School bullying is one of the most serious issues facing educational institutions
today because it can lead to school violence, a more negative school climate, and
potential legal actions from parents. As a school administrator, you have the
opportunity to address school bullying on all levels of a student's experience. By
implementing a bullying prevention program and leading your school or district in
bullying prevention efforts, you can help create a safer, more positive learning
environment. 
Your students have a fundamental human right to feel safe at school and be spared the repeated degradation and humiliation that come from being bullied. For some students, school may be the only safe place in their lives, which makes a schoolwide bullying prevention program even more important.
Implement a Program for Your School and Your Students
Implementing a research-based program such as the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program is a smart investment. The costs of the program are small compared to the potential benefits. Effective implementation can reduce bullying by 50 percent or more while also increasing student achievement, decreasing discipline referrals
and truancy, creating a more positive school climate, unifying staff and forming stronger parent relationships.
Meet Federal Guidelines for Bullying Prevention
Using the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program will also help you meet portions of many federal mandates or programs you are probably already administering, such as Safe and Drug Free Schools, school connectedness, high-stakes testing,
juvenile delinquency prevention, school dropout prevention, school health programs, suicide prevention, and the promotion of developmental assets.
Manage Risk
In addition to creating a healthy and safe school climate where students feel
secure, it's important to address bullying for the purposes of risk management.
There have been civil suits brought against schools and school systems over
bullying incidents, some with damages in the millions of dollars. Like harassment
and discrimination, some forms of bullying are serious, illegal actions and must be treated
as such.
Find out more about creating safe schools.
View Olweus Bullying Prevention Program Frequently Asked Questions.
