Dive Brief:

• The New York Education Department and Attorney General's Office are issuing a statewide survey to find out what anti-bullying measures districts have in place.  
• The survey is a step in the implementation of the Dignity for All Students Act, an anti-bullying bill passed in 2012.  
• Based on district answers, state officials will create new anti-bullying policies that showcase effective strategies districts are already implementing.  

Dive Insight:

"Students cannot learn when they live in fear of being harassed and bullied at school," New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman said in a statement. "This survey will explore the steps New York school districts are taking to put the Dignity Act into effect."

The desire to come up with anti-bullying policies and uphold the Dignity Act are examples of the state's response to criticism it has received over the years for not reporting bullying and harassment. In 2011, right before the Dignity Act was created, a statewide survey found that 18% of high school students were bullied on campus.