Bullying Prevention

In recent years, bullying has gained national attention following research that documents its pervasive negative impact on American youth, including serious health and developmental outcomes. According to the National Education Association, on any given day, nearly 160,000 children in the U.S. miss school due to a fear of being bullied. Research suggests that the most effective way to address bullying is through schoolwide efforts that are evidence-based and comprehensively focus on changing the climate of a school. The Center for Safe Schools is committed to preventing and reducing the incidents of bullying in schools through technical assistance, training, evaluation, and research.

Latest News

ASCD Endorses New Publication on Harassment, Bullying and Free Expression

"Harassment, Bullying and Free Expression: Guidelines for Free and Safe Public Schools," is a new publication based on current laws, which addresses issues of harassment, bullying and free speech in schools. The National School Boards Association worked with 16 other education, civil rights and legal advocacy groups to create this guide for schools. It is endorsed by numerous groups including the Association or Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD).

Laws Require Internet Safety Education in Schools that Receive E-Rate Funds

In order for schools and libraries to receive E-rate funding for Internet Access or Internal Connections, they must be compliant with the Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA). CIPA requires an Internet Safety Policy and the use of a filtering mechanism on all computers in funded schools by SY 2012-13. As part of the adoption of CIPA, the Federal Communications Commission added statutory language from the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act related to internet/cyber education. Specifically, the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act directs E-rate applicants to certify that their CIPA-required Internet safety policies provide for the education of students regarding appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking web sites and in chat rooms, and regarding cyberbullying awareness and response.

Internet Safety Policies and CIPA: An E-Rate Primer for Schools and Libraries

Federal Government Evaluates Bullying Laws

Currently, 49 states in the U.S. have laws that address school bullying and 41 states provide a model policy for schools (stopbullying.gov). Federal partners in bullying prevention have identified 11 key components of state anti-bullying laws that may be useful to those who are creating or improving anti-bullying laws or policies.

What Every Parent Should Know about Bullying

A tip sheet that serves as a quick, reliable resource for parents with children victimized and in crisis because of bullying. As a 2-page pullout of the larger Pennsylvania Bullying Prevention Toolkit, its brief length and concise language make it easily accessible to all parents. It was developed by the Center for Safe schools with support provided by the Highmark Foundation. Click here to dowload the tip sheet.

Pennsylvania Bullying Prevention Toolkit

The Pennsylvania Bullying Prevention Toolkit was developed by the Center for Safe Schools with funding from the Highmark Foundation. It provides information about the issue of bullying and the role of adults and professionals in supporting children who are affected by it. This toolkit was developed with input from an interdisciplinary group of stakeholders.  It is part of a mult-tiered strategy to promote coordination of bullying prevention efforts across the state of Pennsylvania and to encourage local communities to develop effective, collaborative approaches to bullying prevention and intervention. Click here to download the Toolkit.

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Suicide and Bullying

The Suicide Prevention Resource Center recently released an issue brief on "Suicide and Bullying." This short publication provides an overview of research on bullying and suicide, as well as strategies for prevention. The brief specifically addresses the needs of LGBTQ youth, a group that is significantly at-risk for both suicide and bullying. Click here to download the brief.