1. U.S. Department of Education Federal Education Priorities and Creating Safe Schools
National Association of Pupil Services Administrators October 25, 2010 Baltimore, MD
Kevin Jennings Assistant Deputy Secretary Director, Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools

2. What’s the goal at ED?
President Obama: “Produce a higher percentage of college graduates than any other country in the world by the end of the next decade.”

3. Why is this Important?
Know Your History

4. Reasons for America’s Rise to Power
19th Century: First free public school system in the world 20th Century: GI Bill: Biggest Investment in Higher Ed in History Effects: Created the most educated, knowledgeable citizenry that the world had ever seen.

5. Sources: The College Board, Education Pays 2010, Figure 1. 1; U. S
Sources: The College Board, Education Pays 2010, Figure 1.1; U.S. Census Bureau, 2009; Internal Revenue Service, 2008; Davis et al., 2009; calculations by the authors

6. More Education, Longer Life
Source: National Longitudinal Mortality Study,

7. The US is Falling Behind in HS Graduation Rates Approximate percentage of persons with high school or equivalent qualifications in the age group 25-64 1 13 27 1
Source: Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Education at a Glance 2008
Year of reference 2004.
Including some ISCED 3C short programs
Year of reference 2003.

8. High School Graduation Rates among OECD nations, 2007
Note: 1995 graduation rates are calculated on a gross basis whereas 2007 are calculated as net graduation rates (for countries with available data).
1. Year of reference 2006.
Countries are ranked in descending order of the upper secondary graduation rates in 2007.
Source: Education at a Glance 2009: OECD Indicators. Table A2.2. (  

9. U.S. : Higher Ed Leader in the Sixties, the Laggard Today Percent of Adults with an Associate Degree or Higher by Age Group - U.S. & Leading OECD Countries
Source: OECD, Education at a Glance 2008

10. Success? It’s a Basic Equation
(Safe Schools)(Healthy Students)=Academic Success

11. It’s simple. Students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe. Period.
Where does the Office of
Safe & Drug Free Schools fit in?
It’s simple. Students can’t learn if they don’t feel safe. Period.

12. Many Students Experience Bullying Percentage of students ages who reported being bullied at school and being cyber-bullied anywhere during the school year, by sex: 2007
Source: Indicators of Crime and School Safety, 2008

13. Rivers, I. , Poteat, V. P. , Noret, N. , Ashurt, N. (2009)
Rivers, I., Poteat, V.P., Noret, N., Ashurt, N. (2009). Observing Bullying at School: The Mental Health Implication of Witness Status. School Psychology Quarterly. 24:4,

14. Some Groups are Singled Out for Harassment Question: “At your school, how often are students bullied, called names or harassed for the following reasons?”
Source: From Teasing to Torment: School Climate in America 2005

15. Rivers, I. , Poteat, V. P. , Noret, N. , Ashurt, N. (2009)
Rivers, I., Poteat, V.P., Noret, N., Ashurt, N. (2009). Observing Bullying at School: The Mental Health Implication of Witness Status. School Psychology Quarterly. 24:4,

16. Participant Roles
Bully
Witnesses
Victim

17. What Characterizes a Bully?
Participant Roles
Bully
What Characterizes a Bully?
High rates of “externalizing behavior”
Having behaviors consistent with ADD, ADHD, Oppositional/Defiant Disorder, or Conduct Disorder
Being Highly Aggressive
Having negative perceptions of “others”: people unlike themselves
Cook, C. R., Williams, K.R., Guerra, N.G., Kim, T.E.m & Sadek, S. (2010). Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic investigation. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(2),

18. What Characterizes a Victim?
Participant Roles
Victim
What Characterizes a Victim?
Low Social Competence
Lack basic social skills
- Unable to easily make friends
Peer Rejection
Cook, C. R., Williams, K.R., Guerra, N.G., Kim, T.E.m & Sadek, S. (2010). Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic investigation. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(2),

19. What Characterizes a Bully-Victim?
Participant Roles
Bully
Victim
What Characterizes a Bully-Victim?
A bully-victim is someone who is both the perpetrator and the target of bullying behavior
Bully-victims show similarly low-levels of social competency as only-victims.
Bully-victims are more easily influenced by their peers than only-victims.
Cook, C. R., Williams, K.R., Guerra, N.G., Kim, T.E.m & Sadek, S. (2010). Predictors of bullying and victimization in childhood and adolescence: A meta-analytic investigation. School Psychology Quarterly, 25(2),

20. Role of Bystanders in Instances of Bullying
Witnesses
Assistants
Reinforcers
Outsiders
Defenders
Rivers, I., Poteat, V.P., Noret, N., Ashurt, N. (2009). Observing Bullying at School: The Mental Health Implication of Witness Status. School Psychology Quarterly. 24:4,

21. Why the Problem Persists… and What We Can do

22. Teachers and Students Make a Difference
In classrooms where both students and teachers had strong attitudes and actions against bullying and aggression rates of aggression were 1/3 to ½ of classes where peers alone (and not teachers) had strong attitudes against aggression
Henry, D., Guerra, N., Huessmann, R., Tolan, P., VanAcker, R., & Eron, L. (2000). Normative influences on aggression in urban elementary school classrooms. Amerian Journal of Community Psychology, 28(1),

23. Peer Intervention Works, but Isn’t Common
Of bullying episodes in which peers intervened, 57% of the interventions were effective (i.e., the bullying stopped within 10 seconds).
Peers intervene in only 11-19% of all bullying incidents.
Source: Hawkins, Pepler and Craig 2001

24. Petrosino, A. , Guckenburg, S. , DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010)
Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? (Issues & Answers Report, REL No.092). Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Education Laboratory Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from

25. Petrosino, A. , Guckenburg, S. , DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010)
Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? (Issues & Answers Report, REL No.092). Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Education Laboratory Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from

26. Petrosino, A. , Guckenburg, S. , DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010)
Petrosino, A., Guckenburg, S., DeVoe, J. and Hanson, T. (2010). What characteristics of bullying, bullying victims, and schools are associated with increased reporting of bullying to school officials? (Issues & Answers Report, REL No.092). Washington, DC: US Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Education Laboratory Northeast and Islands. Retrieved from

27. Every School Should…
Help to educate faculty, staff & parents about bullying
Have a clear policy against bullying behaviors, and communicate this policy early and often to students, staff, and parents
Train all staff who interact with students (including bus drivers, school resource officers, school nurses, and cafeteria workers) on how to recognize bullying behaviors and intervene effectively to stop them
Ensure that all staff members take immediate action when bullying is observed.
Gather data to assess bullying, the level of staff commitment to address bullying, and parent interest and concerns.

28. Every Teacher Should…
Initiate discussion with students and parents about expected behavior before problems arise
Closely supervise your students and be watchful for possible signs of bullying among students in your classes (sudden changes in behavior, etc)
Take immediate action if you observe or suspect bullying
Integrate bullying prevention into your curriculum in age-appropriate ways
Remember that actions sometimes speak louder than words, and be sure that you don't inadvertently model bullying behavior

29. Every Student Should…
Speak up! Step in when other students are being bullied or tell a teacher what is going on
Make it clear to others that bullying is not okay.
Support bullied students – make them feel like they are not alone
Help teachers and administrators know what is going on. Work with them to find solutions.
Source: HRSA Stop Bullying Now!

30. Every Parent Should…
Focus on their child. Be supportive and gather information about the bullying. Don’t assume they will tell you. Believe them if they do.
Utilize resources such as HRSA’s Stop Bullying Now! Campaign and bullyinginfo.org to become informed about bullying and bullying prevention
Work with the staff at school to find a solution to stop the bullying, for the sake of your child as well as other students. Get your child out of there if you are not convinced the school will take needed action.
Source: HRSA Stop Bullying Now!

31. What’s the Washington Agenda?

32. Raise standards and improve assessments.
Four Assurances
Raise standards and improve assessments.
Recruit, retain & support effective educators, and ensure equitable distribution.
Build robust data systems that track student progress and improve practice.
Turn around low-performing schools, focusing on dropout factories and their feeder schools.

33. In a Truly Safe School Every Student Feels Like…
They Belong.
They are Valued.
They Feel Physically and Emotionally Safe.

34. What Gets Measured is What Gets Done

35. Disciplinary Environment
Safe and Supportive Schools (s3) Model: A New Approach to K-12 School Safety
s3 model
Engagement
Relationships
Respect for Diversity
School Participation
Safety
Emotional Safety
Physical Safety
Substance Use
Environment
Physical Environment
Academic Environment
Wellness
Disciplinary Environment
Draft s3 Model. Please do not circulate without consent from the Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. Please contact Kristen Harper with questions or concerns.

36. Winners of Safe and Supportive Schools Grants
Arizona
California
Iowa
Louisiana
Kansas
Maryland
Michigan
South Carolina
Tennessee
West Virginia
Wisconsin

37. Carl Joseph Walker Hoover

38. Carl Joseph Walker Hoover
Pheobe Prince
10th Grade
South Hadley, MA
1994 – January 2010
Hope Witsell
8th Grade
Ruskin, FL
1996 – September 2009
Justin Aaberg
10th Grade
Anoka, MN
1995 – July 2010
Asher Brown
8th Grade
Harris, TX
1997 – September 2010
Christian Taylor
9th Grade
Richmond, VA
1994 – May 2010
We need to remember the faces of students who will never have the chance to graduate or to start a career or advance the United States’ economy. These students and many others who did not make the nightly news could not wait for us to find the solutions to bullying that are so badly needed. We need to remember them as our work moves forward.
Carl Joseph Walker Hoover
6th Grade
Springfield, MA
1998 – April 2009
Seth Walsh
8th Grade
Tehachapi, CA
1997 – September 2010
Tyler Clementi
College Freshman
Ridgewood, NJ
1992 – September 2010

39. Kevin.Jennings@Ed.gov 202-245-7830
Keep in Touch!