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The Safe Schools Program for Gay & Lesbian Students

The Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students was founded in 1993 by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education and the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. Responding to evidence indicating increased levels of suicidality and other risk behaviors among gay and lesbian students, the Safe Schools Program provides a range of services designed to help schools implement Chapter 76, Section 5 (the Massachusetts Student Anti-Discrimination Law), the State Board of Education's Recommendations on the Support and Safety of Gay and Lesbian Students, and the Access to Equal Educational Opportunity Regulations (603 CMR 26.00).

To support schools in these efforts, the Safe Schools Program offers free parent, faculty, staff, and student trainings; provides on-going technical assistance to schools in need; facilitates up to 12 Regional Conferences annually; administers three grants programs; and provides a variety of materials and resources.

Training

Upon request by an individual school or district, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education offers free training on violence- and suicide-prevention for gay and lesbian students to schools and communities across the Commonwealth. These trainings incorporate data from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, personal experiences of students from Massachusetts' schools, and strategies for the school community to address harassment of gay and lesbian students. Trainings are available for parents, administrators, guidance counselors, faculty, or students, and are tailored to meet each community's interests and needs with input from school staff.

Technical Assistance

In addition, the Safe Schools Program offers technical assistance and strategic planning to address issues around the support and safety of gay and lesbian students. Some examples of the kinds of technical assistance we provide include action planning for Gay/Straight Alliances (GSAs), convening meetings with school decision makers to elicit support for future activities to create safer schools, and developing curricula that is inclusive of gay and lesbian people and topics.

Regional Conferences

Each year, the Safe Schools Program hosts a series of day-long conferences in regions throughout the Commonwealth for students and faculty advisors of Gay/Straight Alliances. These conferences are developed around an annual educational theme and provide opportunities to network with other members of nearby GSAs. These conferences take place during the Fall and early Winter of each school year.

Grants

The Safe Schools Program coordinates three grant programs which provide state-administered, locally-controlled funding to schools and communities to support implementation of the Student Anti-Discrimination Law and the Board of Education's recommendations. (To find the most recent Request for Proposals for the grants listed below, visit Grants Management). They are:

• Safe Schools Program for Gay & Lesbian Students Grants (Fund Code 378): Grants of up to $3000 per high school are awarded to districts to assist in developing violence prevention programs to enhance school safety for gay and lesbian students consistent with the Student Anti-Discrimination Law and the Board of Education's Recommendations on the Support and Safety of Gay and Lesbian Students. Priority is placed on grants that address the Board of Education Recommendation #3 and assist in developing and implementing programs that start or enhance Gay/Straight Alliances. More than 180 high schools receive this grant each year.

• Gay/Straight Alliance Mentor Grants (Fund Code 798): Grants of up to $5000 are available to schools with demonstrated success in implementation of the law and recommendations to assist other schools in their own district or in neighboring districts with similar efforts. Approximately 4 high schools receive this grant each year.

• Middle School Climate Improvement Grants (Fund Code 796): Grants of up to $5000 awarded to middle schools to support the development and piloting of materials and programs to decrease harassment and discrimination based on all categories covered by the Student Anti-Discrimination Law and the Access to Equal Education Opportunity regulations. Approximately 4 middle schools receive this grant each year.

Resources

Materials and resources developed and/or provided by the Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students are available free of charge to Massachusetts's schools, communities, and residents. Some of the materials currently available include:

• "Making Schools Safe for Gay & Lesbian Youth," the 1993 Report of the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth
• "Gay/Straight Alliances: A Student Guide," a guide for students, advisors, and other school personnel on starting and/or maintaining a school-based student support group for gay, lesbian, and heterosexual students
• "OUTRIGHT: Your Right to Be," a brochure which describes students' rights in Massachusetts and lists resources for further information or support. Also available in Spanish, Portugese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Khmer, Russian, and Haitian/Creole upon request.
• The Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students, a 28-minute video showing the history of the Safe Schools Program in Massachusetts, the experiences of some Massachusetts students, and strategies for schools to support students
• Safe Space Stickers, which allow teachers and schools to designate specific areas where lesbian and gay students can safely and comfortably request information, resources, or support

Contact Information

Contact the Safe Schools Program for Gay and Lesbian Students for information on training, technical assistance, regional conferences, grants, and resources.

Student Support, Career & Education Services
h4s@doe.mass.edu