As Misconduct Complaints Rise in N.Y.C. Schools, Investigations Decline

The New York City office responsible for investigating complaints about sexual misconduct, corruption and other potential wrongdoing in public schools has lost staff even as it faces a record spike in complaints, according to a new City Council report.

The office, the Special Commissioner of Investigation, operates mostly independently from the city’s Education Department, and its findings can lead to arrests and prosecutions.

Last year, the office received more than 10,260 complaints, a record high, compared with 9,630 in 2019.

Yet far fewer of those complaints are now leading to investigations, according to the City Council, which is holding a hearing to examine the agency’s performance on Tuesday.

The agency did less than half as many investigations last year as in 2015, even as the number of complaints nearly doubled, according to a report by the Council published as part of the hearing. The decline underscores “the growing strain” on the office’s ability to manage its caseload, the report said.

The office’s budget has been flat in recent years. At the same time, attrition has increased. More than a quarter of overall positions were vacant in 2022.