Bullying Prevention And Education In Schools

The act requires the department of education (department) to utilize a stakeholder process when updating the model bullying prevention and education policy (model policy), which process must include the parents of students who have been bullied. At a minimum, the model policy must clearly differentiate between a conflict and bullying and differentiate between harassment and bullying and clarify the role of cyberbullying during online instruction, which may occur on or off school property.

Current law requires each school district and charter school to adopt a safe school plan that includes:

• A conduct and discipline code with a specific policy concerning bullying prevention and education (bullying policy). The act requires the bullying policy to incorporate the approaches, policies, and practices outlined in the model policy.
• Safe school reporting requirements that include the number of conduct and discipline code violations relating to a school activity or sanctioned event that are detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or of school personnel, including incidents of bullying. The act requires incidents of bullying be listed as a separate type of violation.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)