Analysis of State Bullying - US Department of Education

Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies

Submitted to U.S. Department of Education Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development Policy and Program Studies Service

Prepared by Victoria Stuart-Cassel, M.P.P.A.

Ariana Bell J. Fred Springer, Ph.D. EMT Associates, Inc. 771 Oak Avenue Parkway, Suite 2

Folsom, CA 95630

2011

This report was prepared for the U.S. Department of Education under Contract Number ED-CFO-10-A-0031/0001 with EMT Associates. Erica Lee served as the contracting officer's representative. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education is intended or should be inferred. U.S. Department of Education Arne Duncan Secretary Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development Carmel Martin Assistant Secretary Policy and Program Studies Service Stuart Kerachsky Director December 2011

This report is in the public domain with the exception of the cover photograph, which are ? iStockphoto LP 2010. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. Although permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be U.S. Department of Education, Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development, Policy and Program Studies Service, Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies, Washington, D.C. 2011. This report is also available on the Department's website at On request, this publication is available in alternative formats, such as Braille, large print, or computer diskette. For more information, please contact the Department's Alternate Format Center at 202-260-0852 or 202-260-0818. Content Contact Erica Lee 202-260-1463 erica.lee@

Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies

Contents

List of Exhibits............................................................................................................... v

Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................... vii

Executive Summary ...................................................................................................... ix Key Findings.......................................................................................................................................................x State Bullying Laws...........................................................................................................................................xi State and School District Policies.................................................................................................................xiv

I. Introduction..............................................................................................................1 Background ......................................................................................................................................................... 1 Study Purpose.....................................................................................................................................................4 Description of the Key Components.............................................................................................................. 5 Research Methods..............................................................................................................................................7

Methods for Study Question 1: Compiling and Coding State Laws..................................................7 Methods for Study Question 2: Compiling and Coding State Model Policies ...............................11 Methods for Study Question 3: Sampling, Compiling, and Coding School District Policies ......12 Structure of the Report ...................................................................................................................................13

II. Analysis of State Bullying Legislation ................................................................... 15 Key Findings.....................................................................................................................................................15 History and Scope of Bullying Legislation in U.S. States...........................................................................16 Legislative History, Construction of State Statutes, and Key Components............................................18 Discussion of Key Components....................................................................................................................21

Prohibition and Purpose Statement......................................................................................................22 Statement of Scope..................................................................................................................................23 Prohibited Conduct.................................................................................................................................25 Enumeration of Specific Characteristics..............................................................................................27 Development and Implementation of School District Policies........................................................29 Review of Local Policies.........................................................................................................................31 Communications......................................................................................................................................32 Training and Prevention.........................................................................................................................33 Transparency and Monitoring ...............................................................................................................34 Right to Pursue Other Legal Remedies................................................................................................35 School District Components..........................................................................................................................36 Coverage of Key Components in State Legislation ....................................................................................40 Expansiveness Ratings Across States............................................................................................................42 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 45

III. Analysis of State Model Bullying Policies .............................................................47 Key Findings.....................................................................................................................................................47 States With Model Policies and Requirements for Development in Legislation....................................47 Structure of Model Policy Requirements .....................................................................................................49 Types of Model Policies..................................................................................................................................50 Coverage of Key Components in State Model Policies .............................................................................51 Expansiveness Ratings Across State Model Policies ..................................................................................53 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 57

Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies

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Contents (continued)

IV. Analysis of School District Bullying Policies.........................................................59 Key Findings.....................................................................................................................................................59 Selected Districts and Local Bullying Policies .............................................................................................59 District Policy Components ...........................................................................................................................60

Prohibitions and Purpose Statement ....................................................................................................61 Statement of Scope..................................................................................................................................62 Prohibited Behaviors...............................................................................................................................63 Enumeration of Groups.........................................................................................................................65 Reporting ..................................................................................................................................................66 Investigations and Response..................................................................................................................67 Written Records.......................................................................................................................................68 Consequences and Sanctions .................................................................................................................68 Mental Health Referrals..........................................................................................................................69 Additional Components..................................................................................................................................70 Review of Local Policies.........................................................................................................................70 Communication .......................................................................................................................................71 Training and Prevention.........................................................................................................................71 Transparency and Monitoring ...............................................................................................................72 Right to Seek Other Legal Remedies....................................................................................................73 District Policy Coverage of Key Components ............................................................................................73 Expansiveness Ratings Across District Policies..........................................................................................75 Summary ............................................................................................................................................................ 78

V. Summary and Discussion.......................................................................................79

References ..........................................................................................................................................81

Appendix A: U.S. Department of Education Dear Colleague Letter Summarizing Examples of Department Key Components of State Anti-Bullying Laws.......85

Appendix B: Summary of Bullying Legislation, State Statutes, and Model Policies...............97

Appendix C: Bullying and Related Terms as Defined in State Legislation............................131

Appendix D: Definitions of Cyberbullying and Electronic Communications in State Legislation................................................................................................................ 147

Appendix E: State Model Policies and Guidance by Legislative Requirement .....................157

Appendix F: Definitions of Bullying: Within-State Comparisons Among State Legislation, State Model Policies, and School District Policies........................163

Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies

iv

Exhibits

Executive Summary Exhibit A. Number of state bullying laws enacted by year: 1999?2010 ........................................... xi Exhibit B. Description of U.S. Department of Education-identified key legislative and

policy components and school district policy subcomponents ..................................... xii Exhibit C. State legislation coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key

components, by number of states (n=46)........................................................................xiii Exhibit D. State law coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key legislative

and policy components and subcomponents: Number of components and subcomponents covered in state laws, by number of states (n=46) ............................xiv

I. Introduction Exhibit 1. Description of 11 U.S. Department of Education-identified key components and

school district policy subcomponents in state bullying legislation .................................. 6 Exhibit 2. Key state bullying legislation and policy components identified by the U.S.

Department of Education: Criteria used to rate the expansiveness of components and subcomponents ............................................................................................................... 9 Exhibit 3. Selection of school districts for analysis of bullying policies, by region, urban code, and state.......................................................................................................................13

II. Analysis of State Bullying Legislation Exhibit 4. Number of state bullying laws enacted by year: 1999?2010 ..........................................16 Exhibit 5. Terms used in framing state bullying legislation, by number of states (n=46)............18 Exhibit 6. Eleven key legislative and policy components and six school district policy

subcomponents identified by the U.S. Department of Education, by category..........21 Exhibit 7. Statements of scope of bullying legislation, by number of states (n=46) ....................23 Exhibit 8. State bullying legislative language to define bullying behavior and associated

harm, by number of states (n=46) .....................................................................................26 Exhibit 9. State legislation addressing cyberbullying or electronic bullying acts, by number

of states (n=46).....................................................................................................................27 Exhibit 10. Enumerated characteristics in bullying legislation, by number of states (n=17).........28 Exhibit 11. State law requirements for the adoption of school district bullying policies and

date required, by state (n=50).............................................................................................30 Exhibit 12. Legislative expectations for communicating school district bullying policies, by

number of states (n=46) ......................................................................................................33 Exhibit 13. Legislative requirements for reporting bullying incidents: Number of states by

reporting type (n=46)...........................................................................................................37 Exhibit 14. Coverage of key components: Number of components and policy

subcomponents covered in bullying laws, by number of states (n=46) .......................40 Exhibit 15. Extent of coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key components

in state bullying legislation, by state (n=46)......................................................................41 Exhibit 16. Distribution of expansiveness ratings for state bullying laws, by number of states

(n=46) ..................................................................................................................................... 42 Exhibit 17. Extent of expansiveness for state bullying legislation for U.S. Department of

Education-identified key components, by state (n=46)..................................................43

Analysis of State Bullying Laws and Policies

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Exhibits (continued)

III. Analysis of States' Model Bullying Policies Exhibit 18. State law recommendations and requirements for the adoption of state model

bullying policies or other guidance documents, by state (n=50) ...................................48 Exhibit 19. Extent of coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key components

in state model bullying policies and guidance documents, by state (n=41) .................52 Exhibit 20. Coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key components: Number

of components and policy subcomponents covered in state model bullying policies and guidance documents, by number of states (n=41).....................................53 Exhibit 21. Extent of expansiveness of state model bullying policies and guidance documents, by state (n=41).................................................................................................54 Exhibit 22. Distribution of expansiveness ratings for state model policies and guidance documents, by number of states (n=41) ...........................................................................55 Exhibit 23. Comparison of coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key components between state legislation and state model bullying policies, by key component (n=46) ...............................................................................................................56

IV. Analysis of School District Bullying Policies Exhibit 24. Statements of scope in school district bullying policies, by number of school

districts (n=20)......................................................................................................................62 Exhibit 25. School district bullying policy language to define bullying behavior and

associated harm, by number of school districts (n=20)..................................................63 Exhibit 26. Number of district policies addressing cyberbullying or electronic acts (n=20).........64 Exhibit 27. Enumerated characteristics in school district bullying policies, by number of

school districts (n=20) .........................................................................................................66 Exhibit 28. School district policy requirements for reporting bullying incidents, by number of

school districts (n=20) .........................................................................................................67 Exhibit 29. Extent of coverage of U.S. Department of Education-identified key components

in local district and board bullying policy documents, by state (n=20)........................74 Exhibit 30. Extent of expansiveness of district policy components in selected district and

board bullying policies, by state (n=20) ............................................................................76 Exhibit 31. Comparison between bullying state law and local policy expansiveness ratings, by

state (n=20)............................................................................................................................77

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