Iowa schools try new anti-bullying policy

WATERLOO, Iowa (AP) - Iowa is trying a new anti-bullying policy in some school districts this year with plans to take it statewide.

The Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier says Iowa school districts, on average, reported less than 2 percent of their students had been bullied in any given year since the state passed its anti-bullying law in 2007. National averages are 30 percent or more.

The law requires school districts to record and report any incident of bullying and any action the school takes because of the incident. Administrators have four categories to choose from when they record a reason for bullying: physical attributes, race or ethnicity, real or perceived sexual orientation, and other.

The pilot policy has 17 categories and includes electronic bullying.