WBUR News

A new state audit finds the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education failed to properly investigate reports of alleged misconduct by teachers in the classroom. The 52-page audit report, which covers a period spanning July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023, also finds that DESE didn’t resolve special education complaints in a timely manner and failed to hold up its end of an agreement to ensure that LGBTQ training was taking place in school districts. Specifically, the auditor found that the agency, which oversees pre-K to grade 12 education in Massachusetts, came up short by failing to obtain adequate information from the Department of Children and Families regarding suspected cases of educator abuse or neglect of students; [and] failing to ensure special education complaints were investigated and resolved within the federally-mandated 60-day time frame. Additionally, the audit concluded that only 28% of special education complaints were handled by DESE within the federally-required 60-day timeframe.