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How long does a Florida school have to investigate a bullying report?

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What Florida law actually requires

Under the Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up for All Students Act, Fla. Stat. 1006.147, every Florida school district must have a written policy against bullying and harassment, including cyberbullying. The policy must let you report — even anonymously — must require the district to investigate reports, must require notice to the parents of the student who was bullied and to the parents of the student accused, must offer counseling referrals, and must log incidents in the state's SESIR system.

• The Florida Department of Education's model bullying policy is what most district policies are built on.
• Ask the school for a SESIR incident number once you report — that number shows the incident is officially logged.

Why there is no single statewide deadline

Fla. Stat. 1006.147 does not set one exact number of days for how long an investigation can take. That timeline is set by your own district's policy, not by state law. Districts differ. This guide cannot tell you "5 days" or "10 days" because that number does not exist in the statute — only your district's written policy has it.

• Ask the principal or the district's bullying-prevention contact for the written policy — it should be on the district's website.
• Ask specifically: how many days does the policy give the investigator, and when will you receive written notice of the outcome?

What to ask for right now

Put your report in writing — email plus a dated paper copy — to the principal, with a copy to the district's bullying-prevention or student-services contact. Keep everything.

• Your child's name, grade and school.
• Each incident: date, time, place, who did what, exact words if known, and any witnesses, including staff.
• Evidence you have — screenshots, photos, medical visits.
• Any prior reports, with dates and who you told.
• How it is affecting your child — attendance, sleep, health, grades.
• What you are requesting: investigation under the district's bullying policy, written notice of the outcome, a safety plan, a counseling referral, preservation of any video, and a meeting within a stated number of days.

If nothing happens: the escalation ladder

If the school does not respond in the time its own policy sets, move up the chain, in order:

1. Principal.
2. District student-services office or area superintendent.
3. The school board — public comment and the superintendent's office.
4. The Florida Department of Education's Office of Safe Schools.

If the bullying is based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or religion, you can also file with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights, which has a 180-day filing deadline under its own complaint process.

If a bullied student reports the bullying, your district must also tell you about the Hope Scholarship (Fla. Stat. 1002.40) — the option to transfer to another public school or get a scholarship for a private school. This is an option to consider, not a recommendation.

If your child talks about hurting themselves, call or text 988 today (the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) and tell the school counselor and pediatrician right away — do this before anything else. If there is a credible threat of violence, call the school and police immediately. For more steps on documenting and reporting, see StopBullying.gov.

What to do next

This is general information, not legal advice, and district policies differ — always confirm the actual timeline with your own district's written policy. A free tool can take what's happening — the incidents, dates, and what you've already told the school — and turn it into a written report organized the way the policy needs, with who to send it to and what to ask for next. Nothing you paste is stored.

Bullying Report Letter FL explains Florida's anti-bullying law and district procedures in plain language; it can be wrong, and it is not legal advice. District policies differ. For a civil-rights or safety matter, contact an attorney, the Office for Civil Rights, or law enforcement. Nothing you paste is stored.