Office of Civil Rights and the U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Service “Dear Colleague Letters”

August 20, 2013
 https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/bullyingdcl-8-20-13.pdf

The U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services wrote this “Dear Colleagues Letter” to provide information to school districts of their responsibilities in addressing bullying of students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).  This letter include strategies that schools can use can implement to prevent and respond to bullying, as well as additional information and resources on this topic.
 

August 20, 2013
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/memosdcltrs/bullyingdcl-enclosure-8-20-13.pdf

The U.S. Department of Education’s attached document offers evidence-based practices schools can use to effectively prevent and address bullying.  It is recommended that these strategies be embedded within a comprehensive behavioral framework that establishes a positive school environment that sets high student expectations and delivers evidence-based instruction and interventions to address student needs.  This document provides information of evidence-based practices schools can use to address bullying.


October 26, 2010
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/letters/colleague-201010.html.

The U.S. Department of Education Office of the Assistant Secretary wrote this “Dear Colleagues Letter” to offer support for state departments of education and local school districts movements to adopt anti-bullying policies to reduce bullying in schools.  This letter offers a reminder that some student misconduct that falls under an institution’s anti-bullying policy may also fall under federal antidiscrimination laws, enforceable by the Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR).  This letter discusses the possibility that schools may limit the response to student misconduct an application of its anti-bullying disciplinary policy, thus failing to properly consider if the situation should also results in discriminatory harassment.

 

July 25, 2000
http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/disabharassltr.html.

The U.S. Department of Education wrote this “Dear Colleagues Letter” to provide an overview of existing legal and educational principles related to school students who are harassed based on a disability.  This letter increases awareness of this issue and serves as a reminder of the educational and legal responsibilities that institutions have to protect students by preventing this and responding accordingly to disability harassment.