The Dignity for All Students Act or DASA went into effect in 2012. It was created to make sure students could come to school and feel safe and supported and not worry about harassment or bullying.

Comptroller Tom DiNapoli says schools are supposed to keep track of the numbers when harassment and bullying incidents do occur, but he says that's just not happening.

Rowan Collins, the education coordinator at Out, or the former Gay Alliance, remembers what it was like feeling scared to go to school.

“I was slammed against a locker every day for about two weeks as I was walking from my first period to second period,” said Collins. “I stopped going to school for a few days. I faked sick.”

Today, Rowan works with schools and other groups hoping to teach them about inclusion.

“I was lucky to have a great support system from my friends, and I had wonderful teachers who stepped up for me,” said Collins. “But having something overarching like DASA in place would've really changed things for me.”

DiNapoli says since June, schools across New York State excluding New York City, reported 16,938 incidents of discrimination and harassment, and 2,472 incidents of cyberbullying in 2015-2016.

Monroe County was among the highest reporting in the state, with 2,815 incidents. But even in the county, nearly a third of all schools reported zero incidents.

DiNapoli says that what they found across New York, schools were underreporting or not reporting at all.

“Four years after the enactment of this law, we found that too many schools remain unsure of what to do, and they are making some errors in the reporting on incidents of harassment and bullying,” said DiNapoli. “The importance of the reporting for us to be able to look at trends and work locally and from the state perspective to ensure we are protecting all our students. So the accuracy and timeliness of those reports are key."

DiNapoli's audit took a closer look at 20 schools around the state including Penfield, Irondequoit and East Upper High School. The audit found they also underreported or made mistakes reporting.

He says it's clear schools need more training.

“The schools want to do the right thing, and so what we're really pointing out is the need for more training, more guidance, more direction from the State Education Department,” said DiNapoli. “And the good news is the SED agrees with our findings and has already taken some steps to address them.”

“Education is the great equalizer. It opens up doors to opportunities no matter who you are, what your social economic status, the color of your skin, your sexual orientation — those opportunities are open through education,” said Harry Bronson, NYS Assembly D-138. “And one of the important aspects of DASA is to make sure harassment, discrimination and bullying doesn't really interfere with that opportunity. That's what this is really about.”

DiNapoli says they plan to do a follow-up audit in about a year to see how they're doing.