In the dynamic landscape of education, where every day brings new challenges and opportunities for growth, educators and school administrators hold an immense responsibility to foster environments where learning flourishes—spaces that are not only safe and inclusive but also vibrant with the diverse identities of each student.
In recent years, our nation has endured a disturbing series of hate-motivated attacks. A Fact Sheet distributed at the United We Stand Summit outlined expectations for Federal agencies to respond to the President’s call to prevent, respond to, and recover from hate-fueled violence, and to foster national unity. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has two primary tasks: 1) Support educational authorities and educational institutions to improve their ability to prevent hate-based threats and bullying and recover from hate-based violence and 2) Enhance overall school safety and climate.
About Free to Learn
ED is carrying out its United We Stand commitments under the “Free to Learn” initiative. Through this work, ED is providing resources and support to states and territories, school districts, tribal nations, and public health agencies to prevent, address, and ameliorate the effects of bullying, violence, and hate while also supporting school safety, school-based mental health, and positive school climate so all students are free to learn.
Access Free to Learn Resources
Equipping educators with the knowledge and tools necessary to understand the varied cultural backgrounds of their students, fostering deeper connections and empathy is essential. Identity is a cornerstone of both mental health and educational outcomes. The intricacies of identity—encompassing culture, ethnicity, religion, gender, and more—play a pivotal role in shaping the school climate and the individual experiences of students. Understanding and honoring these facets of identity is crucial in building environments where every student can truly belong and thrive. By bridging cultural gaps, we can create a foundation of mutual respect and understanding that benefits the entire school community. The resources below support educators in 1) fostering safe, inclusive, support and fair school climates that celebrate diversity, promote well-being, and enhance the educational experience for all students and 2) preventing and addressing identity-based discrimination, bullying, harassment, and violence.
Resources to Support a Safe and Positive School Climate Where All Students Are Free to Learn
These universal resources are designed to complement your existing strategies, providing practical, actionable guidance to enrich your approach to education. Whether you are navigating complex conversations, seeking to implement inclusive policies, or aiming to foster a culture of respect and empathy, these resources are here to support your journey towards creating a more inclusive learning environment.
Bridging Differences Playbook
Provides research-based strategies to promote positive dialogue and understanding.
Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s Classrooms
Designed to support classroom teachers, other educators, and support personnel to reduce instances of bullying behavior and to build a supportive classroom climate in which bullying is less likely to occur.
Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates
Identifies five guiding principles and suggests actions schools and school districts can take to create inclusive, safe, supportive, and fair learning environments.
Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates (Versión en Español)
Designed to support schools and school districts around five guiding principles for creating positive school environments.
Reflecting on Practice: Ten Ways Schools Can Foster Belonging Among Students With and Without Disabilities
Provides a framework for reflecting upon and fostering welcoming environments and a sense of belonging for all students.
School Climate Improvement Resource Package
Includes a collection of resources that provide strategies and tools to support school and district personnel with school climate improvement efforts.
Serving up Tradition: A Guide for School Food in Culturally Diverse Communities
Provides guidance for integrating cultural relevance into meal programs, including a step-by-step guide and case studies.
The Healing Classrooms Programme
Includes training opportunities and resources to support schools and educators to develop inclusive and nurturing learning spaces where refugee and asylum-seeking students can gain the necessary academic, social and emotional skills to develop their full potential.
Addressing Race-based Hate Speech and Microaggressive Behavior in Schools
Defines race-based hate speech and microaggressions and encourages teachers to foster a safe and supportive learning environment by addressing race-based hate speech, jokes, and subtle prejudice-oriented references intended to insult and harm students.
Bullying Prevention
Provides educators with tools to teach students to identify and effectively respond to bullying.
How to Prevent Bullying
Includes guidance on the roles parents, school staff, and other caring adults may play in preventing bullying in schools.
How to Respond to Discrimination and Bias
Provides guidance and resources for college students who are experiencing or witnessing discrimination.
Interrupting Bullying & Harassment in Schools
Includes resources and guidance for educators and school leaders to address bullying and harassment in school communities.
Office for Civil Rights Complaint Process
Provides information on how to file a complaint if an individual experiences or sees racial discrimination in education.
Preventing and Responding to Bias and Hate Incidents in K-12 Educational Settings: A Toolkit for School & Community Leaders
Provides guidance and strategies for creating safe and inclusive learning environments free of harassment and discrimination.
Respond to Bullying
Includes action steps adults can take to respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior and keep students safe.
Tips for Tackling Discriminatory Bullying
Provides tips for schools on how to address and reduce discriminatory bullying.
Youth Violence Prevention Resource for Action: A Compilation of the Best Available Evidence
Provides a selection of strategies to support community efforts to prevent youth violence and its consequences.
Resources to Support Specific Identity Groups
In addition to the universal resources, the resources below are tailored for specific populations and are designed to support educators in addressing the unique needs of diverse student populations. Expand the menu below to access dedicated pages for resources tailored to specific identity groups. Please note, this section is evolving, and we will continue add resources for additional identity groups over time.
- Antisemitism and Islamophobia
- Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian Students
- LGBTQI+ Students
- Students of the Black Diaspora
- Hispanic and Latino/a/x/e Students
- Native American and Indigenous Students
Combatting Antisemitism and Islamphobia While Promoting Safe and Inclusive Environments for Students of All Religious, Secular, and Spiritual Identities
This collection of resources provides schools with the necessary resources to confront and counteract antisemitism and Islamophobia, while also embracing a broader spectrum of religious diversity and discrimination issues. These resources aim to enlighten, foster unity, and promote an inclusive educational environment where all students, irrespective of their background, are treated with respect and dignity.
Supporting Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian Students
Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim? What’s the Difference?!
Many Americans have a hard time distinguishing between the terms Arab, Middle Eastern, and Muslim. Here we break down the various terms to help you distinguish between these three categories.
Cultural Proficiency, Diversity and Equity at North Penn School District
Provides educational materials to support cultural proficiency in school communities, including information on religious holidays and heritage months.
Educator Brief: Supporting Black Immigrant Students & Their Families
Includes information to better understand Black immigrant youth and families and strategies to provide effective supports.
Educator Brief: Understanding & Supporting MENA & Muslim Students
Provides an overview on who Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) families are, what MENA families may experience, and recommendations to support MENA and Muslim students.
Guide to Supporting Muslim Students
Provides resources on celebrating and uplifting Muslim students as well as countering Islamophobia in schools.
Holiday Inclusion Planning Template
Designed to assist in holiday inclusion planning, providing a template to capture key information pertaining to the holidays observed by students in your school community and identify next steps to provide necessary supports to students during holiday observances.
Identity Journeys: The South Asian American Student Experience
A panel of South Asian high school students from across the country discuss their experiences with race, identity, and culture in schools today.
Improving South Asian American Students' Experiences Toolkit 2018
Includes a collection of resources for teachers and education leaders to supporting South Asian students, including data, quick tips, a name pronunciation guide, and more.
Middle East and North Africa Student Experience Panel
A panel of Middle Eastern and North African students discuss their experiences in school.
Hinduism Basics
Provides an overview of Hinduism, including schools of thought, key sources of knowledge, historical contributions, and influence on America.
ING Resources for K-12 Educators, Colleges, and Universities
A collection of resources to foster a deeper, more nuanced understanding of Muslim and other faith-based, racial/ethnic, and cultural communities.
Refugees And Forced Migrants: Teaching the Middle East: A Resource Guide for American Educators
Includes an overview of different refugee population from the MENA region, and a description of terms such as refugees, asylum seeker, forced migrant.
Sikhism: An Educator’s Guide
Provides guidance to help facilitate learning about Sikhs and Sikhi in K-12 classrooms as well as information about Sikh tradition and the issues Sikh students face in schools.
Supporting Arab American Students in Classrooms
Includes an overview of what Arab American students may face as well as strategies and tools to create an inclusive classroom environment.
The History of Hinduism
A two-minute educational video on the history of Hinduism as the world's oldest religion and third most practiced religion today.
The Swastika: Use and Abuse of a Sacred Symbol
This publication is designed to briefly explain the positive meaning and significance of the swastika for Buddhists, Hindus, Jains and Zoroastrians as well as note the painful significance of the Nazi symbol for the Jewish community. This was developed as a joint partnership project with the Hindu American Foundation, American Jewish Committee, and Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington.
ING Resources for Educators on Islamophobia and Other Forms of Bigotry
ING has developed a handout with links to resources about Islamophobia and other forms of bigotry for educators in K-12 schools, as well as colleges and universities. The resources include in-person and online presentations, training seminars and curriculum about Islamophobia, Muslims and their faith, as well as interreligious and interethnic panels for schools in the context of national and state social studies content standards relating to the study of world history, American history, ethnic studies, religion, and global studies.
ING Youth Program Training and Tools for Young American Muslims
Student resources to supplement education about Islam and Muslims in the classroom and support bullying prevention efforts.
Bullying Prevention Guide for Public and Private Schools (Including Muslim fulltime and Weekend Schools)
Provides guidance and tools for parents, teachers, school administrators, and community members to prevent bullying of students in public and private schools, with a focus on Muslim and Arab students.
Dear Colleague Letter on Shared Ancestry
Reminds colleges, universities, and schools that receive federal financial assistance of their legal responsibility under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its implementing regulations (Title VI) to provide all students a school environment free from discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, including shared ancestry or ethnic characteristics.
Fact Sheet: Protecting Students from Discrimination Based on Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics
Describes Title VI protections for students who are, or are perceived to be, Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Buddhist, or of another religious group.
Shared Ancestry or Ethnic Characteristics
Provides guidance and resources on Title VI protections for students from religious discrimination, including harassment based on their actual or perceived shared ancestry, ethnic characteristics, citizenship, or residency in a country with a dominant or distinct religious identity.
Supporting LGBTQI+ Students
U.S. Department of Education: Supporting LGBTQI+ Youth and Families in School – english, versión en español
Includes examples of policies and practice that schools and districts can consider developing to support LGBTQI+ students and families.
U.S. Department of Education Toolkit: Creating Inclusive and Nondiscriminatory School Environments for LGBTQI+ Students
This toolkit offers policies and strategies that schools and school districts can implement to create supportive, nondiscriminatory environments for LGBTQI+ students and families; examples of Federal resources that can be leveraged to implement the strategies listed; and supplemental resources to help readers access additional research and best practices.
LGBTQI+ Students Online: 10 Questions to Promote Digital Health, Safety, and Citizenship
Provides a set of essential questions to guide educators and school leaders in creating safer online environments for LGBTQI+ students. It encourages reflection on digital policies, practices, and resources that promote inclusion, safety, and support for LGBTQI+ youth.
LGBTQ Inclusivity in Schools: A Self-Assessment Tool
Provides a self-assessment and planning tool to help school staff understand their current and potential LGBTQ inclusive policies and practices.
Moving Beyond Change Efforts: Evidence and Action to Support and Affirm LGBTQI+ Youth
Shares a comprehensive overview of current knowledge on the health, well-being, and needs of LGBTQI+ youth. Also describes the influences of school experiences and environments on the health and well-being of LGBTQI+ youth and shares school-based practices and programs that create safe and supportive environments.
Q&A Resource on Student-Led Groups to Support LGBTQI+ Students and Allies english, versión en español
Provides information about the rights students have to form and participate in Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs) and other similar groups.
Supporting LGBTQIA+ Communities in School
Features a three-part series of guides focused on supporting LGBTQIA+ communities in school. Each guide identifies strategies, resources, and action items that support relationship-building and enhance advocacy efforts with LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and communities.
2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People
Shares recent data on the experiences of young people ages 13 to 24 across the U.S. and provides data-driven ways to support LGBTQ+ young people.
Creating Safer Spaces in Schools for LGBTQ Young People
Shares practical tips and tools for creating inclusive and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ young people in schools.
Developing LGBTQ-Inclusive Classroom Resources
Includes best practices and practical strategies for creating learning environments that are safer and inclusive for LGBTQ students.
Promoting Resiliency for Gender Diverse and Sexual Minority Students in Schools
Shares best practices for educators, school counselors, administrators and personnel, based on research on the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, gender diverse, questioning, and intersex students.
Pronouns & Inclusive Language
Provides guidance to the user on properly using pronouns.
Ready, Set, Respect!: Elementary Toolkit
Provides tools to support elementary educators with creating inclusive environments. The lessons focus on name-calling, bullying and bias, LGBT-inclusive family diversity, gender diversity and gender roles.
Resources for Gender and LGBTQ+ Inclusive Schools
Offers educators with tools and training they need to embrace teachable moments, interrupt bias-based bullying, support transgender and non-binary students, and be prepared to answer important questions about LGBTQ+ and gender topics with students and families.
Q&A For Helping Educators and School Providers To Provide Guidance & Support For Parents & Caregivers of LGBTQ Students
Includes background information for helping school professionals to engage and provide support for parents and caregivers with LGBTQ students.
The RESPECT Workshop: Preventing Health Risks and Promoting Healthy Outcomes Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning Students
Offers self-paced online professional development curriculum for staff addressing the needs of LGBTQ youth.
Trauma-Informed & Affirming Checklist for Practice with LGBTQ+ Children, Youth & Families
Provides a checklist with action steps for creating LGBTQ affirming spaces.
Summary of Listening Sessions With Trans, Nonbinary, and Affirming Students and Educators in Honor of Transgender Day of Visibility (TDOV) 2024
Summarizes key insights from a listening session focused on the experiences of transgender students and the strategies schools can adopt to support them.
White House Toolkit on Transgender Equality
Describes challenges that many transgender students face at schools and institutions of higher education, offers examples of policies and practices that create safe and supportive learning environments for transgender students, and provides details on how the U.S. Department of Education supports transgender students who experience discrimination.
U.S. Department of Education: Supporting Transgender Youth In School
Provides guidance on how schools can support transgender students.
Schools in Transition: A Guide for Supporting Transgender Students in K-12 Schools
Provides school administrations, teachers, and parents with information about how to provide safe and supportive environments for all transgender students.
Supporting Intersex Students
Provides students, families, and educators with resources to support intersex students.
What We Wish Our Teachers Knew
This brochure, written by intersex youth, shares information for educators on the experiences of intersex students and how to best support them.
Advocating for LGBTQ Students With Disabilities
Provides educators and parents an overview of LGBTQ students with disabilities, as well as actionable recommendations on how to best support them. It includes a blueprint for successfully developing an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for special services or a 504 plan for academic accommodations for LGBTQ students with disabilities.
Supporting LGBTQ+ Young People with Disabilities
Includes guidance on how to best support LGBTQ+ young people with disabilities and better understand the things that impact them.
Recognizing Black LGBTQ Students in Schools
Describes issues that Black LGBTQ students experience and offers recommendations for school staff to create supportive and inclusive learning environments.
Coming Out: Living Authentically as LGBTQ Asian and Pacific Islander Americans
Shares context on common experiences LGBTQI Asian and Pacific Islander Americans face.
Erasure and Resilience: The Experiences of LGBTQ Students of Color
A collection of research reports that explore the experiences of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI), Black, Latinx, and Native and Indigenous LGBTQ youth.
The Experiences of MENA LGBTQ Students in U.S. Secondary Schools
Describes how Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) LGBTQ students experience school, including their feelings of safety; hearing biased remarks and experience with victimization based on personal characteristics; experiences with school discipline; and access to and benefit of school supports.
Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ+ Youth Resources
Offers a compendium of resources to support Native LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirited Youth.
FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Protect LGBTQI+ Communities
Shares recent Federal agency actions that support and protect LGBTQIA+ communities, including LGBTQIA+ students and youth.
Resources for LGBTQI+ Students
Provides a list of resources that may be of interest to LGBTQI+ student and allies, including information for filing a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights.
FACT SHEET: U.S. Department of Education's 2024 Title IX Final Rule Overview
Provides and overview of the updated Title IX regulations, which strengthen vital protections for students and provides clear rules to help school meet their Title IX obligation to eliminate sex discrimination in their education programs and activities.
Resource for Drafting Nondiscrimination Policies, Notices of Nondiscrimination, and Grievance Procedures under 2024 Amendments to the U.S. Department of Education’s Title IX Regulations
Offers sample text to help recipients of U.S. Department of Education (Department) funds to draft policies that comply with the 2024 amendments to the Department's regulations for implementing Title IX.
Confronting Anti-LGBTQI+ Harassment in Schools: A Resource for Students and Families
Provides examples of the kinds of incidents the Educational Opportunities Section of the Civil Rights Division (CRT) at the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Civil Right (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education can investigate as well as actions to take if a student has been treated unfairly because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Pursuant to a Federal court order, the Departments have been preliminarily “enjoined and restrained from implementing” this document against the states of Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia. See State of Tenn., et al. v. U.S. Dep’t of Educ., No. 3:21-cv-308 (E.D. Tenn.) (July 15, 2022).
LGBTQI+ Youth
Identifies practices for creating a safe environment for LGBTQI+ youth and how to file a complaint if a student believes they have faced discrimination at school based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identify, because they do not conform to sex stereotypes, or for another reason.
Community Stakeholder Support: Disrupting Anti-Blackness and Homophobia in Schools
Presents a call to action for school community stakeholders to collaborate with educators to increase policies and practices that center the lived experiences of students who hold the intersectional identities of being both Black and a member of the LGBTQ community. The resource explains how anti-blackness and homophobia show up in schools and offers steps for creating supportive and affirming environments for students who identify as Black and queer.
Don’t Say Gay Policies in Schools: A Choose Your Own Equitable Adventure
Explores different ways educators can navigate teaching in States where policies restrict discussion of non-heteronormative family structures. The resource presents a scenario; shares potential responses; and provides insight on how each response may impact students, curriculum, and overall classroom inclusivity.
Transgender Awareness in Sports: A Choose Your Own Equitable Adventure
This resource explores the different ways in which athletic coaches may respond to negative pushback about transgender students' participation in school sports, and the intents and impacts different responses may elicit. Multiple resources are embedded to assist in navigating these types of conversations and toward cultivating critical consciousness and inclusivity in school sports.
Welcoming Schools: Bullying Resources
Provides tools, lesson plans, booklists, tipsheets, and additional resources to address bias-based bullying and create LGBTQ+ inclusive environments.
Supporting Students of the Black Diaspora
This set of resources supports students of the Black Diaspora, which is inclusive of, but not limited to, students who identify as African, African American, Black, Caribbean, Latino/a/x, and newcomers.
Dear Colleague Letter on Race and School Programming
Clarifies the circumstances under which recipients of federal financial assistance from the Department can – consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and its implementing regulations – develop curricula and programs or engage in activities that promote racially inclusive school communities.
Fact Sheet: Ensuring Educational Opportunities for All Students on Equal Terms 70 Years After Brown v. Board of Education
Explains that student access to education and to educational resources, differs by race, color, and national origin in schools across the United States, and summarizes resources describing federal legal obligations to ensure that all students have equal access to education regardless of race, color, or national origin.
Addressing Race and Trauma in the Classroom: A Resource for Educators
Helps educators understand how they might address the interplay of race and trauma and its effects on students in the classroom.
“And they cared”: How to Create Better, Safer Learning Environments for Girls of Color
Shares common language and practices that can be used to reform exclusionary discipline policies and improve school climate to help address the needs of girls of color.
Building Connections With Students From Diverse Cultural Backgrounds Through Perspective-Taking
Offers five perspective-taking strategies for educators who are working toward improving relationships with students with diverse cultural backgrounds.
Cultural Inclusiveness & Equity Webinar Series – Session 1: Understanding How Social Injustices Impact Student Mental Health
Builds understanding of the impacts of social determinants of health on student academic and social, emotional, and behavioral success.
Cultural Inclusiveness & Equity Webinar Series – Session 3: Engaging in Culturally Inclusive Action to Promote Student Mental Health
Helps educators understand how culturally inclusive classrooms support student mental health and provides strategies for improving current classrooms.
Discussing Race, Racism, and Important Current Events With Students: A Guide With Lesson Plans and Resources
Supports PreK-12 educators with the facilitation of frequent, high-quality conversations with students about race, racism, and important currents events to support self-reflection and constructive classroom discussions.
Exploring Equity Issues: Facilitating Race Talk in the Classroom: Lessons from Student Experiences
Addresses challenges and barriers for students, in particular high school aged youth, in talking about race. It also provides some tips and suggestions for educators who want to facilitate effective discussions about race.
Hmong and Latina/o/x Testimonios: The Pedagogical Space
Spotlights three powerful testimonies written by high school students Agnelia, Liberty, and Tianna. Listen, learn, and tap into the transformative potential of testimonios as a pedagogical tool to take action on the educational inequities that Hmong and Latina/o/x students experience.
How Do We Ensure That Students of Color Feel Respected?
Includes tips from students of color for educators and leaders to help improve their experiences in school.
Practice Briefs for K-12 Educators
Introduces current research, practical examples, reflective questions, and useful strategies for educators advancing racial equity.
Seen and Affirmed: What Black Educators and Students Need to Thrive
Shares best practices to support Black educators and students based on interviews with school leaders.
Unpacking the Pennsylvania Culturally Relevant and Sustaining Education Competencies
Explores Pennsylvania’s cultural relevant and sustaining education competencies and provides recommendations for putting each one into practice.
We Need Supportive Spaces That Celebrate Us: Black Girls Speak Out About Public Schools
Offers eight recommendations for changes schools can make to support Black girls and root out policies, attitudes, and actions that perpetuate anti-Black racism. These recommendations were developed through focus groups with Black girls who attend public schools and reflect their experiences and needs.
English Learner Family Toolkit
Designed to help families choose education services that meet their child’s needs. U.S. educators, elementary and secondary school teachers, principals, and other school staff can also share the toolkit as a resource for English learners and their families.
English Learners Who Are Black
Shares data and information on English learners enrolled in K-12 U.S. school who are Black.
Newcomer Toolkit
Designed to help U.S. educators; elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with immigrant students—including asylees and refugees—and their families.
Protecting Access to Education for Migratory Children: A Resource for Families and Educators
Highlights specific access to education challenges faced by migratory children, explains to families where they can go for help, and aims to help public schools understand their responsibilities to serve these children under Federal civil rights law.
Educator Brief: Supporting Black Immigrant Students & Their Families
Provides insight into the experiences of Black immigrant youth and families and well as strategies to support and engage these students and families in school communities.
OSEP Fast Facts: Black or African American Children With Disabilities
Shares data and information on Black or African American Children with disabilities.
Disproportionality in Special Education Fueled by Implicit Bias
Provides data on disproportionality in special education and provides tips and resource to more accurately identify and place students of color with disabilities.
Ignored, Punished, and Underserved: Understanding and Addressing Disparities in Education Experiences and Outcomes for Black Children with Disabilities
Discusses the experience of students of color with disabilities, with a particular focus on Black students. It provides recommendations for educators, district leaders, and policy makers to reduce discrimination and better support students of color with disabilities.
Confronting Discrimination Based on National Origin and Immigration Status
Outlines the responsibilities of public schools in providing equal access for children to enroll and participate in public elementary and secondary schools without regard to their or their parents’ or guardians’ immigration status.
Fact Sheet: Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education
Provides guidance addressing the interplay of the Title VI prohibition against discrimination on the basis of race/color/national origin in the administration of special education in public schools.
Protecting Students: Race, Color, or National Origin Discrimination
Provides resources related to Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 including laws, issues, case resolutions, frequently asked questions, and more.
Addressing Race-Based Hate Speech and Microaggressive Behavior in Schools
Defines race-based hate speech and microaggressions, and encourages teachers to foster a safe and supportive learning environment by addressing race-based hate speech, jokes, and subtle prejudice-oriented references intended to insult and harm students.
Confronting Anti-Black Racism
Includes materials to use with middle and high school students to help them understand the long history of anti-Black racism in the United States, and think about ways to address it in their own communities.
Exploring Strategies School Systems can Utilize to Support Black Students Who Encounter Racial Stress and Trauma
Provides a space to reflect on the experience of working within schools and school districts and learn strategies to help students navigate a culturally complex world while decreasing negative physical, emotional, and psychological outcomes. It also highlights existing policies within school systems and assess how those policies impact access to equitable and high quality mental and behavioral health care for communities of color.
Families Learning from Families: Disrupting Racism at the Intersections in Schools
Focuses on advancing community of care amongst each other by sharing our stories, approaches, and lessons learned, starting by centering a community member.
Addressing Bullying Among Hispanic and Latino Children and Youth at School Setting
Provides information about the prevalence of bullying among Hispanic and Latino students in the school setting and covers effective prevention efforts to address bullying in the school setting. English and Spanish versions are available.
Identity-based bullying and mental health among Black and Latino youth: The moderating role of emotional suppression
Examines the prevalence of identity-based bullying and the links between identity-based bullying and mental health for Black and Latino youth.
Refugee and Immigrant Youth and Bullying: A Toolkit for Teachers and School Personnel
Explores the factors that contribute to bullying with refugee and immigrant students and provides strategies to address bullying that include cultural considerations.
Students of Color are Disproportionately Bullied and Harassed at School
Includes bullying statistics for students of colors and provides approaches for families to address bullying at school with their children.
The Impact of Bullying on Mental Health in the Black Community
Explores the impact of bullying on mental health for Black, African American, and Afro-Caribbean youth. It outlines actions that can be taken to reduce the impact of identity-based bullying.
The Racist Bullying At School Was Unbearable, So I Decided To Speak Out
Shares reflections by a high school student about his experience, and the experiences of his peers, with confronting racist harassment in hostility in their school.
Hispanic and Latino/a/x/e Students
This set of resources supports Hispanic, Latino, Latina, Latinx, and Latine students, which is inclusive of, but not limited to, students who speak Spanish or are from a Spanish-speaking country, as well as students from Latin America, including Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. Across this diverse community, individuals vary in which term they use to describe themselves, with some using terminology that specifies their heritage.
Dear Colleague Letter on Race and School Programming
Clarifies the circumstances under which recipients of federal financial assistance from the Department can – consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and its implementing regulations – develop curricula and programs or engage in activities that promote racially (includes race, color, and national origin) inclusive school communities.
Fact Sheet: Ensuring Educational Opportunities for All Students on Equal Terms 70 Years After Brown v. Board of Education
Explains that student access to education and to educational resources, differs by race, color, and national origin in schools across the United States, and summarizes resources describing federal legal obligations to ensure that all students have equal access to education regardless of race, color, or national origin.
Back to School: Challenges and Opportunities for Hispanic and Latine Students
Factsheet that outlines the unique experiences of Hispanic and Latine students to provide context on how to support the student population.
Hmong and Latina/o/x Testimonios: The Pedagogical Space
Spotlights three powerful testimonies written by high school students Agnelia, Liberty, and Tianna. Listen, learn, and tap into the transformative potential of testimonios as a pedagogical tool to take action on the educational inequities that Hmong and Latina/o/x students experience.
Latino Student Success: Advancing U.S. Educational Progress for All
Highlights the assets, diversity of experiences, and high aspirations Latino students and their families bring to school communities and provides recommendations for how schools and policymakers can prioritize the needs of the Latino student population to create a stronger, more equitable education system for all students.
The State of Public Education for Latino Students: A Qualitative Research Project
Captures the perspectives of Latino students to tell a genuine story of their experiences across the U.S. public school system in order to counter negative narratives about these students, their families, and communities, and to point to systemic solutions that must be considered by school administrators and teachers, school districts and states, federal policymakers, as well as community advocates and the Latino community.
The Struggle of Representation: Reflecting on our Latinidad through the Walls of Acculturation and Self-Esteem
A former student reflects on their experiences as a Latinx student in American educational systems and offers strategies to support Latinx students of the present and future.
Who is Hispanic?
Defines the different pan-ethnic terms, including Hispanic, Latino, Latinx, and Latine, that are used across communities within the U.S, and why individuals and communities may choose to identify a particular way.
Newcomer Toolkit
Designed to help U.S. educators; elementary and secondary teachers, principals, and other school staff who work directly with immigrant students—including asylees and refugees—and their families.
School Climate & Immigrant Students
Shares resources and tips for educators on how to support and improve school climate for immigrant students.
Teaching About Anti-Immigrant Stereotypes: A Tip Sheet for Educators
Includes considerations for addressing anti-immigrant stereotypes and providing space for students to discuss and share their perspectives and experiences.
English Learner Family Toolkit
Designed to help families choose education services that meet their child’s needs. U.S. educators, elementary and secondary school teachers, principals, and other school staff can also share the toolkit as a resource for English learners and their families.
Serving ELL Students and Families
Includes best practices for supporting English Learners and their families, including strategies for effective instruction, building classroom culture, engaging families, and language access services.
What Do Immigrant Students Need? It Isn't Just ELL
Discusses the value of understanding the whole immigrant child and how to incorporate their personal stories into the classroom.
Supporting LGBTQ Latinx Students
Includes resources for educators to affirm LGBTQ Latinx identities with positive representation and foster LGBTQ Latinx students’ sense of safety and belonging in school.
Latinx LGBTQ+ Students and Their Experiences
Provides key statistics on Latinx LGBTQ+ students and their experiences and offers school practice and policy recommendations to support Latinx LGBTQ+ students’ sense of belonging and well-being in schools.
Confronting Discrimination Based on National Origin and Immigration Status
Outlines the responsibilities of public schools in providing equal access for children to enroll and participate in public elementary and secondary schools without regard to their or their parents’ or guardians’ immigration status.
Protecting Students: Race, Color, or National Origin Discrimination
Provides resources related to Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 including laws, issues, case resolutions, frequently asked questions, and more.
Addressing Race-Based Hate Speech and Microaggressive Behavior in Schools
Defines race-based hate speech and microaggressions and encourages teachers to foster a safe and supportive learning environment by addressing race-based hate speech, jokes, and subtle prejudice-oriented references intended to insult and harm students.
Identity-based bullying and mental health among Black and Latino youth: The moderating role of emotional suppression
Examines the prevalence of identity-based bullying and the links between identity-based bullying and mental health for Black and Latino youth.
Suggestions for Responding to Anti-Immigrant Taunts and Bullying in School
Provides guidance for school staff to respond promptly and effectively when anti-immigration taunts and bullying occur to promote a safe and inclusive environment for all students.
Supporting Latino Parents in Addressing Bullying Among Latino Youth
Findings from focus groups with Latino parents that provide general information on the bullying experiences, needs, and barriers of Latino youth.
Native American and Indigenous Students
This set of resources supports Native American and Indigenous students, which is inclusive of, but not limited to, students descending from peoples with pre-existing sovereignty who were living together as a community prior to contact with settler populations. This widely diverse group includes, but is not limited to, students who may identify themselves as Native, Indigenous, Native American, American Indian, and Alaska Natives. Individuals vary in which term they identify with, with many preferring to self-identify as members of their own Nation.
Dear Colleague Letter on Race and School Programming
Clarifies the circumstances under which recipients of federal financial assistance from the Department can – consistent with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and its implementing regulations – develop curricula and programs or engage in activities that promote racially (includes race, color, and national origin) inclusive school communities.
Executive Order on the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities
Outlines the commitments and goals of the White House Initiative on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Native Americans and Strengthening Tribal Colleges and Universities to advance equity in our Nation’s schools, and to promote the economic opportunity that follows it, in consultation and collaboration with Tribal communities.
Fact Sheet: Ensuring Educational Opportunities for All Students on Equal Terms 70 Years After Brown v. Board of Education
Explains that student access to education and to educational resources, differs by race, color, and national origin in schools across the United States, and summarizes resources describing federal legal obligations to ensure that all students have equal access to education regardless of race, color, or national origin.
U.S. Department of Education Consultation and Coordination with American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal Governments
Provides guidance on the U.S. Department of Education’s (ED) process and procedures for tribal consultation to ensure meaningful consultation and collaboration with Indian tribes when developing ED policies and actions that have tribal implications.
Beyond Land Acknowledgement: A Guide
Discusses important considerations when drafting Land Acknowledgement and highlights the importance of taking actionable steps that can support Native sovereignty.
Culturally Responsive Instruction for Native American Students
Introduces a learning framework to help educators create and engage in culturally responsive instruction for their Native American and Indigenous Students.
Incorporating Indigenous Practices to Support Social Emotional Learning
Provides strategies and resources to support quality social and emotional development for all, including Native and non-Native learners.
Indigenous Students Count: A Landscape Analysis of American Indian and Alaska Native Student Data in U.S. K–12 Public Schools
Examines the many ways Indigenous students are counted, explains how the data are collected and used, assesses the quality of Indigenous student counts in the context of the federal trust responsibility for the education of Indigenous people, and explores shifts in policy and practice that seek to improve data quality and usability.
Language Matters: How to Talk about Native Nations
Illustrates the personal nature of language when talking about Native Nations and provides suggestions for what to do when you may have questions about which terms are best to use.
National Indian Education Study 2019: American Indian and Alaska Native Students at Grades 4 and 8
Presents results from the 2019 National Indian Education Study (NIES), which surveyed students, teachers, and school principals about the experiences of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in 4th and 8th grade.
Native Culture and Language: Culture Quick Reference
Highlights the importance of Native culture, summarizing important facets of cultural identity, biological identity, and legal/political identity, and suggests 4 practical steps to nativize classrooms.
Native Nations and American Schools: The History of Natives in the American Education System
Provides a robust history on the painful legacies that Native students have endured within the American educational system; provides promising practices and key legislation that is working to support the wellbeing and safety of today’s Native American and Indigenous students.
The Center for Native American Youth Podcast
Highlights the strength and resilience of Native youth and provides a space for Indigenous Peoples to share their knowledge and stories.
The First Migratory Learners: Identifying and supporting American Indian and Alaska Native migratory students
Includes strategies that may help school and district personnel improve identification and supports for American Indian and Alaska Native students whose families follow traditional migration patterns and who may qualify for migrant education services.
Tribal Consultation Toolkit
Includes tools and resources focused on tribal consultation and sovereignty for states, tribes, districts, and schools to build critical connections and engage in meaningful consultations.
Supporting Native Students: Higher Education Issue Brief
Shares the landscape of Native American and Indigenous student enrollment in institutions of higher education, provides successful intervention strategies, and offers considerations for future action.
Student Voices: Hearing and Supporting Native/Indigenous Students
Offers one student’s personal reflections on navigating higher education as an Indigenous person (Diné) and discusses how their experience reflects about the larger landscape of Native American and Indigenous students’ access to institutions of higher education.
Indigenizing Love: A Toolkit for Native Youth to Build Inclusion
Created with and for Native youth to provide guidance and resources to better understand and support Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQIA+ community members.
Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ+ Resources Page
Offers a wide range of resources to support Two-Spirit and Native LGBTQ+ young people; specific resources are provided for the following groups: Native LGBTQ+ and Two-Spirit Youth; parents/caregivers; school personnel, educators, or facilitators; individuals working in the juvenile justice system; and healthcare providers.
You Are Made of Medicine: A Mental Health Peer Support Manual for Indigiqueer, Two-Spirit, LGBTQ+, and Gender Non-Conforming Indigenous Youth
Written by and for Indigiqueer, Two-Spirit, and LGBTQ+ Indigenous youth to provide strategies and resources to support thriving mental wellbeing.
Confronting Discrimination Based on National Origin and Immigration Status
Outlines the responsibilities of public schools in providing equal access for children to enroll and participate in public elementary and secondary schools without regard to their or their parents’ or guardians’ immigration status.
Fact Sheet: Harassment based on Race, Color, or National Origin on School Campuses
Shares information about schools’ federal civil rights obligations under Title IV of the Civil Right Acts of 1964 and its implementing regulations to promptly and effectively address alleged acts of discrimination, including harassment.
Protecting Students: Race, Color, or National Origin Discrimination
Provides resources related to Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 including laws, issues, case resolutions, frequently asked questions, and more.
Anti-Bullying Resources for Native Youth
Highlights the pervasive issue of bullying that many Native and Indigenous young people experience, discusses strategies for staying safe, and offers suggested solutions to cyber-bullying.
Indigenous Youth in Schools: Consequences of Colonialism and Advocating for a Better Future
Provides an overview of the current and historical experiences of racism, violence, discrimination, and erasure Indigenous youth face(d) in schools and includes strategies for how to better advocate for Indigenous students.
Resources on Bullying and Cyberbullying of Native Youth
Provides a comprehensive list of resources to assess and address student bullying, geared towards Native American and Indigenous parents and families.
Tribal Perspective on Discrimination in Schools from the Honoring Our Children Initiative
Outlines schools system barriers faced by Native American families and their children and shares potential strategies to address barriers, which include lack of cultural awareness and Native American language/history as well as an unsafe environment (bullying, prejudice, and discrimination).
The resources on this page are continually evolving based on feedback from school communities. We are dedicated to providing resources that not only address immediate challenges but also contribute to the long-term development of inclusive, supportive learning environments.
We invite you to explore these resources, contribute your insights, and join us in our mission to ensure every student has the opportunity to learn free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, and violence. It is our commitment to not add to your workload but to seamlessly integrate into your existing efforts to create supportive educational settings for all students.
At NCSSLE, we strive to create resources that spark thoughtful conversations and promote understanding across the vast spectrum of human experience. We recognize the richness of human diversity, encompassing a multitude of identities based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and more. While our resources endeavor to cover a broad range of topics and perspectives, we understand that no single compilation can fully capture the unique experiences and challenges of every individual or community.
Please know that if you do not see your identity or experiences directly represented in our materials, it does not diminish their validity or the importance of your story. Our intent is not to exclude but to offer starting points for dialogue and reflection. We are continually working to expand our resources to embrace a wider array of voices and perspectives.
This website contains resources that are provided for the user’s convenience, and is not an endorsement of any views expressed, or products or services offered. The information and opinions of other public and private organizations at the links here do not necessarily reflect the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education, and the Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of any outside information included in these materials.
We Invite You to Pledge to Partner with Us Today!
States and territories, school districts, tribal nations and public health agencies can Pledge to Partner to create and support schools and other learning environments that prevent, address, and ameliorate the effects of bullying, violence, and hate while also supporting school safety, school-based mental health, and positive school climate.
Pledge Partners can choose to simply pledge to prioritize this work in their ongoing efforts or they can pledge to be an Active Partner engaging in one or more of the activities below. Free to Learn partners will serve as champions and advocates for safe and supportive school environments that are effective, evidence-based, and worthy of our students and their unique potential for learning and success in school and in life.
Active Partner Activities
A new section in ED’s Best Practices Clearinghouse website will enable easy access to critical information, tools, and resources related to Free to Learn that can help build and improve state and local practices, policies, and partnerships to support safe and healthy learning environments that effectively prevent and address any forms of bullying, violence, and hate in our schools. The site will collect and highlight local examples that other communities can use to improve school safety, transform school climate, and improve mental health services.
ED has provided guidance to states and to school districts on how federal funds and programs may be used to support the prevention of, and response to, trauma and negative conditions that impact learning and mental health, including by implementing findings from the science of learning and development to ensure safe and supportive schools where all students are free to learn. ED will continue to post guidance, technical assistance and funding opportunities related to Free to Learn.
New communities of practice will enable participants to innovate, share and implement effective strategies to support safety and mental health, and prevent and combat bullying, negative school climate, exclusionary discipline, physical violence, and other manifestations of hate, through smart facilities upgrades and the proactive teaching and fostering of positive critical thinking skills and habits like kindness, empathy, and service.
ED will provide webinars to highlight resources and best practice examples to build capacity in states and territories, districts, tribal nations, public health agencies, and communities engaged in Free to Learn.