Reporting Child Abuse
State law (Title 10A, Section 1-2-101) requires every person who has reason to believe that a child under 18 is a victim of abuse to report the suspicion of abuse immediately to the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS). In addition, under 70 O.S. § 1210.163, a school employee who has reason to believe a student under eighteen (18) is a victim of abuse or neglect must report immediately to both DHS and local law enforcement; for a student age eighteen (18) or older, the report is made to local law enforcement.
Legal Obligations
- State law makes it a felony upon conviction for a superintendent or school administrator to knowingly and willfully fail to promptly report or interfere with the prompt reporting of child abuse and neglect.
- The SDE shall not issue a certificate to and shall revoke the certificate of any person convicted for knowingly and willingly failing to report suspected abuse/neglect of a child.
- All school employees will receive annual training and be required to sign an annual child abuse/neglect reporting attestation statement.
Reporting Procedure
A report of suspected child abuse is a request for an investigation to gather facts and protect the child from further harm. The person reporting the abuse does not need to prove abuse prior to reporting. Investigation and determination of abuse are the responsibility of DHS, law enforcement, and the judicial system.
How to Report
| Resource | Contact |
|---|---|
| Oklahoma DHS Hotline | (800) 522-3511 |
| Local Law Enforcement (for a student victim) | 911 / local police department |
| National Hotline | (800) 422-4453 (800-4ACHILD) |
| Child Abuse Network (CAN) specialist — for questions about the reporting process | (918) 624-0200 |
Steps
- If you have reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected, report immediately.
- Call the Oklahoma DHS Hotline at (800) 522-3511.
- Notify local law enforcement. As a school employee you must report to local law enforcement in addition to DHS; for a student age eighteen (18) or older, report to local law enforcement (70 O.S. § 1210.163).
- If you have questions about whether a situation warrants a report, call the Child Abuse Network at (918) 624-0200 for guidance.
- Notify the Head of School or Principal after making the report.
- Document the report, including the date, time, and details shared with DHS and the time and agency of the law-enforcement report.
Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Prevention
For sexual-abuse and misconduct prevention — including definitions, student-supervision and background-screening requirements, the employee-allegation procedure (24-hour law-enforcement report and law-enforcement-first interview rule; 70 O.S. § 1210.163, HB 2959), and reporter immunity — see the Sexual Abuse and Misconduct Prevention Policy (Faculty Handbook, Appendix A). Harassment and sexual-harassment definitions, and any discrimination, harassment, or retaliation complaint, are handled under the Civil Rights and Harassment Grievance Procedure.
Annual Training and Attestation
- All employees receive annual training on recognition and reporting of child abuse, child neglect, and child sexual abuse.
- Each employee signs an attestation statement acknowledging his/her responsibility to report suspected child abuse or neglect.
- Failure to sign the attestation does not relieve any employee of the duty to report, nor does it constitute a defense to criminal liability (70 O.S. § 1210.163).
- Training documentation (agendas, sign-in sheets) is maintained on file.
Legal authority — OAC 210:35-3-107; 70 O.S. § 1210.163; 70 O.S. § 6-194; OAC 210:25-3-4
Board adoption: 2026-07-21 (re-adopted; prior via 2025-26 Student Handbook*, 2025-08-12).*
Accreditation: Checklist Item #17*.*
Last updated: August 4, 2026