About RSIS

The Reduction of Stigma in Schools Program (RSIS) is a research-based, educator-to-educator professional development training model brought into area schools to generate dialogue on the experiences of LGBTQ students and provide tools for change.

RSIS has educated over 2,000 school professionals in the Central New York area since 2006. Evaluation data have been collected throughout the program implementation, and educator response to RSIS training has been overwhelmingly positive.  Research on the effectiveness of RSIS workshops was published in 2010 and 2011.

Each year, a RSIS graduate student intern with extensive professional in-schools experience assists in workshop design and delivery. Graduate students participating in RSIS programming receive small hourly stipends for the workshop delivery portion of the program, provided through donations.  The program is otherwise unfunded.

Five basic ideas provide the foundation for RSIS design:

• Creating training content that is research-based and relevant to that school or participant group
• Utilizing an educator-to-educator delivery model
• Giving all educators access to the information
• Facilitating connections of content to that specific school’s environment
• Supporting teachers as they make the application to practice

Addtionally, RSIS focuses on three objectives:

• Establish an understanding of the relationship between stigma and risk for LGBTQ youth.
• Provide tools and education for creating more positive learning environments for all students in Central New York schools.
• Create opportunities for dialogue and change around issues facing LGBTQ youth and the children of LGBTQ parents in Central New York schools.

RSIS Workshops

We are not currently offering RSIS workshops

Workshop titles:

• Gender, Sexuality and Middle School
• LGBTQ High School Experience
• LGBTQ Issues in K-12
• LGBTQ School Experience 101 for Administrators
• LGBTQ School Experience 101 for Non-certified School Staff
• LGBTQ Youth, Alcohol and Drug Use for School Counselors
• Supporting the Transgender Elementary School Student

Find RSIS workshop descriptions.