School Won't Do Anything About Bullying? The Paper Trail

The five moves, in order

Log it like evidence. Date, time, place, what happened, who saw it, what your child said that night. Same day, every time. Memory blurs; a dated log does not.
Report it in writing. A written report starts duties a hallway conversation never does. Use the letter below; keep proof of delivery.
Demand the policy. Where the statute sets no deadline, the district's own adopted policy does — and the district is bound by it. Ask for it in writing.
Quote your state's enforceable sentence. Some states give you real numbers and rights — the table below shows which, honestly, including where the answer is none.
Escalate on paper. Building → district → state complaint/appeal where your state provides one → federal civil-rights complaint (OCR) when the bullying is based on race, sex, disability, or another protected class.

The written report (copy it, fill the blanks)

[Your name] · [Address] · [Date]

To: [Principal], [School] — written report of bullying

My child, [full name, grade], has been bullied on [dates/times], at [places], by [names if known]. What happened: [short factual account]. My child reported / I observed: [effects — fear, missed school, injuries, damaged property].

I am reporting this in writing so it is on record. Please: (1) confirm receipt; (2) send me the district's bullying policy and its investigation steps and timeframes; (3) tell me, in writing, what the investigation finds and what will be done to keep my child safe, including how retaliation will be prevented.

Signed: ______________________ Send dated, with proof of delivery.

What your state actually requires — all fifty, honestly

State	Investigation deadline in law	Parent notice	Victim transfer
Alabama	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Alaska	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Arizona	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Arkansas	Investigation deadlinecompleted by the 5th school day after the written report	Parent noticewithin 5 days after the investigation is completed	Victim transferNo
California	Investigation deadline60 calendar days — district investigation report under the Uniform Complaint Procedures (5 CCR §§4600–4690)	Parent noticeThe UCP investigation report goes to the complainant; no separate victim-parent day count	Victim transferPriority consideration
Colorado	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Connecticut	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeprompt notice that an investigation has begun; results not later than 48 hours after the investigation is completed	Victim transferNo
Delaware	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeparents of all students involved must be notified when the report is made; incidents reported to the Department of Education within 5 working days	Victim transferNo
Florida	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeImmediate notification to the victim's and the perpetrator's parents (§1006.147(4)(i)) — no day count	Victim transferNo
Georgia	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Hawaii	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Idaho	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Illinois	Investigation deadline10 school days — the district's policy must require all reasonable efforts to complete the investigation within 10 school days of the report (§27-23.7(b)(5))	Parent noticeWithin 24 hours after the school learns of a student's involvement (§27-23.7(b)(4))	Victim transferNo
Indiana	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeBy end of next school day after school learns of incident, and after investigation concludes (district rules must set these timetables)	Victim transferNo
Iowa	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeWithin 24 hours after a school official receives a report the student may have been a victim	Victim transferYes — shall transfer on request
Kansas	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Kentucky	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Louisiana	Investigation deadlineBegins the next business day school is in session after the report; completed within 10 school days of the written report	Parent noticeNo later than the next business day after the report (parents of victim and offender)	Victim transferYes — shall transfer on request
Maine	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Maryland	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeVictim's parent within 3 business days; perpetrator's parent within 5 business days after the act is reported	Victim transferNo
Massachusetts	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Michigan	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Minnesota	Investigation deadlineBegin to investigate within 3 school days of the report (121A.031)	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Mississippi	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Missouri	Investigation deadlineInitiate within 2 school days of a report; complete within 10 school days unless good cause (160.775)	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Montana	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Nebraska	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Nevada	Investigation deadlineComplete within 2 school days after the administrator receives the report, plus 1 for extenuating circumstances (NRS 388.1351)	Parent noticeParents notified before the school administrative office closes on the day reported, or the next school day (NRS 388.1351)	Victim transferYes — shall transfer on request
New Hampshire	Investigation deadlinePrincipal must initiate an investigation within 5 school days of a report (RSA 193-F:4 II(j))	Parent noticeParents of the victim and the perpetrator notified within 48 hours of the report (RSA 193-F:4 II(h))	Victim transferNo
New Jersey	Investigation deadlineInitiated within 1 school day of the report; completed within 10 school days of the written report (18A:37-15(b)(6))	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
New Mexico	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
New York	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
North Carolina	Investigation deadlineA procedure for prompt investigation of reports of serious violations and complaints of any act of bullying or harassment, identifying either the principal or the principal's designee as the person responsible for the investigation (required component of the local policy, G.S. 115C-407.16(b)(6)); no investigation deadline is set in the statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
North Dakota	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Ohio	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Oklahoma	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Oregon	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticewithin a reasonable period of time; promptly, for acts that caused physical harm to the student (ORS 339.356(2))	Victim transferNo
Pennsylvania	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Rhode Island	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticewithin 24 hours of the incident report, to the parents of the victim and of the alleged perpetrator (§ 16-21-34(a)(12)(ii))	Victim transferNo
South Carolina	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
South Dakota	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Tennessee	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent notice"immediately" inform parent or guardian of a student involved	Victim transferNo
Texas	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticeVictim's parent notified on or before the 3rd business day after the incident is reported (§37.0832(c)(4))	Victim transferYes — shall transfer on request
Utah	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Vermont	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Virginia	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticewithin 24 hours of learning of the allegation (parent of any student involved)	Victim transferNo
Washington	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
West Virginia	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Wisconsin	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo
Wyoming	Investigation deadlinenone in statute	Parent noticenone in statute	Victim transferNo

Most cells that say "none in statute" are the truth, not a gap in our research — most states wrote adjectives ("prompt") instead of numbers. The paper trail above is how parents make adjectives behave like deadlines.

California — the enforceable sentences

File a written UCP complaint — that is what starts the 60-day clock and your appeal right to the California Department of Education (30 calendar days after the report).
A bullying victim gets priority consideration for an interdistrict transfer at the parent's request (§46600(b)) — priority, not a guaranteed seat.
Complainants must be protected from retaliation (§234.1(g)).

Texas — the enforceable sentences

Texas's enforceable number is a notice number: your child's school must tell the victim's parent by the 3rd business day after a report. There is no statutory deadline to finish the investigation — demand the district follow its own adopted policy and rubric.
On your request, the board SHALL transfer the victim to another classroom or campus once the district verifies the bullying (§25.0342). The decision is final; transportation is not required.
Retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith is prohibited (§37.0832(c)(3)), and a verified victim may not be disciplined for reasonable self-defense.

Florida — the enforceable sentences

Florida's statute says 'prompt' investigation and 'immediate' parent notice — it sets no number of days. The numbers on your district's adopted §1006.147 policy are that district's, and the district is bound by its own policy: get it and hold them to it.
No express anti-retaliation clause was found in §1006.147(4) — check your district policy for its retaliation clause.
District policies report incidents to the Florida Department of Education, and safe-schools funding depends on compliance — that funding hook is your escalation lever.

New York — the enforceable sentences

What IS in the statute: a staff member who sees or hears of bullying must orally notify the principal within 1 school day and file a written report within 2 school days (§13). The investigation must be thorough and completed 'promptly' — no findings deadline, and DASA does not itself require the school to notify you of the outcome.
Appeal of a DASA determination runs to the superintendent under district policy, then to the Commissioner of Education under §310.
Retaliation against anyone who reports in good faith is prohibited (§13(1)(f)). There is no victim transfer right in DASA.

Illinois — the enforceable sentences

Illinois has both numbers in the statute: parents of all students involved must be informed within 24 hours, and the investigation must be pursued with all reasonable efforts to finish within 10 school days. Keep the qualifier — it is a real standard, not an absolute guarantee.
Anonymous reporting must be available, but formal discipline cannot rest on an anonymous report alone.
No state-level appeal of an individual outcome was found in §27-23.7 — escalation runs through the district, then ISBE on policy non-compliance, then federal OCR where a protected class is involved.

Bullying is also why some children stop going — if a truancy letter has arrived too, see Door 3. And when the fight becomes about services and evaluations, Door 1 is where the clocks are.

Rules checked October 2026 — every rule on this page is cited to its source. Verify day counts against your district's official calendar.

The school won't stop the bullying. Here's the paper trail that makes them act.