School Climate Survey Highlights Ongoing Safety Challenges for LGBTQ+ Students

A new national report examining the experiences of LGBTQ+ students highlights the challenges many continue to face in schools while also identifying factors associated with more positive school experiences, including supportive relationships, comprehensive anti-bullying policies, and trusted adults.

The findings come from Glisten's 13th National School Climate Survey. First launched in 1999, the survey examines LGBTQ+ students' experiences related to safety, harassment, school climate, and educational outcomes.

The latest edition gathered responses from 2,800 LGBTQ+ middle and high school students across the United States between April and October 2024 about their experiences during the 2023-2024 school year. Researchers also conducted focus groups with 36 students in June and July 2025 to better understand the experiences of populations that have historically been underrepresented in LGBTQ+ research.

For school safety leaders, the report offers additional insight into how school climate, bullying prevention efforts, trusted relationships, and policy implementation may influence students' overall sense of safety, belonging, and connection.

Key Survey Findings

1. Many students continue to experience safety concerns at school

Only one-third (33%) of respondents said they frequently or often looked forward to going to school.

Two-thirds (67%) reported feeling unsafe at some point because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. Trans and gender-expansive students were even more likely to report feeling unsafe.

Harassment also remained widespread. Sixty-two percent of respondents reported experiencing verbal, physical, or online harassment or assault based on their sexual orientation, while 68% reported harassment related to their gender identity or expression. More than half (53%) also reported experiencing LGBTQ+-related discrimination, including situations such as being prevented from using a locker room consistent with their gender.

2. Many incidents were unreported or students felt nothing changed

Twenty-seven percent of students who experienced harassment or assault said they never reported it to school staff. Among those who did report an incident, 43% said staff took no action. According to the report, students most often turned to friends, family members, or chosen family for support instead.

3. School climate and supportive relationships were associated with better outcomes

Students who reported supportive educators, comprehensive anti-bullying policies that explicitly included sexual orientation and gender identity, LGBTQ+-inclusive learning opportunities, and student organizations such as GSAs also reported stronger feelings of belonging, higher GPAs, and were less likely to miss school because they felt unsafe.

Supportive relationships emerged as another recurring theme. Seventy percent of respondents reported having six or more adults at school they could count on for support, and focus group participants repeatedly emphasized the importance of trusted relationships with educators and staff.

4. Policies and implementation emerged as recurring themes

While 83% of respondents reported that their schools had anti-bullying, harassment, or assault policies, only about one-third said those policies explicitly included sexual orientation and gender identity. Just 18% reported that their schools had policies supporting transgender and nonbinary students.

The report found that respondents who reported more comprehensive anti-bullying policies also reported stronger feelings of belonging and were more likely to look forward to school.

Additional Findings

The survey also identified several other notable trends:

• Many students avoided certain areas of campus. More than half (54%) reported avoiding school bathrooms because they felt unsafe, while 37% avoided locker rooms and 31% avoided physical education classes. Overall, 28% said they rarely or never had access to a bathroom where they felt safe. The report also found that 86% of trans and gender-expansive students avoided certain school areas, while 48% of BIPOC LGBTQ+ students experienced harassment because of their race or ethnicity.
• Classrooms and libraries were most often identified as safe spaces. Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they felt safest in at least some classrooms, while 51% identified the school library or media center as a place where they felt safe.
• Some students ultimately changed schools. Seven percent of respondents said they transferred schools because they felt uncomfortable or unsafe. According to the report, most of those students were trans or gender-expansive.
• Nearly two-thirds (63%) said they often or frequently heard anti-LGBTQ+ comments from peers, while 40% said they often or frequently heard supportive comments from educators.

Students' Recommendations

In focus groups, participants also shared several ways they believe schools could create safer and more welcoming environments for LGBTQ+ students.

Among their recommendations, students encouraged schools to:

• Take reports of bullying seriously and respond consistently through accountability and repair.
• Provide inclusive instruction, including health and sex education that reflects diverse identities and experiences.
• Increase representation by incorporating LGBTQ+ people and history across subjects and school activities.
• Foster supportive relationships with trusted adults and encourage peer connections throughout the school community.

The report concludes that, for many students, safety extends beyond the absence of harm to include feeling respected, supported, and able to fully participate in school life.