A safe, secure, and orderly school environment is essential to learning. When students are bullied, threatened, or harassed, achievement suffers. WestEd has released a national study entitled “What Characteristics of Bullying, Bullying Victims, and Schools Are Associated With Increased Reporting of Bullying to School Officials?”

The key findings of the report include:

• Frequency and severity impact reporting. “Students who were bullied were more likely to indicate that their victimization was reported to a school official if the bullying involved injury, physical threats, destruction of property, actual physical contact (pushing, shoving, and the like), greater frequency, multiple types, more than one location, and at least one occurrence on a school bus.”
• Those involved in fights and those who feared for their safety were more likely to report bullying. “Two types of bullying victims were more likely to indicate that their victimization was reported to school officials — those involved in a fight during the school year and those who reported being afraid of attack and avoiding certain school areas or activities.”
• Older students are less likely to report. “Higher grade levels are associated with less reporting: reporting ranged from 53 percent in grade 6 to 27 percent in grade 12.”
• No relationship between school characteristics and frequency of bullying. “No characteristic of bullying victims' schools — including general characteristics, school culture, and school security and safety — was associated with either increased or decreased reporting.”