Overview:
Texas launched a public dashboard letting parents track educator misconduct reports, investigations and sanctions, though an educators' group wants clearer distinctions between confirmed offenders and those still under investigation.
The Texas Education Agency unveiled a new online dashboard Monday that lets parents and the public look up misconduct reports, investigations and disciplinary actions involving the state’s educators, part of a broader push the agency says is aimed at transparency and student safety.
The Educator Misconduct Dashboard gives users access to misconduct reports submitted to the TEA, agency investigations, actions taken by the State Board for Educator Certification, and placements on the state’s Do Not Hire Registry. The agency said the interactive tool was designed with parents and taxpayers in mind.
The dashboard breaks down investigations by category, including allegations of fraud, inappropriate student-educator relationships and other conduct that the agency says may affect student safety or violate professional standards. A separate tab displays sanctions imposed on offenders and allows users to explore Do Not Hire Registry placements by fiscal year.
“Transparency and public trust in our education system are central to ensuring our schools can accomplish their core mission of educating the next generation,” Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement. He said the dashboard and related resources reflect the agency’s commitment to student safety “and the integrity of those privileged to serve in our classrooms.”
A broader “Student Protection Resource Center”
The dashboard is embedded in a new Student Protection Resource Center, which the TEA describes as a one-stop hub for information and tools related to student safety, educator accountability and disciplinary actions taken by the agency and the certification board.
Alongside the dashboard, the hub links to the Do Not Hire Registry — a publicly searchable database of people who are ineligible for employment in Texas public schools because of serious misconduct or criminal history — as well as an Educator Certificate Lookup tool and guidance on how to report abuse, neglect or misconduct involving students.
The resource center also offers material intended to help people recognize warning signs of abuse, neglect and misconduct, including behavioral indicators, boundary violations and grooming behaviors. It lays out the legal responsibilities of educators, school employees, parents, students, service providers and members of the public, including when and how to report concerns and the respective roles of schools and state agencies in protecting students.
Texas law requires individuals, particularly school personnel, to report suspected abuse or neglect within 24 hours, a point the agency emphasized in framing student safety as a shared responsibility. The site additionally outlines required training, reporting processes and compliance expectations for school leaders, including administrators’ duties to report promptly and to maintain systems that support student protection. It also explains how the TEA investigates allegations, reviews criminal history information and coordinates with the certification board to impose discipline when standards are violated.
“These resources reflect our commitment to transparency and fostering trust in our schools,” said Levi Fuller, the TEA’s Inspector General for educator misconduct. “The dashboard gives communities access to critical information, while the resource center brings together the tools and guidance school systems need to respond quickly and appropriately when concerns arise.”
Educators’ group urges clearer distinctions
The rollout drew a measured response from the Association of Texas Professional Educators. Lance Cain, the organization’s managing attorney, said the dashboard usefully compiles information in one place but suggested it could do more to separate educators who have been found to have committed misconduct from those whose cases remain under review.
Cain said he would like to see “a little clearer communication on the distinction” between someone listed on the Do Not Hire Registry and someone who is merely under investigation, a difference that carries significant weight for an educator’s reputation and career while a case is still pending.
The agency did not indicate whether it planned changes to address that concern.
