New research from GLISTEN and The Trevor Project finds that transgender and nonbinary students whose identities are affirmed at school report higher grades, stronger belonging and more classroom participation. Supportive practices include using chosen names and pronouns, teaching LGBTQ+ topics and backing student-led groups such as GSAs. Yet the studies also document widespread harm: over half of students reported discriminatory policies, about 60% experienced negative events, and many missed significant school time or left their schools. Advocates urge educators to move beyond neutrality and take proactive, affirming action.
Supportive Teachers Boost Grades and Belonging for Trans and Nonbinary Students, New Report Finds
New research from GLISTEN and The Trevor Project shows that when schools affirm transgender and nonbinary students, those students report higher grades, a stronger sense of belonging and greater classroom participation — even amid widespread discrimination and exclusionary policies.
Key Findings
The reports document both the positive impacts of support and the scale of harm when schools are hostile. More than half of transgender and nonbinary students said their school had implemented at least one policy or practice discriminatory toward LGBTQ+ youth, and roughly 60% experienced at least one negative event at school. Among surveyed students, 49% reported verbal harassment tied to their LGBTQ+ identity and 27% said they were barred from dressing in ways that match their gender. Twenty-five percent missed 16 or more school days last year, and 9% said they left their school because of mistreatment.
Surveys and Scope
The Trevor Project conducted an anonymous online survey between March and October of last year, collecting responses from more than 3,700 transgender, nonbinary and gender-expansive young people ages 13–24. GLISTEN’s 2025 National School Climate Survey, administered April–October 2024, received nearly 2,000 responses from transgender middle and high school students.
Higher Grades and Belonging: Trans Students Thrive When Supported by Teachers
What Helps Students Thrive
Both reports identify concrete, research-backed practices that improve safety and academic engagement:
- Affirming students’ chosen names and pronouns.
- Teaching and discussing LGBTQ+ topics in the classroom.
- Supporting student-led groups such as Gender and Sexuality Alliances (GSAs).
- Adopting inclusive school policies (access to appropriate facilities and ability to participate on sports teams consistent with gender identity).
- Providing visible, positive representation of LGBTQ+ people in curricula and school materials.
"School environments can play a powerful role in determining whether transgender and nonbinary students thrive or struggle at school," said Derrick Matthews, director of research science at The Trevor Project.
"There is a clarion call in our research from students for their educators to show up in much more proactive and affirming ways," said Shweta Moorthy, director of research and best practices at GLISTEN. "Safety isn't just the absence of harm. It isn't just the absence of bullying and the absence of discrimination."
Implications for Educators and Policymakers
The findings make clear that relatively simple actions by teachers and school leaders — consistently using students’ names and pronouns, incorporating LGBTQ+ content into lessons, and supporting student organizations — can have measurable impacts on students’ academic success and well‑being. The reports also underscore the harmful effects of exclusionary policies and the urgent need for schools to adopt inclusive practices to reduce absenteeism and prevent students from leaving their schools.
Originally reported by Brooke Migdon for The 19th; this summary synthesizes the GLISTEN and The Trevor Project reports.
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