Celina ISD on Friday released the findings of an external investigation into the district's handling of former middle school coach Caleb Elliott — a review that found no evidence employees knew of or ignored prior misconduct, even as parents and lawmakers continue pressing for answers.

Caleb Elliott is accused of multiple counts of child sexual abuse involving boys in the district, including allegations that he secretly recorded students in a locker room. 

The findings land at a moment of deep frustration in the community, where parents, state leaders, and victims' families argue the district overlooked warning signs and mishandled concerns about Elliott long before his arrest. Several witnesses told investigators they feared retaliation for speaking, adding to the tension surrounding the district's response.

The report also outlines a series of interactions involving Elliott, his father — former Athletic Director Bill Elliott — and campus administrators, raising new questions about hiring decisions, oversight, and communication inside the district.  

Independent report findings

The independent report interviewed 39 witnesses, and states that multiple witnesses were afraid of retaliation and expressed concern about statements being shared with others.

The report starts with the 2020-2021 school year. It noted that Caleb Elliott served as a substitute teacher in the district during the 2022-2023 school year.

Another big point was noted when Athletic Director and Caleb's father Bill Elliott, contacted Moore Middle School Principal Allison Ginn and advised her that she "had to" wait and see if Caleb could pass his teaching certification exam.

Investigators also noted that one of the witnesses and Caleb started exchanging text messages in June of 2024, just one month after the witness graduated from Celina High School.

Just a few months later, in October, the report states that multiple witnesses learned that Caleb is homosexual. One of the witnesses recalled someone seeing Caleb and his partner out at a McDonalds, which they said sparked Caleb to make a social media post, coming out as gay.

In October of 2025, the investigation notes that a witness was in a car on the way home from school and mentioned that some kids were saying that Caleb Elliott was recording in the locker room. The next day, a text was sent out to all coaching staff stating "coaches DO NOT have your phones out in the locker room."

It was one day later when Celia Police arrested Caleb Elliott and he was placed on administrative leave.

Earlier this week Bill Elliott, along with Ginn, announced their resignations amid criticism from parents and state lawmakers who argue they should not have been allowed to step down.

The moves follow the investigation into Elliott's son, Caleb Elliott, who was charged with multiple counts of child sexual abuse involving boys in the district.

The updates followed the news on Tuesday as the school board released the results of a third-party investigation into the district's handling of the incident, in which they found no evidence that employees knew or ignored past misconduct allegations against the younger Elliott.

Since his son's arrest, Bill Elliott has been on paid, non-disciplinary leave. His departure also came just one day after the board released a summary of that investigation.

In October, he publicly apologized to the community during a school board meeting.

"I want you to know how sorry I am, and my family is," Bill Elliott said, as his voice broke. "I understand your anger. I understand your frustration. I get it — it's horrible." He also called for justice to be served in the case against his son. 

Celina ISD sent a letter to parents and staff announcing his retirement on Wednesday, sharing the following statement from Bill Elliott: "Over the past 33 years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to create lasting memories and build meaningful relationships that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I am deeply grateful to Celina ISD for the support and trust extended to me throughout my career, and I wish the district continued success in all its future endeavors." 

Families also received a letter on Wednesday morning confirming his departure.  

Retirement decision draws political scrutiny

The district shared its appreciation for Bill Elliott's service and his tenure. But several North Texas lawmakers sharply criticized the district's handling of his exit. 

State Rep. Mitch Little, who represents more than a dozen victims, said the timing was "not surprising at all," calling it "chapter one of the how to cover up a scandal handbook." 

Parents continue calls for accountability 

Families of several boys have filed lawsuits accusing Caleb Elliott of abusing students and alleging the district should have known about earlier warning signs. 

Celina ISD has said repeatedly that it was never informed of any concerns about Caleb Elliott before his arrest.

"It's been 108 days since we were notified that pictures of our boys were found on Caleb Elliott's phone," one parent told the board. "That's 108 days of not knowing who knew what and waiting for justice."  

However, the school board said after interviewing 39 witnesses, the independent investigator, Giana Ortiz, found no evidence that any district employee knew of, ignored or failed to report prior misconduct by Caleb Elliott. The investigation found no evidence supporting allegations of an improper relationship, locker‑room cameras, apology letters, a confrontation with staff or any reason he should have been reported to law enforcement. 

But Little said his clients were never contacted by the investigator, questioning the thoroughness of the review. 

"This investigator didn't even try," he said.  

"There needs to be a hard look at HR practices in this district," said a parent. 

Celina ISD says a redacted version of the full investigation report is expected to be released by the end of the week. Little says his clients feel betrayed and want the district to release the entire report unredacted.