Open AccessEconomic costs of bias-based bullying.
Author(s) -
Laura Baams,
Craig A. Talmage,
Stephen T. Russell
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
school psychology quarterly
Language(s) - Uncategorized
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1939-1560
pISSN - 1045-3830
DOI - 10.1037/spq0000211
Subject(s) - absenteeism , attendance , psycinfo , feeling , ethnic group , psychology , medical education , medicine , social psychology , political science , medline , economic growth , economics , law
Because many school districts receive funding based on student attendance, absenteeism results in a high cost for the public education system. This study shows the direct links between bias-based bullying, school absenteeism because of feeling unsafe at school, and loss of funds for school districts in California. Data from the 2011-2013 California Healthy Kids Survey and the California Department of Education were utilized. Results indicate that annually, California school districts lose an estimated $276 million of unallocated funds because of student absences resulting from feeling unsafe at school. Experiences of bias-based bullying were significantly associated with student absenteeism, and the combination of these experiences resulted in a loss of funds to school districts. For example, the absence of students who experienced bullying based on their race or ethnicity resulted in a projected loss of $78 million in unallocated funds. These data indicate that in addition to fostering student safety and well-being, schools have the societal obligation and economic responsibility to prevent bias-based bullying and related absenteeism. (PsycINFO Database Record