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UCLA researcher tells California commission evidence supports multi‑component K‑12 anti‑hate programs
Summary
UCLA researcher Sarah Wilf told commissioners that peer‑reviewed studies point to multi‑component school programs — intergroup contact, social‑emotional learning, and knowledge interventions — as likeliest to reduce prejudice, but stressed gaps in rigorous evaluation of hate‑specific outcomes.
Sarah Wilf, a research consultant with UCLA’s Initiative to Study Hate, briefed the commission on April 24 on the state of peer‑reviewed evidence for K‑12 anti‑hate programs. Wilf summarized rigorous studies showing that programs combining multiple mechanisms — for example, intergroup contact plus social‑emotional learning and knowledge‑based curricula — produce stronger effects than single‑component interventions.
Wilf recommended that programs be long‑form rather than one‑off workshops, be tailored to age (intergroup contact is often more effective with younger children; knowledge interventions may suit adolescents), and provide adequate staff training. She also said the literature often lacks direct measures of hate‑specific outcomes and urged investments in evaluation and partnerships between schools and researchers.
Commissioners welcomed the briefing but pressed staff on resource constraints and evaluation capacity. Commissioner Che noted teacher shortages and a lack of evaluation funding; Wilf said resource questions were not the focus of her review but that many implemented programs lack rigorous outcome assessments. Staff and commissioners suggested practical first steps such as disaggregating existing bullying data to identify hate‑based incidents and leveraging nonprofits already working in schools.
