Understanding Reporting Barriers of Allegations Among Chicago Public Schools Students: A Partnership with the Office of Student Protections

Students in School Hallway

Summary

The Chicago Public Schools Office of Student Protections (OSP) data reveals disproportionate reporting across key racial/ethnic groups of students, despite the fact that Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance data reveals no differences in experiences of bullying or sexual violence among these groups. OSP, together with research partners from the University of Illinois Chicago School of Public Health and Chapin Hall at the University of Chicago, aims to more deeply explore these reporting disparities. We will collect qualitative data from students, parents, and staff to inform the development of a survey administered to approximately 1200-1500 CPS high school students across 8-10 schools. Findings will be used to reduce barriers to student reporting.

Overarching Aims Heading link

The project aims to center multiple stakeholders and multiple perspectives including: students, families, school-based adult staff members, and CPS staff members from various departments and offices.

  • Describe Perceptions, Facilitators and Barriers

    Describe perceptions of the reporting system and facilitators and barriers to reporting, among CPS students.

  • Compare Perceptions, Facilitators and Barriers

    Compare perceptions and reported barriers and facilitators by key CPS student demographic groups.

  • Identify Recommendations

    Identify recommendations to ease reporting, e.g. policy changes, increased education, improved messaging, etc. CPS OSP aims to use the study results to improve communication about the policy and procedures to increase awareness and reduce barriers to student reporting.

Our Team Heading link

Principal Investigator Elizabeth Jarpe-Ratner, PhD, MPH, MST
Project Consultant Leah Gjertson, PhD, JD, MSW
Research Assistant Kristen Belcher, MPH, PhD(c)

This work is supported by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation through the Research to Action Grant Program. The Research to Action (R2A) Grants are an opportunity for teams of researchers and their policy or practice partners to receive up to $80,000 to design and implement an applied research, translation, and dissemination project that focuses on a child well-being policy or practice question. The program prioritizes principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice, and grants awarded based in part on teams’ clear commitment to these principles. Project teams are led by Doris Duke Fellows and Child Well-Being Research Network members. Generously funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, three teams were selected in Round One (June 2021-August 2022) and three additional teams will be selected in Round Two (January 2022-March 2023).