A plain-English guide to Kansas’s bullying and cyberbullying law, written for school counselors and other school staff. Start with the summary, then open any section below for the legal details.
Bottom line for counselors: Kansas requires every school district to have a written bullying policy. The law covers cyberbullying but does not clearly reach off-campus behavior. Agree on reporting steps with your administrator, since state law sets none.
Kansas's bullying law includes 6 of 14 key elements, which Lantern rates limited. Cyberbullying can also be a crime under Kansas law. State law lets schools discipline students for cyberbullying. School phones: statewide ban (HB 2299, March 20, 2026). Kansas also has an online-safety law for minors: Senate Bill 394, Section 13-18 Note: As of the date of this publication, this law has not yet been codified but the Bill states that it “creates a new section of Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 436.”.
Sources last checked: StopBullying.gov summary reviewed April 28, 2026 · school phone rules checked November 11, 2026 · online-safety tracker updated May 16, 2024.
Lantern · State profile
Limited state protections · 6 of 14 key elements
- Covers cyberbullying Yes
- Reaches off-campus behavior No
- District policy required Yes
- Reporting & investigation rules No
- Staff training Yes
- Support for students involved No
- School phone rules Statewide phone restriction
- Online safety laws for minors 1 on the books
What this means for counselors
- Your district is required to have a written bullying policy. Find it, and learn who in your building receives reports.
- State law does not clearly extend to off-campus cyberbullying. Your district policy may still apply, so check it and talk with your administrator.
- Staff training is part of state law. Ask when training happens and make sure it covers cyberbullying and social media.
- Prevention education is expected. Classroom lessons on digital citizenship and online empathy fit here.
- State law does not spell out a role for parents, so building partnerships with families is up to your school.
- Your state limits student phone use at school. Know your school's phone rules so responses to online incidents are consistent.
- Your state has laws on minors' online safety. They mostly regulate tech companies, but they are useful context when you talk with families.
What Kansas’s bullying law includes
- Bans bullying outright: included
The law clearly states that bullying is not allowed. - Defines bullying: included
The law spells out what counts as bullying. - Says where the rules apply: included
The law describes where the rules apply, such as school grounds, buses, events, or online. - Names protected groups: not included
The law lists characteristics, such as race or disability, that bullying often targets. - Districts must have a policy: included
Every school district has to adopt a written bullying policy. - Reporting and investigation rules: not included
The law sets out how bullying is reported and investigated. - Consequences for bullying: not included
The law describes consequences for students who bully. - Policy shared with families: not included
Districts have to tell students, staff, and families about the policy. - Support for students involved: not included
The law calls for protection or support, such as counseling, for students who are involved. - Policies reviewed and updated: not included
District policies have to be reviewed and kept up to date. - Prevention education: included
The law requires or encourages bullying prevention lessons or programs. - Staff training: included
The law requires or encourages training for teachers and other staff. - Parent involvement: not included
The law involves parents in preventing or responding to bullying.
Questions and answers about the law
How are bullying and cyberbullying defined in Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations?
Kansas anti-bullying laws include the following definitions of bullying and cyberbullying:
“Bullying” means:
(A) Any intentional gesture or any intentional written, verbal, electronic or physical act or threat either by any student, staff member or parent towards a student or by any student, staff member or parent towards a staff member that is sufficiently severe, persistent or pervasive that such gesture, act or threat creates an intimidating, threatening or abusive educational environment that a reasonable person, under the circumstances, knows or should know will have the effect of:
(i) Harming a student or staff member, whether physically or mentally;
(ii) damaging a student’s or staff member’s property;
(iii) placing a student or staff member in reasonable fear of harm to the student or staff member; or
(iv) placing a student or staff member in reasonable fear of damage to the student’s or staff member’s property;
(B) cyberbullying; or
(C) any other form of intimidation or harassment prohibited by the board of education of the school district in policies concerning bullying adopted pursuant to this section or subsection (e) of K.S.A. 72-8205, and amendments thereto.
“Cyberbullying” means bullying by use of any electronic communication device through means including, but not limited to, e-mail, instant messaging, text messages, blogs, mobile phones, pagers, online games and websites.
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-6147 (2013)
Do Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations cover cyberbullying that occurs off-campus?
No. Kansas anti-bullying laws do not cover off-campus conduct.
What are the policy requirements for schools to prevent and respond to bullying behavior?
Kansas school districts must adopt a policy to prohibit bullying and must adopt and implement a plan to address bullying. Kansas anti-bullying laws do not specify required content of district policies or plans.
Do Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations include protections for specific groups?
No. There are no specific groups listed under Kansas anti-bullying laws or regulations.
Kansas schools that receive federal funding are required by federal law to address discrimination based on certain personal characteristics. Find out when bullying may be a civil rights violation.
Do Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to implement bullying prevention programs or strategies?
Yes. Kansas school districts must adopt and implement a plan to address bullying that includes provisions for the training and education for staff members and students.
Do Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to train teachers and other school staff on how to respond to bullying incidents?
Yes. Kansas school districts must adopt and implement a plan to address bullying that includes provisions for the training and education of staff members and students.
Do Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations encourage or require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying?
No. Kansas anti-bullying laws do not require districts to provide safeguards or mental health supports for students involved with bullying.
Do Kansas anti-bullying laws and regulations involve parents in efforts to address bullying behavior?
No. Kansas anti-bullying laws do not create expectations for parent involvement in addressing bullying behavior.
Answers from StopBullying.gov, last reviewed April 28, 2026.
School phone and device rules
Statewide ban. Most recent statewide action: HB 2299, March 20, 2026.
Source: Ballotpedia, checked November 11, 2026.
Online safety and social media laws for minors
These laws mostly place duties on apps, platforms, and websites, such as age checks, parental consent, or limits on addictive feeds. Several have been challenged in court.
- Senate Bill 394, Section 13-18 Note: As of the date of this publication, this law has not yet been codified but the Bill states that it “creates a new section of Kentucky Revised Statutes Chapter 436.”
In effect: July 1, 2024
Source: Orrick Online Safety Law Tracker, updated May 16, 2024.
Legal citations, explained (2)
Each entry shows what the law or rule is about first, then its official name with abbreviations spelled out.
- Disability history and awareness; objectives, guidelines and goals Law passed by the legislature Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 72-3237 Read the text of Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 72-3237
- Bullying, school district policies Law passed by the legislature Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 72-6147 Read the text of Kansas Statutes Annotated Section 72-6147
Educational information, not legal advice. Laws change, so confirm with your district and state education department.
Find a school district in Kansas
Search by ZIP code, select a district on the map, or look one up by name. Each district links to a search for its own bullying policy, since district rules can go further than state law.
← Back to Clear Lines, the national atlas · How this map was built
Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with credit, under a Creative Commons CC BY-NC 4.0 licence.