The Safe Schools Improvement Act is legislation that would provide protections against bullying and harassment in schools, especially for vulnerable students.
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, introduced the legislation on Tuesday. U.S. Reps. Linda Sánchez and Mark Takano, both of California, introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“No child should face bullying or harassment in school. I am proud to be introducing legislation that would take concrete steps toward making schools safer and more welcoming places for all students, regardless of their background or identity,” Kaine said.
The Safe Schools Improvement Act would require states to direct schools to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex characteristics and religion. States that receive federal funding under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) would be required to ensure that local education agencies (LEAs) adopt evidence-based practices to prevent and effectively respond to bullying and harassment.
Current federal laws address school safety, but the Safe Schools Improvement Act would specifically address bullying and harassment. One out of every five K–12 students faces bullying or harassment in school, which demonstrably harms academic performance, attendance and graduation rates. Students from marginalized communities face even higher rates of bullying and harassment. Of students who face bullying, one in four are bullied based on their identity, including race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation or gender expression. Students identifying as two or more races are nearly twice as likely to be bullied, with 37 percent of the population reporting bullying or harassment.
As many as 71 percent of Jewish students may face antisemitism at school, 49 percent of Sikh students report identity-based bullying, and 68 percent of LGBTQ+ students report feeling unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. Students with disabilities are 32 percent more likely to be bullied than their peers. Black students are more than twice as likely to be bullied than white students, with Black students comprising 15 percent of the total student population but 37 percent of students who are bullied or harassed. Black and Latino students are overall less likely to self-report being bullied even if they are facing bullying behaviors like being verbally put down or hit. The issue may be even more severe than the data show.
Kaine has long advocated for steps to prevent bullying and address the youth mental health crisis. In early March, he and colleagues introduced the EARLY Minds Act, legislation that would help fund state-level programs that provide early intervention for children facing mental health challenges. In May 2024, he worked alongside his colleagues to introduce the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, bicameral legislation that would increase the availability of mental health professionals in public schools.
The Safe Schools Improvement Act is endorsed by 70 organizations including GLSEN, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Parent Teacher Association, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association.
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Rebecca Barnabi
