An Analysis of California Anti-Bullying Policy Evolution

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to examine and analyze policy making theory related to California's anti-bullying laws and major court cases to explain how state policy has evolved over time. Another aim was to apply policy making theories of windows, bureaucracies and framing to explain how entrepreneurs changed the state's anti-bullying policy. Qualitative methods were applied to analyze key legislative bills and court cases. The thesis focused on the process and analysis of how decision agendas are set within government. The principal conclusions were that trigger events and entrepreneurs played a predominant role in changing California's anti-bullying policy.