Senate Bill 538 - Bullying Prevention Summary

• Department of Education must evaluate and provide effective bullying prevention plan models to school corporations, including policies for electronic and digital bullying on and off school property.

• School corporations must include the number of bullying incidents in their annual performance reports and develop discipline and safety plans with parental involvement that specifically address bullying prevention and response.

• Expands definition of "bullying" to include verbal or written communications transmitted digitally or electronically, and requires the communication to create an objectively hostile school environment meeting specified conditions.

• School discipline rules must require written reports of bullying incidents from staff to principals, principal notification of parents, superintendent reports to the Department of Education, and annual reporting of bullying incident numbers and responses.

• Advisory Board of the Division of Professional Standards may adopt rules establishing standards for teacher and administrator continuing education on bullying prevention and response; Department of Education may audit school corporation compliance at any time.