TEA Changes Focus on Bullying Prevention

Unfortunately, bullying is common in school settings, and it can have serious negative effects for both victims and bullies. Preventing bullying is an important factor in protecting students’ mental health and a major component in creating a positive, safe, and affirming school environment, according to a recent U.S. surgeon general’s report

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. Additionally, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) includes bullying prevention as a component in coordinated school health programs.

The Texas Legislature adopted new requirements regarding bullying in public schools in 2021. Senate Bill (SB) 2050 built on existing law requiring each district to have a policy that prohibits bullying, including cyberbullying. [See FFI(LOCAL) in your district’s policy manual.] The legislation also emphasized preventing and mediating bullying incidents and will require districts to adopt bullying policies that comply with the minimum standards adopted by TEA.

Effects on anti-bullying policy

TEA’s minimum standards must do the following:

• Emphasize bullying prevention by focusing on school climate and healthy relationships between students and staff.

• Require each campus to establish a committee to address bullying by focusing on prevention efforts and health and wellness initiatives.

• Provide periodic instruction to students at each grade level on building relationships and preventing bullying, including cyberbullying.

• Emphasize increased student reporting of bullying by increasing awareness of reporting procedures, including anonymous reporting.

• Require districts to collect information through student surveys about bullying and use this information to develop plans to address student concerns about bullying.

• Require a district to develop a rubric or checklist to assess a bullying incident and determine a response.

TEA has posted its updated proposed minimum standards for bullying prevention policies and procedures and invited public feedback through November 28, 2022.

After TEA adopts the minimum standards, TASB Policy Service will issue recommended revisions to policy FFI(LOCAL). The district should present these revisions to its board for consideration and adoption in a timely manner.

Click the link below for the full article.

https://www.tasb.org/members/enhance-district/bullying-prevention/