The Delaware Department of Education (DDOE) believes school communities must encourage respect, consideration, and good citizenship to best foster student learning. Safe and pleasant school environments can only be maintained through the cooperative efforts of the entire district and charter community:

• School staff must inform students of their rights and responsibilities.
• Students must know and abide by school rules and regulations.
• Families should know their schools’ rules to support the school community and avoid possible misunderstandings.

Schools must operate within established state and federal guidelines. In Delaware, school climate guidelines are developed by the state legislature, the State Board of Education, and district and charter school boards. Guidelines for school conduct and discipline are outlined in Title 14 of the Delaware Code and Chapter 600 of Title 14 of the Administrative Code.

Please note that Delaware education operates under local control, which means operational decisions – including those related to student conduct and discipline policies – are made at the school, district and charter school level. DDOE does not have the authority to override individual student conduct and discipline decisions.

Delaware school bullying prevention law requires districts and charter schools have a procedure in place for students and parents/guardians to report bullying to school officials. The procedure is to be outlined in the district or charter bullying prevention policy. In addition, cyberbullying regulation allows schools to address electronic bullying, both on and off-campus, that is reasonably likely to limit a student’s ability to participate in or benefit from the educational programs of the school.

When reporting bullying, keep in mind the following:

• Follow the district or charter school procedure outlined in the policy.
• Submit your report in writing and save a copy for yourself.
• Provide details in the report including dates, times, locations, alleged offender(s), and witnesses. If possible, include any evidence beyond just the alleged victim’s side of the story.
• Include how the alleged bullying is related to and is supported by the state definition of bullying.
• State how you believe the alleged bullying is affecting student as it relates to the school environment.
• State what you expect as a reasonable timeline for a response from the school.
• Maintain a positive tone to the report.

For additional information and help regarding school crime reporting and bullying prevention, contact the Delaware bullying hotline at 800-220-5414. Please note: The DOJ letters for the alleged bully and alleged bully victim are no longer required effective 8/30/24.

Additional Bullying Resources

• Beau Biden Foundation Resources on Bullying and Internet Safety
• CDC Compendium on Assessment Tools to Measure Bullying in Schools
• Education Week Spotlight on Bullying
• Federal Government – Bullying Prevention
• No Bully System
• Olweus Bullying Prevention System
• Welcoming Schools

Local school districts and charter schools in Delaware have the authority to suspend or expel students due to conduct that is in violation of the school rules or policies.  Schools cannot remove students from regular school programs without providing due process rights. Students and families have a right to challenge school suspension/expulsion decisions under 14 Del. Admin. Code 616.

The processes for filing internal appeals or grievances differ by district and charter but must include these processes in the student code of conduct manual. At a minimum, any process used for internal appeals and grievances required by 14 Del. Admin. Code 616 shall include the following:

• A description of basic due process and appeal rights
• The appeal or grievance may be brought by the student or his parent or both
• The position of the school or district staff member who will address the appeal or grievance at each level of the process shall be identified; the final decision-maker shall also be identified
• At each step of the process, the appeal or grievance shall be in writing, shall specify what decision is being appealed or grieved and why, and shall be filed within three (3) school days of the action being appealed or grieved
• At each step of the process, the appeal or grievance shall be addressed during a conference with the student and his parents by the school within five (5) school days of its receipt and a written determination shall be issued within five (5) school days of the conference

The DDOE publishes annual reports on behalf of all public districts and charters for various student conduct and discipline areas including:

• Drug and Alcohol Prevention Education Survey
• Erin’s Law Report (personal body safety and child abuse awareness and prevention training)
• Concent Education Report
• Use of Physical Restraint Report
• Incidences of Dating Violence/Sexual Assult Report
• School Discipline Improvement Program
• Bulling Allegations and Incidents Reported

To view these reports and learn more about the collection method and results, view the Educational Data Reports page.