In 1999, GLSEN identified that little was known about the school experiences of
lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth and that LGBTQ+
youth were nearly absent from national studies of adolescents. We responded to this
national need for data by launching the first National School Climate Survey, and
we continue to meet this need for current data by conducting the study every two
years. Since then, the biennial National School Climate Survey has documented
the unique challenges LGBTQ+ students face and identified interventions that can
improve school climate. The study documents the prevalence of indicators of a
hostile school climate for LGBTQ+ students, and explores the effects that a hostile
school climate may have on LGBTQ+ students' educational outcomes and well-
being. The study also examines the availability and the utility of LGBTQ+-related
school resources and supports that may offset the negative effects of a hostile
school climate and promote a positive learning experience. Across the years, the
survey has been slightly modified with each installment to reflect new or emerging
concerns about school climate for LGBTQ+ students, but its content has remained
largely the same since 2001. However, the data used for this current report is
from the 2020-2021 academic year, when schools had to respond to the COVID
pandemic. Because of that, we had to adapt and modify some survey questions
accordingly to changes in school structures and instructional methods. While the
report includes findings about LGBTQ+ students' experiences in schools overall,
we also discuss key findings about the differences between the experiences of
students in online only, in-person only, and hybrid learning environments throughout
the report. The National School Climate Survey remains one of the few studies to
examine the school experiences of LGBTQ+ students nationally, and its results have
been vital to GLSEN's understanding of the issues that LGBTQ+ students face,
thereby informing our ongoing work to ensure safe and affirming schools for all.
Visit glsen.org/nscs for the full 2019 National School Climate Survey.
In our 2021 report, we examine the
experiences of LGBTQ+ students with
regard to indicators of negative school
climate:
• Hearing biased remarks, including
homophobic remarks, in school;
• Feeling unsafe in school because
of personal characteristics, such as
sexual orientation, gender expression,
gender, or race/ethnicity;
• Missing classes or days of school
because of safety reasons;
• Experiencing harassment and assault
in school and online; and
• Experiencing discriminatory policies
and practices at school.
In addition, we examine whether
students report these experiences
to school officials or their families,
and how these adults addressed the
problem. Further, we examine the
impact of a hostile school climate
on LGBTQ+ students' academic
achievement, educational aspirations,
and psychological well-being. We also
examine how the school experiences of
LGBTQ+ students vary by personal and
community characteristics.
We also demonstrate the degree to
which LGBTQ+ students have access to
supportive resources in school, and we
explore the possible benefits of these
resources:
• GSAs (Gay-Straight Alliances or
Gender and Sexuality Alliances) or
similar clubs;
• Supportive and inclusive school
policies, such as anti-bullying/
harassment policies and transgender
and nonbinary student policies;
• Supportive school staff; and
• Curricular resources that are inclusive
of LGBTQ+-related topics.
Given that GLSEN has been conducting
the survey for two decades, we
also examine changes over time on
indicators of negative school climate
and levels of access to LGBTQ+-related
resources in schools.

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