Use and Impact of the Wisconsin Bullying Prevention Program Assessment Tool in Addressing Middle School Bullying

Abstract

The Wisconsin School Violence and Bullying Prevention Study, funded by the National Institutes of Justice (NIJ), was a two-year case-control study in 24 Wisconsin middle schools (11 experimental; 13 control) seeking to understand the impact of a comprehensive bullying prevention program on bullying victimization rates. Participating schools’ bullying prevention programs were assessed at baseline and project-end using the Wisconsin Bullying Prevention Program Assessment Tool (BPPAT). This self-assessment tool, developed prior to the start of the research project, was developed by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and partners throughout Wisconsin. The BPPAT is an open-source 42-item assessment tool across 9 topic areas focused on policies and procedures with minimal financial and logistical burdens towards implementation. By design, it acknowledges wide variance across schools and districts for current practices and provides guidance, going forward, for program improvement. In the accompanying study, experimental schools were instructed to, with technical assistance, enhance their program by filling gaps identified through their completion of the BPPAT over two school years. A significant enhancement resulted among all schools, experimental and control, between 2015 and 2017 with a spill-over effect due to data collection requirements reducing programmatic differences between groups. Experimental schools reported significant declines in verified incidents of bullying with a non-significant decline among control schools. From this project, researchers determined that (1) schools are able to make program improvements in a short time period and (2) this concerted, and largely non-prescriptive, effort can have a positive and measurable impact on bullying victimization at this age group. Broader implications for the BPPAT and its use are preliminary and next steps are discussed and recommendations made.

Wisconsin Bullying Prevention Program Assessment Tool Questions

Note: All questions are scored on a scale of: fully in place (2 points); partially in place (1 point) and not in place (0 points).

Section 1: Policy and procedures

1. A school district policy is in place related to the prevention of, and response to, bullying behaviors, including reporting. Partially in Place (PIP) if either prevention or response is not included in policy

2. School district policy is reviewed and updated (if necessary) on an annual basis by the school board PIP if policy is reviewed/updated, but not formal approval is given by school board

3. School bullying policy makes a clear distinction between “bullying” and “harassment” PIP if clear distinctions, by way of each definition explicitly declared, is not included in the policy

4. The school district policy is included in the student handbook (both in print and online) PIP if policy and definition are not available across all mediums (print and online)

5. A universal definition of bullying is included the student handbook (both in print and online) PIP if policy and definition are not available across all mediums (print and online)

6. School has a dedicated team consisting of faculty, administration, students and parents that focuses on issues including, but not limited to, bullying prevention. Note: this can include existing teams, including PBIS and others. PIP if team does not include members of all groups listed (faculty, administration, students, parents)

Section 2: Program selection/implementation

1. An externally validated (i.e. evidence based and/or evidence informed) bullying prevention program has been selected and/or purchased by the school/school district, which includes addressing bullying of vulnerable populations (protected populations – race, color, national origin, sex or disability) Partially in Place (PIP) is program applies to select grades and not all within the school building

2. An externally validated (i.e. evidence based and/or evidence informed) bullying prevention program has been implemented by the school/school district PIP is program applies to select grades and not all within the school building

3. An externally validated (i.e. evidence based and/or evidence informed) bullying prevention program has been implemented fully, as assessed by program-specific fidelity measures PIP is program applies to select grades and not all within the school building

Section 3: Staff training

A minimum of 90% of faculty/staff (including non-teaching staff such as SRO) have received inservice training (initial and/or refresher) on the following this academic year: Partially in Place (PIP) if a minimum of 50% (but fewer than 90%) have received inservice education during current school year

1. How to respond to bullying incidents

2. The definition of bullying (as used by the school)

3. Procedures of reporting bullying incidents

A minimum of 90% of volunteer and after-school staff (including athletics coaches and before/after school program facilitators/employees) have received training (initial and/or refresher) on the following this academic year: PIP if a minimum of 50% (but fewer than 90%) have received training during current school year

4. How to respond to bullying incidents

5. The definition of bullying (as used by the school)

6. Procedures of reporting bullying incidents

Section 4: Parent education and communication

1. Parents are actively engaged and involved in School Safety workgroups/meetings, as measured by a workgroup list, meeting participation logs, etc. Partially in Place (PIP) if parents are included in the workgroup in name only and determined to not be actively engaged

2. Twice-yearly updates are sent to parents about the school’s bullying prevention program (BPP) PIP if updates are sent to parents once, but not twice, per year.

3. Bullying definition used by school is included in student handbook and other materials available to parents (i.e. Parent Handbook) PIP if the bullying definition is not included in at least one material sent to parents through each medium (electronic and print).

Section 5: Classroom instruction/student training Note: “Students” refers to all students in the building, including those in alternative or non-inclusions programs (i.e. special education)

1. A schedule is developed and documented for the student-focused component of the bullying prevention program and shared with faculty/staff Partially in Place (PIP) if a schedule is developed, but not shared across the school.

2. A start-of-year bullying prevention program orientation that included school-wide expectations towards bullying and response to bullying was attended by at least 90% of students at the start of this school year. PIP requires at least 50% (but fewer than 90%) of students attending program orientation

3. A minimum of 90% of students has received classroom instruction (initial and/or refresher) on how to respond to bullying incidents this academic year PIP requires at least 50% (but fewer than 90%) of students receiving classroom instruction

4. A minimum of 90% of students has received classroom instruction (initial and/or refresher) that includes the definition of bullying this academic year PIP requires at least 50% (but fewer than 90%) of students receiving classroom instruction

5. A minimum of 90% of students has received classroom instruction (initial and/or refresher) on the procedures for reporting bullying incidents this academic year PIP requires at least 50% (but fewer than 90%) of students receiving classroom instruction

6. A minimum of 90% of students has received classroom instruction (initial and/or refresher) in appropriate and effective bystander behavior this academic year PIP requires at least 50% (but fewer than 90%) of students receiving classroom instruction

7. Follow-up lessons are delivered at least monthly following initial curriculum to 90% of all students PIP if follow-up lessons occur at least 3 times per year (but not monthly) and/or a minimum of 50% (but fewer than 90%) receive the lessons.

8. Students are recruited and trained as peer leaders/advocates at each grade level 5th and older PIP if students are recruited and trained in some, but not all, grades above 4th grade.

9. Students are actively included and involved in bullying prevention workgroups/meetings by way of inclusion and involvement in the School Safety Team. PIP if students are included in name only and determined to not have active engagement.

Section 6: Universal (tier 1) components

1. A positive atmosphere is present in the school by being at Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at Tier 1 fidelity as assessed by the Benchmarks of Quality or other assessment tools approved by the Wisconsin PBIS Network

2. Bullying policies are communicated with local community agencies, including police, public health, childcare and human services Partially in Place (PIP) if policy communication exists with some, but not all, of the listed agencies

Section 7: Selected (tier 2)/intensive (tier 3) components

1. Procedures are in place to provide small group counseling and/or other services to students who evidence problematic school adjustment, including that which may be related to bullying perpetration or victimization Partially in Place (PIP) if procedures are not applied to all students in the school.

2. Supports are provided to students not responding to less intense interventions PIP if supports are provided to person who bullied or victim (but not both)

3. Protocols for referral to appropriate services (for both victim and perpetrator) are documented at the school district level Partially in Place (PIP) if protocols are documented, but not on the district level ( i.e. individual schools) and/or protocol is limited to victim or perpetrator

Section 8: Reporting systems

1. A reporting system is in place for students and staff for documenting bullying incidents, that includes electronic collection and maintenance of data Partially in Place (PIP) if information is collected, but not housed electronically

2. Incident data collection includes all of the following: (1) information on youth who was bullied (2) information of youth who bullied (3) name of school personnel formally reporting (4) type of bullying (physical, verbal, etc.) (5) section for narrative description of event(s) (6) actions taken following event(s), including resolution and contact of involved families. PIP if no more than 2 of the 6 items are missing, but not all are satisfied

3. A minimum of 90% of faculty/staff have been trained on incident collection procedures (initial and/or follow-up) this academic year PIP if a minimum of 50% (but under 90%) have received training this academic year.

4. A minimum of 90% of volunteer and after-school staff (including athletics coaches and before/after school program facilitators/employees) have been trained on incident collection procedures (initial and/or follow-up) this academic year. PIP if a minimum of 50% (but under 90%) have received training this academic year.

5. Procedures are documented for the ongoing collection of bullying incidents in an electronic form (i.e., Excel spreadsheet, Database tool) and communicated with faculty/staff. PIP if procedures are in place, but not communicated to all faculty/staff

6. A quarterly review of submissions is conducted by personnel other than the individual(s) responsible for the documentation of submissions to evaluate and report on the degree to which the reporting systems are being utilized PIP if a review occurs less frequently than quarterly, but at least once per school year.

Section 9: Analysis and continuous quality improvement (CQI)

1. Data on incidents are analyzed by the School Safety Team at least quarterly to determine quantitative rates of bullying incidents from the perspective of victims and perpetrators Partially in Place (PIP) if analysis occurs less often that quarterly but at least once during the year.

2. Data are analyzed by the School Safety Team at least quarterly to identify “hot spots” for incidents, involving time and place, and sub-populations disproportionately affected PIP if analysis occurs less often that quarterly but at least once during the year.

3. Results of analysis is shared with staff at least twice per school year PIP if results are shared with staff only once

4. Data informed decisions are made on CQI procedures PIP if CQI procedures do not consult data in all instances, but in some of them.