LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. (DC News Now) — The United States Department of Education (USDE) said it is investigating Loudoun County Public Schools after concerns were raised about the school division’s failure in the way it responded to reported sexual assaults at some schools.

The USDE told DC News Now that its Office for Civil Rights has two investigations taking place.

A report finalized in 2022 looked into how the school division handled two sexual assault incidents at two different schools in 2021. Investigators found that the same student committed the assaults.

For more than a year, parents have asked the Loudoun County School Board for the internal report. In February, a motion asking that attorney-client privilege be waived in order for the report to be released failed 3 to 6 at a board meeting, adding to parents’ frustration.

The complaint about LCPS was sent to the Department of Education by the America First Legal Foundation.

The Department of Education provided DC News Now with this statement:

“OCR can confirm there are two open investigations into Loudoun County Public Schools under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. We do not comment on open investigations.”

Loudoun County Public Schools said it received notice of the investigations:

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) has received a notification of complaint from The United States Department Of Education Office For Civil Rights, and will duly assist OCR in this process. The staff and administration of LCPS remain committed to making student safety and welfare the division’s highest priority.

Loudoun County Public Schools