A new report released by the Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN) shows that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgnder (LGBT) students are more than five times more likely to skip school because of safety concerns than the general population of students.

Among other key findings in the report: 75% of students report hearing anti-gay slurs like 'fag' or 'dyke' frequently at school, over a third of students experienced physical harassment at school based on their sexual orientation, and more than a quarter of students surveyed experience physical harassment at school based on their gender expression.

The survey was released in coordination with GLSEN's 10th National Day of Silence, where 500,000 students from 4,000 secondary schools and colleges took part in activities to address anti-LGBT bullying and harassment, while advocating for solutions to ensure safe schools for ALL students. Such intervenions were shown to have a significant impact.

• The presence of supportive staff contributed to a range of positive indicators including greater sense of safety, fewer reports of missing days of school, and a higher incidence of planning to attend college.
  
  
• Students in schools with a GSA were less likely to feel unsafe, less likely to miss school, and more likely to feel like they belonged at their school than students in schools with no such clubs.
  
  
• Having a comprehensive anti-bullying policy was related to a lower incidence of hearing homophobic remarks and to lower rates of verbal harassment. Students at schools with inclusive policies also reported higher rates of intervention by school staff when homophobic remarks were made.

"The 2005 National School Climate Survey reveals that anti-LGBT bullying and harassment remain commonplace in America's schools," said GLSEN Founder and Executive Director Kevin Jennings. "On the positive side, it also makes clear that inclusive policies, supportive school staff and student clubs, like Gay-Straight Alliances, all relate to reduced harassment and higher achieving students."