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Bullying, cyber-bullying and retaliation are prohibited in schools in Massachusetts. The content on this page provides bullying intervention and prevention information for districts, schools, families and community partners.
Posted information may include content that does not necessarily represent the official views of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (Department or DESE) and inclusion here does not imply endorsement of any kind. DESE assumes no responsibility for, or any obligation to monitor the content, privacy practices, operators, availability, accuracy, quality, advertising, products, services, or other materials of these sites.
Scroll down the page for more information or select any of the following categories to be brought directly to that point on this page.
The Department, districts and schools are required to address bullying prevention and intervention as a requirement of the Act Relative to Bullying in Schools , the Massachusetts Anti-Bullying law (G.L. c. 71, §370 Chapter 92) that was passed in 2010. In 2013, the original legislation was amended with the passing of Chapter 86, An Act Relative to Bullying in Schools - 2014.
Related state regulations and federal laws include:
Notification of Bullying or Retaliation Regulations (603 CMR 49.00)
Federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, 20 U.S.C. § 1232g and 34 CFR Part 99
Massachusetts Student Records Regulations, 603 CMR 23.00
"Bullying" for the purposes of requirements related to Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010 legislation is defined as the following:
The repeated use by one or more students or by a member of a school staff including, but not limited to, an educator, administrator, school nurse, cafeteria worker, custodian, bus driver, athletic coach, advisor to an extracurricular activity or paraprofessional of a written, verbal or electronic expression or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof, directed at a victim that: (i) causes physical or emotional harm to the victim or damage to the victim's property; (ii) places the victim in reasonable fear of harm to himself or of damage to his property; (iii) creates a hostile environment at school for the victim; (iv) infringes on the rights of the victim at school; or (v) materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school. For the purposes of this section, bullying shall include cyber-bullying. See the legislation for more details on the definition of cyber-bullying and more.
Each school district, charter school, non-public school, approved private day or residential school and collaborative school shall develop, adhere to and update a plan to address bullying prevention and intervention. The plans shall be updated at least biennially (every two years).
In 2014, a Model Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan was updated to reflect the amended law that requires districts and schools to "recognize" in their plan that certain enumerated categories of students may be more vulnerable to being targets of bullying based on actual or perceived differentiating characteristics. Districts and schools are also encouraged to consider the ways prevention and intervention efforts are aligned with local practices to support inclusion, diversity, belonging and equity, multi-tiered system of support frameworks, the essential elements of the safe and supportive schools framework, behavioral and mental health services, social emotional learning supports, and comprehensive school-based mental health systems.
The plans are also required to:
The following resources may be useful for schools/districts when creating a new Plan or updating local Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plans.
BPIP Model Plan (2014)
Checklist that can be used at the local level to track if all legislatively required elements are included in the local plan. (2014)
Appendix A: Sample Bullying Prevention and Intervention Incident Reporting Form
Guidance on Notifying Parents when a Student has been Bullied Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity/Expression: Implementation of 603 CMR 49.05
Technical Assistance Advisory SPED 2011-2: Bullying Prevention and Intervention
Addressing the Needs of Students with Disabilities in the IEP and in School Bullying Prevention and Intervention Efforts.
While not required updated plans can voluntarily be submitted via the Security Portal's Bullying Prevention and Invention Plan DropBox* or via email to achievement@mass.gov .
*Entities required to submit Plans may submit information through the new DropBox designed for this purpose, local Directory Administrators must assign the Superintendent or his/her designee the "Bullying Prevention and Invention Plan DropBox" role in the Security Portal's Directory Administration area. Once that is done, the superintendent or designee can sign into the portal and see that DropBox listed under DropBox Central. Schools without a Directory Administrator should contact the Department's data collection group at 781-338-3282.
Under the law, schools are required to inform families and guardians about bullying prevention efforts. Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plans are required to be posted to district websites. Schools must also notify families and guardians of targets of bullying of the availability of the Department's Problem Resolution System and assist these parents and guardians in understanding the problem resolution process.
Complaints regarding a school or district not responding appropriately to bullying allegations may be investigated through the Problem Resolution System Office. Emails can be sent to DESECompliance@mass.gov or individuals can call 781-338-3700.
The law directs the Department to post a list of bullying prevention and intervention resources, evidence-based curricula, best practices, and academic-based research. Please note that any list of programs and the links to other sites are provided as resources for schools and districts. School and district leaders have discretion to select evidence-based curricula and other resources that are not on the list. Local education officials should determine which bullying prevention curricula and strategies are most appropriate for each school and grade they oversee, taking into account students' developmental stages, community contexts, and other factors. Information about a district/school's selected curricula should be included in the local Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan.
At no time should a list be considered exhaustive, as other evidence-based curricula, programs and practices may exist that are not posted here. In addition, evidence-based programs and practices that address school climate and culture, as well as students' social and emotional wellbeing, may not have been evaluated for bullying prevention effectiveness, but could be considered as part of a district's approach to creating safe and healthy learning environments.
Al's Pals (PreK): A social emotional learning curriculum designed specifically for PreK
Character Strong: A PreK–12 multi-tiered curricula to improve behavior, increase safety, and support mental health
Olweus Bullying Prevention Program: A K–12 bullying prevention and positive school climate program (Clemson University)
PATHS Program (Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies): A PreK–5 SEL program focused on character development and violence prevention
Peacebuilders: A violence prevention curriculum and professional development program for PreK–12
RULER Approach: A PreK–12 SEL curriculum focused on emotional skills and positive school climate
Second Step: A PreK–12 curriculum program focused on social emotional learning skill building (e.g. empathy, problem solving, goal setting) with additional K–5 bullying prevention units
Additional resources that may address evidence-based bullying prevention and intervention efforts as well as support social-emotional learning in schools include (but are not necessarily limited to) the following:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): About Bullying | Youth Violence Prevention | CDC
Center on PBIS: Bully Prevention in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (BP-PBIS) The website provides tools, publications, presentations, and videos.
Center on the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning : The Center is focused on promoting the social emotional development and school readiness of young children birth to age 5.
Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) : CASEL's mission is to make evidence-based SEL and integral part of education from preschool through high school.
Cyberbullying Research Center - How to Identify, Prevent and Respond
Edutopia : This website focuses on what works in education and is dedicated to improving the K-12 learning process.
National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments: Bullying/Cyberbullying | Safe Supportive Learning (ed.gov)
National School Climate Center, National School Climate Standards : The Center promotes positive and sustained school climate: a safe, supportive environment that nurtures social and emotional, ethical, and academic skills.
Pacer's National Bullying Prevention Center: PACER's National Bullying Prevention Center
Rutgers Social-Emotional and Character Development (SECD)Lab . The SECD Lab guides schools-based efforts on prevention, social and emotional learning, social decision making and social problem solving, violence prevention, and character development.
Search Institute : This Institute partners with organizations to conduct and apply research that promotes positive youth development, relationships, and advances equity.
The University of Colorado Boulder: Blueprints for Healthy Youth Development
University of Illinois at Chicago: Social Emotional Learning Research Group : The group's primary focus is the group focuses on school, family, and community approaches to enhance students' social, emotional, and academic learning.
Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education:
Office of Student and Family Support
Systems for Student Success (SfSS)
The Department's Views of Climate and Learning Survey Project was developed per legislative requirement to survey students at least once every four years to assess school climate and prevalence, nature and severity of bullying in schools. Information can be found on the Office of Planning & Research's Views of Climate and Learning Survey Project (VOCAL) page.
School districts, charter schools, approved private day or residential schools, and collaborative schools are required to collect and report data on bullying. Information is reported annually through the School Safety and Discipline Report (SSDR) and Data and Accountability.
Commissioner's Memo: Bullying and Harassment - Office of Civil Rights
Commissioner's Memo: Implementation Timelines for Bullying Prevention and Intervention Planning
Commissioner's Memo: Model Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan under M.G.L. c. 71, § 37O
Commissioner's Memo: Bullying Prevention and Intervention in Public and Non-Public Schools
Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General:
Attorney General's Guidance to Schools on Hate and Bias Incidents
Cell Phone and Social Media in Schools - A Toolkit for School Leaders and Communities
Massachusetts Trial Court Law Libraries The library posts links to state laws and other resources on bullying and cyberbullying.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health's Child & Youth Violence Prevention Programs: Bullying Prevention | Mass.gov
USDE Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services Bullying Prevention Resources:
A 2014 dear colleague letter by the USDE Office of Civil Rights.
A 2000 dear colleague letter by the OCR and OSERS, which explained that bullying based on disability may violate civil rights laws enforced by OCR as well as interfere with a student's receipt of special education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
A fact sheet for parents on schools' obligations under federal law to address bullying. The fact sheet is also available in Spanish .
StopBullying is the US Department of Education's website which provides useful information on bullying prevention and remedies.
Seeking help from OCR . The office investigates complaints of disability discrimination at schools. To learn more about federal civil rights laws or how to file a complaint, contact OCR at 800-421-3481 or email OCR@ed.gov . Fill out a complaint form .
For more information or assistance, please contact: The Office of Student and Family Support (SFS) via achievement@mass.gov or 781-338-3010.
Last Updated: June 17, 2025