Bill > S403

This bill, titled the Safe Schools Improvement Act of 2013, aims to amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to address and prevent bullying and harassment in schools. It recognizes that such behavior negatively impacts students' health, learning, and academic achievement, and can manifest in various forms, including cyberbullying. The bill mandates that states receiving federal grants require their local educational agencies (LEAs) to establish policies that prevent and prohibit bullying and harassment that significantly disrupt a student's ability to benefit from school or create a hostile educational environment. These policies must specifically prohibit conduct based on a student's actual or perceived race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or religion, or that of someone they associate with, as well as other distinguishing characteristics. LEAs will be required to provide annual notice to students, parents, and educators about prohibited conduct, establish grievance procedures for complaints, and collect and publicly report data on the incidence and frequency of bullying and harassment incidents at the school and LEA levels, ensuring victim anonymity. The bill also requires states to report biennially to the Secretary of Education on their efforts and plans to combat bullying, and mandates a biennial evaluation by the Secretary of programs and policies aimed at reducing such conduct, including an assessment of their effectiveness and parent involvement. Importantly, the bill clarifies that it does not invalidate existing federal or state non-discrimination laws or protections for freedom of speech and expression.