McGrath Training Solutions

03/27/2026

When a safety concern arises, the first words used by education leaders can influence both process and perception.

This article looks at how communication style affects investigations, documentation, and response.

Temperature matters in feedback. Whether you're coaching, correcting, or clarifying, the emotional tone you use can make or break the message. This blog explores the difference between high- and low-temperature communication—and offers practical strategies for supervisors to foster clarity, reduce...

03/25/2026

Abuse of a student by a school employee can happen in any school in the US: Rural. Urban. Suburban. Don’t wait to put prevention efforts in place. Carterville, IL is experiencing this now:

“This is a total shock to me. I wasn’t expecting anything like this to happen in Carterville,” he said. “I have a nephew in these schools, and hearing that makes me worried about him. We think Carterville is such a safe place, and we’re very close together. I’m very concerned for our kids now.”

The Williamson County Sheriff’s office also said it has reason to believe that there could be additional victims within the Carterville School District. Check out the full article here:

https://buff.ly/V18KVNe

In Williamson County, Illinois, the sheriff’s office is investigating alleged s*xual abuse involving a Carterville teacher and a former student.

03/20/2026

McGrath Training Solutions has several trainings this spring focused on the intake, investigation and documentation of bullying, harassment, and discrimination concerns and complaints. We invite school leaders to join us.

Equip your administrators with the tools and training they need to feel confident in their roles. Sign up for an upcoming training course.

03/18/2026

Administrators must often navigate how to document investigation findings while maintaining compliance with FERPA requirements.

Balancing thorough documentation with student privacy protections can be challenging during internal investigations.

Check out McGrath’s most recent blog on managing documentation and disclosure while maintaining compliance with student privacy requirements.

Navigating FERPA as a school leader means balancing student privacy, parental rights, and safety—while building trust and staying compliant.

03/16/2026

An Oregon school district agreed to a $2.35 million settlement after allegations that earlier concerns about a teacher’s conduct were not acted upon.

This case is an important reminder for administrators to regularly review how concerns are reported, investigated, and addressed.

A Clatsop County school district accused of doing little to stop a shop teacher’s s*xual abuse of a student agreed to pay $2.35 million to settle a federal lawsuit. The […]

10/10/2025

California Enacts New Law to Prevent Sexual Abuse in Schools

Thanks to the tireless advocacy of survivors, child safety organizations, and education leaders, Senate Bill 848 establishes a statewide system to prevent s*xual abuse in K-12 schools, including a database of teachers under investigation, expanded reporting duties, and mandatory staff training. The law takes effect on January 1, 2026, and applies to all public and private schools across California. Its goal is to close loopholes, strengthen accountability, and protect students by preventing accused educators from transferring to new schools undetected.

The law requires a database intended to stop teachers facing credible accusations of abuse from quitting and getting rehired at another school.

10/09/2025

Are you at AASPA in Nashville, TN?

Stop by and see Dr. Billie-Jo Grant's session on Preventing Educator Sexual Abuse and Minimizing School Liability.

October 9th, 2:45PM - 4:15PM. Hope to see you there!
https://buff.ly/kkTotzx

10/07/2025

Great leaders know they can’t personally handle every decision — but they also know that how they delegate matters.

According to Admired Leadership, before passing on a decision, leaders should ask:
1️⃣ Who is the right person to make this decision?
2️⃣ Who else should be involved in making it?
3️⃣ Who else should have input?

Answering these three questions ensures better decisions, builds trust, and develops the next generation of leaders.

Learn how these simple questions can transform your leadership approach and strengthen your team’s decision-making. https://buff.ly/C0CwJxQ

When it comes to making major decisions, good leaders generally follow a rigorous process of data collection, analysis, option creation, debate, and choice.

10/02/2025

Four women — including a former student and staff members — are suing the NYC Department of Education and longtime Queens principal William Bassell, accusing him of a decade of s*xual harassment and abuse at the Academy of American Studies in Astoria.

The lawsuit alleges Bassell treated the school as “his personal playground for s*xual fulfillment,” while complaints were ignored. Bassell was arrested in May on s*xual abuse charges but has denied all allegations.

https://buff.ly/SWW2rJR

Four women are suing the city Education Department and the longtime principal of a Queens high school, accusing him of being a serial s*x predator who earned the nickname “Creepy Bill” — just a few months after his arrest on s*xual abuse charges. William Bassell, 66, treated the Academy of Ame...

10/01/2025

📊 Superintendent Turnover on the Rise — and More Women Are Leading

New data from the ILO Group shows big shifts in K-12 leadership for 2024-25:

🔄 Turnover is climbing: 23% of the nation’s 500 largest school districts saw leadership changes — still well above pre-pandemic levels.
👩🎓 More women at the helm: 33.2% of superintendents are now women, and they’re more likely than men to hold doctorates (74% vs. 69%).
🏫 Homegrown leaders matter: Most new superintendents (58%) were internal hires — a sign that districts are tapping experienced, proven talent.

“Stability in leadership is stability for students,” says ILO Group CEO Julia Rafal-Baer.

https://buff.ly/ZwwUcex

Superintendent turnover increased again for the nation's 500 largest school systems. The number of women superintendents also increased.

09/25/2025

🏐 After University High’s volleyball coach resigned, a 5-month Title IX investigation examined allegations of harassment, intimidation, and mishandled bullying claims.

The report acknowledged failures in how complaints were handled—but with the players graduated and the coach already gone, the findings were deemed “moot.”

Months later, the school board chose to rehire him for the 2025–26 season. The decision has deeply divided the community: some parents praise his winning record, while others say his coaching left their daughters with anxiety, depression, and lasting harm.

🔗 https://buff.ly/eiqyEp0

An investigation into University High School volleyball coach Jared Rudiger highlighted a series of concerns about his treatment of players, leading to his resignation during the 2024-25 school yea…