NCES Releases Report on Crime, Safety in Schools

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Bureau of Justice Statistics at the U.S. Department of Justice recently released its annual Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety, a news release reports. The report includes data regarding active shooter situations and deaths, bullying, student victimization, existing mental health services, students carrying weapons, and other campus safety and security measures.

According to the report, between 2000 and 2022, there were 50 documented active shooter incidents in elementary and secondary schools, and 18 documented active shooter incidents at postsecondary institutions. About 3 percent of students in grades 9–12 reported carrying a weapon on school property (including a knife, gun, or club) on at least one day during the previous 30, down from 5 percent in 2011. Public schools reporting the presence of an armed law enforcement officer on campus dropped from 51 percent during the 2019–20 academic year to 45 percent in 2021–22, according to the news release.

About 19 percent of students ages 12–18 reported being bullied during school during 2021–22, down from 28 percent in 2010–11. Likewise, the number of crimes reported on postsecondary campuses per 10,000 full-time students fell by 16 percent between 2011 and 2021. Finally, the number of hate crimes reported on campus was 12 percent lower in 2021 than it was in 2011.

The full report is available on the NCES website.

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • Hawaii Elementary School Breaks Ground on New Classroom Building

    Kealakehe Elementary School in Kailua, Hawaii, recently began construction on a new, $16-million classroom building for its campus, according to a news release. The 13,000-square-foot building will stand two stories and connect the existing upper and lower campuses.

  • DFW-Area District Opens New Replacement Middle School

    The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw Independent School District near Fort Worth, Texas, recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new replacement middle school campus, according to a news release. The new facility for Wayside Middle School, originally established in 1964, was built on the site of the former district administration building and funded through Bond Proposition A in 2023.