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Safer Schools Ohio
National
Bullying Prevention
To ensure safe and supportive learning environments for Ohio’s
students, Ohio Revised Code 3313.666 requires all school districts that
receive federal funding have a policy prohibiting student-to-student
incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying in Ohio schools.
Ohio’s Anti-Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying (HIB) model policy
defines harassment, intimidation or bullying as any intentional
written, verbal, graphic or physical act that a student or group of
students exhibit toward other particular student more than once with
the behavior causing mental or physical harm to the other student; is
sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that it creates an
intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment for the
other student, including violence within a dating relationship; and an
act committed through electronic means including the use of a cellular
telephone, computer, pager, personal communication device or other
electronic communication device.
Guidance for implementing Ohio’s Anti-Harassment, Intimidation and
Bullying policy offers school staff, community partners and parents
steps for identifying, investigating and intervening in bullying
behavior.
The Ohio Department of Education does not decide student discipline or
interventions in bullying incidents. These are local decisions. The
Department’s Center for P-20 Safety and Security provides information
and resources to assist the local school board and the district
superintendent in this work. Visit Ohio’s Anti-Harassment, Intimidation
and Bullying Resource page for a variety of bullying prevention
resources for schools, families and communities.
To create safe and supportive teaching and learning environments,
school administrators must have a local Anti-HIB policy to:
Make bullying prevention and intervention a priority in your school;
Use an existing group like the Wellness or Positive Behavioral
Interventions and Supports team to support and coordinate bullying
prevention practices;
Allow the group to lead a discussion with students, parents and staff
to understand the extent of bullying at school, school-sponsored events
and in transit to and from school;
Discuss how your school identifies and addresses bullying behavior and
Train all staff who interact with students in bullying prevention
practices.
The practices mentioned above will help members of the school community
take action against bullying, use data to tailor bullying prevention
strategies and measure progress in reducing bullying behavior.
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