Year One Evaluation of the New York City Department of Education Respect for All Training Program

The GLSEN Research Department conducted an evaluation of the New York City Department of Education's (NYC DOE) Respect for All training program for secondary school educators. The two-day training program, which was one component of the NYC DOE's Respect for All initiative, was implemented so that every secondary school in the district had at least one staff member who could support lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) students and combat all forms of bias-based bullying and harassment, particularly bias based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.In order to evaluate Year One of the training program, GLSEN surveyed 813 educators who participated in the training at three times -- before the training, six weeks after, and six months after. Training participants were also compared to educators who had not yet completed the training. Focus groups were conducted in order to gain a greater, in-depth understanding of participants' experiences in the training. Key findings are listed below.Compared to before the training, after the training educators demonstrated increased:Knowledge of appropriate terms;Access to LGBTQ-related resources;Awareness of how their own practices might have been harmful to LGBTQ students;Empathy for LGBTQ students;Belief in the importance of intervening in anti-LGBTQ remarks;Communication with students and staff about LGBTQ issues;Engagement in activities to create safer schools for LGBTQ students (i.e., supporting Gay-Straight Alliances, including LGBTQ content in curriculum); andFrequency of intervention in anti-LGBTQ name-calling, bullying, and harassment.In addition, compared to educators who had not yet participated in the training, those who had participated in the training indicated higher levels of:Communication with students and staff about LGBTQ issues; andEngagement in activities to create safer schools for LGBTQ students.Findings from the Year One evaluation demonstrate that this training program is an effective means for developing the competency of educators to address bias-based bullying and harassment, and to create safer school environments for LGBTQ students. The findings suggest that providing such training to all school staff, including administrators, would result in an even stronger effect on the school environment. Furthermore, ensuring sufficient opportunities for developing educators' skills in intervening in anti-LGBTQ behaviors could enhance the effectiveness of trainings. To maintain the benefits of training, staff should receive continued and advanced professional development opportunities related to supporting LGBTQ students and combating bias-based bullying and harassment

Involved, Invisible, Ignored: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Parents and Their Children in Our Nation's K-12 Schools

Current estimates suggest there are upwards of 7 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) parents with dependent children in the United States, and it is likely that these numbers have been increasing over recent years. Yet little is known about the life experiences of this population of families in general and even less is know about the experiences of these families when interacting with their children's schools.This national study conducted by GLSEN in partnership with the Family Equality Council and COLAGE (Children of Lesbians and Gays Everywhere), examines and highlights the school experiences of LGBT-headed families using results from surveys of LGBT parents of children in K-12 schools and of secondary students who have LGBT parents.The study examines the family-school relationship, including family-school communication, parental involvement in school activities, parent-child discussions about school, parental role in educating school staff about LGBT families and the quality of treatment by school staff and by other members of the school community

Shared Differences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students of Color in Our Nation's Schools

The report documents the school experiences of over 2,000 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) U.S. middle and high school students of color who were African American or Black, Latino/a, Asian or Pacific Islander, Native American, and multiracial

The 2007 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools

GLSEN's National School Climate Survey is the only national survey to document the experiences of students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in America's secondary schools. Conducted biennially since 1999, the National School Climate Survey (NSCS) fills a crucial void in our collective understanding of the contemporary high school experience. The results of this survey are intended to inform educators, policymakers and the public at large, as part of GLSEN's ongoing effort to ensure that all schools are places where students are free to learn, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression. The 2007 survey includes responses from 6,209 LGBT students between the ages of 13 and 21 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data collection was conducted through community-based groups, online outreach, and targeted advertising on the social networking site MySpace.The 2007 NSCS results continue to track the endemic problem of name-calling, harassment and violence directed at LGBT students, while offering information about the impact of these experiences on academic performance and the effect of interventions designed to address the underlying problem. The 2007 NSCS paints a disturbing picture of the school experiences of LGBT students. However, it also provides further insight into the solutions for creating safer schools for all students

Strengths and Silences: The Experiences of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Students in Rural and Small Town Schools

For more than 20 years, GLSEN has worked to make schools safer for all students; it has sought specifically to reduce the bullying and harassment targeted at students' sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) students across the country, violence and harassment experienced in school affect their ability to learn. Although schools in urban areas are typically regarded as more violent or dangerous than schools in other areas, findings from our National School Climate Surveys consistently show that it is most often rural schools that may pose the greatest threats for LGBT students. It may be that community characteristics, such as religious and cultural traditions, income, and educational levels, influence individual beliefs and attitudes toward LGBT people in these areas. It may also be that a lack of positive LGBT-related school resources negatively affects LGBT students' school engagement and academic performance, particularly if they also experience bullying and harassment. Although research on the educational experiences of LGBT youth has grown considerably over the past 25 years, less is known about rural students specifically. This research report examines the experiences of LGBT students in small town and rural areas on matters related to biased language in schools, school safety, harassment and victimization, educational outcomes, school engagement, and LGBT-related resources and support. It also examines the prevalence and utility of LGBT-related resources in rural schools. Finally, this report concludes by advocating for more intentional policies, measures, and programs that protect LGBT students

From Statehouse to Schoolhouse: Anti-Bullying Policy Efforts in U.S. States and School Districts

In 2011, 29.5 percent of U.S. public school districts didn't have anti-bullying policies, including many districts in states that require them, according to a report published by GLSEN. In states with such mandates, 26.3 percent of districts didn't have local policies. The report shows the gap that can emerge between the intentions of a law and the effectiveness of its implementation via policy and regulations

Harsh Realities: The Experiences of Transgender Youth in Our Nation's Schools

Using data from GLSEN's fifth National School Climate Survey, this report documents the school experiences of 295 transgender middle and high school students and finds that these students face extremely high levels of victimization, even more so than their non-transgender lesbian, gay and bisexual peers

From Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited - A Survey of U.S. Secondary School Students and Teachers

From Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited, A Survey of U.S. Secondary School Students and Teachers provides an in-depth look at the current landscape of bias and peer victimization as reported by students and teachers from across the nation. In addition to examining various types of bias, including those based on race/ethnicity, religion, body size, and ability, this report provides a focused look at LGBTQ issues in secondary schools. Comparing findings to a similar survey we conducted in 2005, the report discusses the progress that has been made over the past ten years, as well as highlights the challenges that remain. It also offers recommendations and strategies to improve school climate for all students.Specifically, the research report addresses:Student and teacher perceptions of school climate; Student experiences of safety, bullying, and harassment, including biased incidents based on race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, body size, gender, religion, ability, economic status, and gender expression;Teacher intervention in bullying and incidents of bias; LGBT-supportive teacher practices, such as advising GSA or including LGBT content in teaching;Teacher professional development (pre-service and in-service) in bullying, diversity, and LGBT issues; andDifferences in students' school experiences based on race/ethnicity, LGBTQ status, gender nonconformity, and geography (i.e., urbanicity, region), among others

2005 National School Climate Survey: The Experiences of LGBT Youth in Our Nation's Schools

GLSEN's National School Climate Survey is the only national survey to document the experiences of students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) in America's secondary schools. Conducted biennially since 1999, the National School Climate Survey (NSCS) fills a crucial void in our collective understanding of the contemporary high school experience. The results of this survey are intended to inform educators, policymakers and the public at large, as part of GLSEN's ongoing effort to ensure that all schools are places where students are free to learn, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.This year's survey includes responses from 1,732 LGBT students between the ages of 13 and 20 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Data collection was conducted through community based groups and service organizations, from April to July 2005, and online from April to August 2005.The 2005 NSCS results continue to track the endemic problem of name-calling, harassment and violence directed at LGBT students, while offering information about the impact of these experiences on academic performance and the effect of interventions designed to address the underlying problem. In particular, the 2005 survey data allowed us to examine the role that state education legislation has in creating (or not creating) safer schools for all students, including LGBT students. The 2005 NSCS paints a disturbing picture of the school experiences of LGBT students. However, it also provides further insight into the solutions for creating safer schools for all students

From Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited - A Survey of U.S. Secondary School Students and Teachers, Executive Summary

From Teasing to Torment: School Climate Revisited, A Survey of U.S. Secondary School Students and Teachers affords us the opportunity to document the current state of safety, bias, and bullying in schools and assess potential disparities based not only on LGBTQ status, but also on race/ethnicity, sex, gender expression, and socioeconomic status. As school climate is determined not only by the existence or absence of victimization, we also explore students' experiences with school disciplinary actions and extracurricular activities, seeking to develop a more complete picture of the student experience. In addition, we again document students' access to resources that may improve school climate, such as student clubs that address LGBTQ student issues, inclusive curriculum, and anti-bullying/harassment policies. Moreover, in this report, secondary school teachers offer their perceptions on bias, bullying, and LGBTQ students' safety, and provide valuable information about the preparation they may have received to address these issues. We also document teachers' practices in regards to combating bias and supporting LGBTQ students specifically, including the potential barriers to doing so. Lastly, we offer recommendations for both further research and specific programmatic and policy strategies that may help schools reduce the risk of peer victimization, counter the damaging effects of bias, and provide safe and supportive learning environments for all LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ students alike