NJ Spotlight published the following article on December 6, 2013. To read the full article, click here.
In Second Year of Anti-Bullying Act, Reports Drop Sharply in NJ Schools
John Mooney | December 6, 2013
New Jersey schools seem to still be searching for their equilibrium when it comes to bullying and harassment, according to the latest data. They also show a fairly wide range of responses to these incidents.
The state Department of Education released its latest school violence and vandalism data for the 2012-2013 school year, the second full year of the Anti-Bullying Bill of Rights Act.
Interactive database: 2013 Violence, Vandalism, and Bullying Report
Tellingly, after a first year in which there was a 50 percent rise in the number of bullying cases reported and investigated by schools, the latest data shows nearly as much of a drop, with a 40 percent decrease in the number of investigations.
Overall, districts conducted 21,934 investigations this past year — on average, close to 40 for every district. There were more than 35,500 investigations reported in 2011-2012, the law’s first year, almost double the number.