Bethany Bump is reporting in the Times Union schools statewide are mishandling or failing to accurately report incidents of bullying, according to an audit released Fri., Oct. 13, by the Office of the State Comptroller. The Dignity for All Students Act was passed in 2012 and it required schools to hire an anti-bullying coordinator, provide annual training on the law, and every year report incidents of bullying, harassment and discrimination to the state. According to the audit, Greene County schools reported 49 incidents of discrimination and harassment during the 2015-16 school year, while in Columbia County, 86 incidents were reported during the same period. Those statistics did not include incidents of cyberbullying. In Greene County there were 20 incidents of harassment or bullying through electronic communication reported, and 17 incidents in Columbia County. In Columbia County, Hudson High School and Montgomery C. Smith Intermediate School reported the most incidents of in-person bullying; in Greene County, Cairo-Durham Middle and High schools and Greenville Junior/Senior High School topped the list. The audit found that part of the reporting problem statewide was a failure to train all staff, specifically those who see students outside of the classroom, where bullying is most likely to occur. And some staff are unsure when an incident rises to the level of bullying and when it does not. The report recommended the state Education Department provide more training opportunities and remind school and district officials of the law's record retention requirements. Read the full story in the Times Union.