While much has been written about the perception of bullying in schools from the perspective of students, parents and teachers, there is scant mention of school-level administrators’ view on the subject.

A new report from the Kentucky Center for School Safety – “Addressing Bullying Incidents in Kentucky Schools: A Principal’s Perspective” – examines the issues surrounding bullying in schools from the perspective of Kentucky principals and assistant principals who are charged with the task of investigating reports of bullying instances. 

Between Sept. 1 and Oct. 30, 2015, the Kentucky Center for School Safety requested that elementary, middle and high school principals and assistant principals complete a survey to examine their perceptions of and experiences with bullying issues in Kentucky schools. In general, principals were asked to provide data related to how anti-bullying policies are implemented in their school system.

The purpose of the survey is to illustrate the perspective and perception of Kentucky’s school principals and their assistant principals regarding:  the level of preparation they have received to properly address the offense; the effectiveness of the tools they are using to address bullying in their schools; the general response they receive from students and parents on both sides to consequences they apply to students for bullying behaviors; the support or opposition they receive in general from their administrative superiors; and the sources of frustration and reward they derive from their actions toward bullying.

Since its creation in 1998, a significant part of the mission of the Kentucky Center for School Safety (KCSS) has been to serve as the central point for research and evaluation of programmatic efforts to address school discipline and safety issues. KCSS hopes this study is just the beginning of a deeper exploration into bullying behavior.