New Welcoming Schools Report Highlights Rising Classroom Pressures and the Urgent Need for Stronger Educator Support Across the Country

WASHINGTON — Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, and the Welcoming Schools program released its 2026 annual report, highlighting significant achievements and nationwide impact in supporting safe K–12 spaces for all children and youth. Over the last year, Welcoming Schools advanced its mission amid intensifying debates over inclusive education. As rhetoric targeting marginalized youth spread through classrooms, the program equipped thousands of educators and youth‑serving professionals with tools to create affirming learning environments. Through evidence‑based training and resources, Welcoming Schools strengthened school settings, reduced bias‑based bullying, and ensured more students felt seen and supported. This report underscores the urgent need for welcoming classrooms and responsive educators in today’s political landscape.

“Across the country, we’re watching extremists rip equitable education out of our schools by rolling back protections, erasing identities, and putting LGBTQ+ kids in harm’s way,” said HRC President Kelley Robinson. “Every child deserves to learn in a place that sees them and keeps them safe and this annual report shows how the Welcoming Schools program is providing hope to students who feel cast aside and to educators carrying the weight of this administration’s harmful rhetoric and actions. I’m proud that we are meeting this moment with power and purpose, giving educators the tools to build the affirming classrooms our kids deserve. Their work proves that a brighter future isn’t just possible — it’s already taking shape.”

In a year when classrooms faced mounting pressure and educators navigated escalating attacks on education, the Welcoming Schools program remained a lifeline. The 2026 annual report captures both the challenges schools are facing and the progress being made, including training more than 13,000 educators and reaching over 750,000 students. Through its trainings and resources, the program helped thousands of youth‑serving professionals create safe, welcoming learning spaces, raising educator competency from 55 percent to 87 percent. District partnerships expanded into Delaware, Massachusetts, and Minnesota, and the first national summit convened 48 leaders from 15 states. Even in a difficult environment, Welcoming Schools is giving educators the tools needed to build classrooms where every child is seen and supported.

“Even in a challenging legal and political landscape, our commitment to creating supportive, student‑centered schools has never wavered,” said Cheryl Greene, Vice President of School and Youth Programming at the Human Rights Campaign. “This year’s work reflects that dedication by expanding secondary‑level training, increasing access through Spanish‑language resources, and growing our e‑learning opportunities so more educators can engage with us in ways that meet their needs. We are intentional about reaching educators wherever they are, both in person and online. Seeing more than 30,000 educators participate in Welcoming Schools training this year reminds me that progress is not only possible, it’s happening every day.

About Welcoming Schools:

HRC Foundation’s Welcoming Schools program is the nation’s most comprehensive, bias-based bullying prevention program in the nation to provide LGBTQ+ and gender inclusive professional development training, lesson plans, booklists and resources specifically designed for Pre K - 12 educators and youth-serving professionals.

To learn more, please visit WelcomingSchools.org. To learn more about the 2026 Welcoming Schools Annual Report, please visit HRC | Welcoming Schools Annual Report 2026. 

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 3.6 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action—working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.

###