment in K–12 Act
The Stop Sexual Harassment in K–12 Act would significantly strengthen how Title IX is implemented in elementary and secondary schools that receive federal funds. It would require local educational agencies (LEAs) to expand Title IX Coordinator staffing, clearly separate these coordinators from other leadership roles, and empower them with duties to inform, monitor, and address sex-based discrimination and harassment (including sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, stalking, pregnancy-related concerns, and gender identity issues). The bill also creates dedicated grant programs for training and for implementing a nationwide sex-based harassment survey, and it authorizes funding to support these activities. It would establish a formal process for waivers in cases of insurmountable financial burden, with an alternative plan that includes partnerships with rape crisis or trauma-focused organizations. Overall, the bill aims to improve prevention, reporting, data collection, and transparency around sex-based harassment in K–12 settings. Key components include: (1) expanded Title IX Coordinator requirements and duties at the LEA level; (2) a waiver mechanism with an alternative plan to ensure compliance when funding is a barrier; (3) grants for training school staff on prevention and response to harassment; (4) a mandatory, annually administered sex-based harassment survey for students and staff with public reporting; and (5) several definitional provisions to align terms with Title IX and related violence definitions. A forthcoming effective date is set for one year after enactment, with program funding for the first five years.
Key Points
- 1Title IX Coordinator staffing and duties: LEAs must increase the number of full-time Title IX Coordinators based on student counts (one additional coordinator per 75,000 students in grades 7–12 and per 150,000 students in elementary grades 6 and under). Coordinators must be free of other conflicting roles and serve as accessible points of contact for students, families, and staff; they will coordinate discrimination protections under Title IX and related laws.
- 2Enhanced duties of Title IX Coordinators: Coordinators must provide information/outreach about rights and policies, ensure broad and accessible notices of nondiscrimination, monitor and report on complaints (including harassment, dating violence, stalking, etc.), identify discrimination patterns, oversee climate surveys, and coordinate age-appropriate, trauma-informed prevention education and training in partnership with rape crisis centers and similar organizations.
- 3Waivers and alternative plans: LEAs may request waivers from certain requirements if facing insurmountable financial burdens. Waivers require an alternative plan, which must include a memorandum of understanding with a rape crisis or trauma-focused organization to outline roles and support, with the possibility of withholding funds if the plan is not followed or deemed insufficient.
- 4Grants for training: The Secretary of Education may award grants to LEAs to train teachers and other staff on preventing, recognizing, and responding to sex-based harassment and assault. The program prioritizes geographic distribution and high-need areas, and preference may be given to districts lacking other federal/state funding for these activities. Funding is intended to supplement, not replace, other funds.
- 5Sex-based harassment surveys: The Secretary, with input from the Attorney General and the CDC Director, must develop an empirically validated, anonymous survey for students and staff to assess sex-based harassment (including online/off-campus incidents). LEAs will administer the survey annually, with accessibility considerations and privacy protections (no personally identifiable information in published reports). Survey topics include experiences, reporting, investigations, retaliation, bystander attitudes, school safety, and program effectiveness, with results disaggregated by LEA where feasible.
- 6Public reporting and data use: Collected statistics will be made publicly available by the Department of Education, and an annual report to Congress will begin within five years. Data will help assess trends and inform policy decisions.
- 7Effective date and funding: The Act would take effect one year after enactment. Appropriations are authorized for the first five fiscal years for both the training grants and the harassment survey program, with targeted priority for districts with high financial burdens or limited other funding.
- 8Definitions: The bill expands and clarifies terms such as sex-based harassment to include a wide range of conduct (including electronic/online harassment), pregnancy-related conditions, domestic and dating violence, stalking, and discrimination based on sex stereotypes, sex characteristics, sexual orientation, and gender identity. It also defines key terms like “local educational agency,” “recipient” of federal funds, and “Title IX Coordinator.”