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HD 5806

The annual report of the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (under Section 37O of Chapter 71 of the General Laws) relative to school bullying data (school years 2021-2022 through 2022-2023) [copies of said report were forwarded to the committee on Ways and Means and the committees on Education and the Judiciary, as required by said law]

194th Legislature (2025-2026)

The bill requires districts to report bullying data to DESE and aggregates statewide figures on substantiated incidents, student discipline, and alleged incidents to improve consis

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Bill Summary · HD 5806

Overview

HD 5806 is a Massachusetts bill accompanying the annual Bullying Data – Data Collection Report for school years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. The report, produced by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), analyzes statewide bullying data collected through the School Safety Discipline Report (SSDR) and is submitted to the Legislature, Attorney General, and clerks of the Senate and House.

Purpose and Intent

  • Provide a comprehensive statewide summary of bullying data for SY 2021-2022 and SY 2022-2023.
  • Continue disciplinary data collection and reporting on bullying incidents, substantiated bullying, and student discipline related to bullying.
  • Improve consistency and accuracy of bullying reporting across districts, charters, private schools, and collaboratives.
  • Inform policymakers, educators, families, and the public about the prevalence and nature of bullying in Massachusetts schools.

Key Provisions and Content

  • Scope and Basis:
    • Data compiled pursuant to Chapter 86 of the Acts of 2014, which amended General Laws Chapter 71, §37O (anti-bullying statute).
    • Data drawn from DESE’s SSDR, with district-level data available on the DESE Data Portal.
  • Data Elements:
    • Number of substantiated bullying incidents.
    • Number of students disciplined for engaging in bullying.
    • Number of reported allegations of bullying or retaliation.
    • Other information required by DESE, as feasible and cost-effective.
  • Tables Included:
    • Table 1: MA public school bullying totals (unduplicated counts) for SY22 and SY23, including substantiated incidents, removals/discipline, and districts reporting.
    • Table 2: Distribution of students with bullying disciplines by grade for SY22 and SY23.
    • Table 3: Distribution of students with bullying disciplines by student group (e.g., gender, race/ethnicity, economically disadvantaged, English learners, students with disabilities) for SY22 and SY23.
  • Allegations Data:
    • DESE reports ongoing efforts to standardize and improve data quality for alleged bullying incidents.
    • SY22 data on alleged incidents began collection; SY23 is the first year with more complete data, with plans to provide more detail in future reports as more years of data become available.
  • Data Accessibility:
    • District-level bullying data accessible via the DESE Data Report and School and District Profiles pages.
  • Compliance and Process:
    • School districts and other eligible entities are required to report bullying data to DESE; DESE analyzes and publishes aggregate statewide information.
    • DESE will continue training and technical assistance to improve uniform reporting.

Who Is Affected

  • Immediate: Massachusetts public school districts, charter schools, approved private day/residential schools, and collaborative schools that report data to DESE.
  • Broader: Students, families, educators, school administrators, and policymakers who rely on data to understand and address bullying.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Reporting Window:
    • Data cover school years 2021-2022 (SY22) and 2022-2023 (SY23).
  • Publication:
    • The annual report is submitted to the Attorney General and clerks of the Senate and House, to be forwarded to relevant education and judiciary committees and Ways and Means, as required by law.
  • Status:
    • This is the third Bullying Data Collection Report; the first covered SY15–SY18 (published 2019) and the second SY18–SY21 (published 2022).
  • Next Steps:
    • DESE plans to enhance data collection protocols, provide additional training, and include more detail on alleged incidents as more years of complete data become available.

Notable Data Highlights (from the Tables)

  • Substantiated bullying incidents:
    • SY22: 2,530 substantiated incidents.
    • SY23: 2,634 substantiated incidents.
  • Unduplicated students with bullying discipline:
    • SY22: 1,071 students.
    • SY23: 722 students.
  • Reports of bullying (allegations):
    • Data available for SY22 and SY23; early year SY22 data highlighted data quality concerns, with SY23 representing the first year of more robust allegations data.
  • Grade distribution (students with bullying disciplines) and student group distribution show variations across grades and demographics between SY22 and SY23, including shifts in racial/ethnic composition and English learner status.

Summary

HD 5806 outlines the Massachusetts DESE Bullying Data Annual Report for SY 2021-2022 and SY 2022-2023. It preserves and details the statutory requirement for districts to report bullying-related data, aggregates statewide figures on substantiated incidents, disciplinary actions, and alleged incidents, and provides district- and student-level analyses by grade and student group. The bill emphasizes improving data consistency and accuracy through additional training and supports future reporting enhancements as more years of complete data become available.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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