According to a study from Healthy Relationships California (HRC), the new education legislation the Every Student Succeeds Act offers a good opportunity for schools to see reduced bullying and violence in relationships thanks to the new guidelines.

Early Intervention: The Impact of Relationship Education on Youth—the most recent [Relationship Education] RE study published by Healthy Relationships California (HRC)—helps quantify the benefits of RE for adolescents across all of their relationships, including with friends, romantic partners, parents, and siblings. These benefits include reduced bullying and reduced partner violence, areas of concern for parents and school administrators across America,” said HRC.

The study is based on responses from 7,000 participating students across schools in California; the study exposed these students to RE in subjects" including the characteristics of healthy vs. unhealthy relationships; empathic listening; effective confrontation; problem-solving skills; and conflict management" and found it helped make a profoundly positive impact on their lives.

82 percent of students felt more confidence in their ability to handle day-to-day relationships; 78 percent reported being more respectful and cognizant of others’ feelings; 82 percent said they felt less inclined to use negative behaviors and hostile interactions when dealing with conflict.

The report says that this kind of relationship education is in line with the goals and expectations of ESSA, indicating that more schools should be taking advantage of RE.

"This report makes it apparent that Relationship Education programs are a personal development strategy for young people that corresponds with the most fundamental goal of our education system—and with the goals of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act [Title IV SEC. 4108], to devote funding to activities that support safe and healthy students,” said HRC President Patty Howell.

"These data confirm that RE teaches youth the foundational skills they need to create successful, safe, and healthy relationships, and that set them on a course to be happy and contributing members of society.”

Read more about HRC here.

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

1/21/2016