Bullying Prevention and Education

Bullying Prevention in Colorado

Colorado has been a leader in bullying prevention with the passage of legislation to help schools and districts reduce bullying incidents. In 2011, the legislature passed the Concerning Measures to Reduce the Frequency of Bullying in Schools Act, creating a state-funded grant program to prevent bullying in Colorado schools. In 2015, voters approved Proposition BB, allowing for the School Bullying Prevention and Education Grant Program (BPEG) to be funded through the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund. Each year, the BPEG distributes nearly $2 million to grantee schools to help reduce bullying across the state. 

This website was created with the help of many partners. Thanks to the Colorado Department of Education’s Support and Intervention Unit and Teaching and Learning Unit, the Colorado School Safety Resource Center, Colorado Education Initiative, and schools and districts across Colorado for their help in this endeavor.

Results show bullying prevention is working in Colorado

 

 

Outcome data from schools in the first cohort of BPEG grantees that continued in the grant through the 2020-2021 school year have been analyzed and show a significant reduction in the percentage of students saying they have been the target of and witness to bullying.

On average, baseline results from the spring of 2017 found that 34 percent of students at BPEG schools reported being the target of bullying and 49 percent reported having witnessed bullying. This was during the school year before the grant had been implemented. Results from the same schools in the spring of 2021 showed 20 percent of students reporting being the target of bullying and 27 percent having witnessed bullying.

These changes represent an overall 41 percent reduction in bullying and an overall 45 percent reduction in students witnessing bullying.