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Digest of Education Statistics
2014 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 210.10. Percentage of teachers indicating that certain issues are serious problems in their schools, by level and control of school: Selected years,1987-88 through 2011-12
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Control of school and issue 1987-88 total 1993-94 total 1999-2000 total 2003-04 2007-08 2011-12
Total1 Elementary schools Secondary schools Total Elementary schools Secondary schools Combined schools Total Elementary schools Secondary schools Combined schools
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Public schools                                                                              
Student tardiness 10.5 (0.18) 10.5 (0.28) 10.2 (0.22) 13.8   (0.29) 9.8   (0.38) 23.1   (0.58) 9.8   (0.33) 5.8   (0.37) 17.9   (0.65) 9.0   (1.36) 11.9   (0.33) 8.5   (0.49) 17.6   (0.55) 16.4   (1.11)
Student absenteeism 16.4 (0.23) 14.4 (0.29) 13.9 (0.26) 13.1   (0.31) 8.3   (0.36) 23.7   (0.59) 11.7   (0.36) 6.5   (0.42) 21.4   (0.63) 14.2   (0.95) 13.9   (0.35) 8.6   (0.49) 22.6   (0.63) 21.9   (1.48)
Teacher absenteeism 2.3 (0.09) 1.5 (0.09) 2.2 (0.10) 1.1   (0.08) 0.9   (0.12) 1.7   (0.15) 1.5   (0.15) 1.2   (0.20) 2.0   (0.20) 2.3   (0.48) 1.6   (0.14) 1.3   (0.16) 1.8   (0.20) 3.3   (0.58)
Students cutting class 5.9 (0.16) 5.1 (0.12) 4.7 (0.12) 5.5   (0.23) 1.5   (0.17) 14.5   (0.59) 4.0   (0.20) 0.5   (0.12) 10.9   (0.52) 4.0   (0.64) 4.9   (0.22) 1.2   (0.16) 10.8   (0.47) 10.4   (1.05)
Physical conflicts among students 5.8 (0.18) 8.2 (0.25) 4.8 (0.19) 12.1   (0.29) 13.7   (0.43) 9.3   (0.38)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                                               
Robbery or theft 3.7 (0.12) 4.1 (0.17) 2.4 (0.11) 3.7   (0.17) 2.9   (0.23) 5.9   (0.24)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Vandalism of school property 6.1 (0.15) 6.7 (0.23) 3.4 (0.15) 3.7   (0.16) 2.5   (0.21) 6.3   (0.33)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student pregnancy 6.9 (0.17) 7.3 (0.24) 3.7 (0.12) 2.4   (0.12)   (†) 7.0   (0.34)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student use of alcohol 11.4 (0.18) 9.3 (0.17) 7.4 (0.14) 3.0   (0.10) 0.3   (0.07) 9.0   (0.28)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student drug abuse 8.0 (0.14) 5.7 (0.14) 6.0 (0.11) 4.5   (0.14) 0.5   (0.10) 13.0   (0.35)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                                               
Student possession of weapons 1.7 (0.06) 2.8 (0.12) 0.8 (0.06) 0.5   (0.05)   (†) 1.2   (0.12)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Verbal abuse of teachers 8.1 (0.21) 11.1 (0.26) (†) 11.8   (0.31) 9.3   (0.39) 17.1   (0.50)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student disrespect for teachers (†) 18.5 (0.35) 17.2 (0.34) 21.6   (0.45) 18.6   (0.62) 28.3   (0.58)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Students dropping out (†) 5.8 (0.16) 4.6 (0.11) 3.3   (0.13) 0.4   (0.08) 9.6   (0.41) 3.5   (0.19) 0.8   (0.19) 8.7   (0.41) 5.3   (0.77) 3.1   (0.17) 0.9   (0.16) 6.3   (0.39) 7.7   (0.85)
Student apathy (†) 23.6 (0.35) 20.6 (0.30) 16.6   (0.34) 9.9   (0.40) 30.4   (0.56) 16.5   (0.45) 10.0   (0.55) 28.5   (0.67) 21.4   (1.16) 20.0   (0.44) 13.4   (0.61) 31.4   (0.74) 27.3   (1.41)
                                                                               
Lack of parental involvement (†) 27.6 (0.45) 23.7 (0.36) 21.6   (0.42) 19.3   (0.58) 26.3   (0.59) 19.5   (0.49) 16.8   (0.68) 24.0   (0.69) 23.5   (1.42) 24.6   (0.54) 22.1   (0.77) 28.3   (0.65) 29.4   (1.55)
Poverty (†) 19.5 (0.52) 19.2 (0.43) 21.4   (0.45) 22.4   (0.64) 19.0   (0.57) 22.1   (0.59) 22.8   (0.83) 20.2   (0.68) 26.7   (1.36) 29.0   (0.59) 29.5   (0.86) 26.8   (0.79) 32.4   (2.00)
Students come unprepared to learn (†) 28.8 (0.39) 29.5 (0.36) 26.8   (0.46) 23.7   (0.68) 33.5   (0.69) 24.2   (0.56) 20.7   (0.84) 30.5   (0.77) 28.5   (1.45) 30.2   (0.59) 27.1   (0.86) 35.4   (0.85) 34.9   (1.54)
Poor student health (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 3.3   (0.20) 3.4   (0.30) 2.8   (0.21) 4.2   (0.50) 5.0   (0.25) 5.1   (0.38) 4.4   (0.37) 6.3   (0.63)
                                                                               
Private schools                                                                              
Student tardiness 3.6 (0.38) 2.6 (0.23) 2.9 (0.21) 2.8   (0.40) 2.1   (0.45) 5.0   (0.83) 2.5   (0.28) 2.3   (0.37) 3.0   (0.83) 2.6   (0.47) 3.8   (0.59) 3.7   (0.61) 4.9   (1.11)   (†)
Student absenteeism 3.7 (0.39) 2.2 (0.19) 2.5 (0.22) 1.9   (0.23) 0.9   (0.17) 4.0   (0.75) 2.0   (0.23) 0.9   (0.23) 3.9   (0.99) 2.3   (0.40) 3.0   (0.34) 2.1   (0.44) 4.6   (0.99)   (†)
Teacher absenteeism 0.8 (0.13) 0.8 (0.10) 0.8 (0.11)   (†)   (†)   (†) 0.5   (0.13) 0.3 ! (0.08)   (†) 1.0 ! (0.32) 0.5   (0.12)   (†) 0.7 ! (0.28)   (†)
Students cutting class 0.9 (0.16) 0.7 (0.11) 0.8 (0.12) 0.5   (0.11)   (†)   (†) 0.5 ! (0.18)   (†) 1.1 ! (0.41)   (†) 0.7   (0.20)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Physical conflicts among students 1.3 (0.19) 1.5 (0.15) 1.0 (0.18) 2.4   (0.31) 2.7   (0.55)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                                               
Robbery or theft 1.3 (0.18) 0.8 (0.10) 0.9 (0.11) 0.4   (0.10)   (†) 1.3 ! (0.40)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Vandalism of school property 1.3 (0.19) 1.2 (0.11) 0.7 (0.11) 0.5   (0.11)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student pregnancy 0.6 (0.12) 0.4 (0.06) 0.4 (0.09)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student use of alcohol 3.6 (0.30) 3.1 (0.19) 3.1 (0.16) 0.7   (0.17) #   (†) 3.3   (0.86)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student drug abuse 1.8 (0.24) 1.3 (0.15) 1.8 (0.14) 1.1   (0.25) #   (†) 5.2   (1.31)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
                                                                               
Student possession of weapons 0.4 (0.11) 0.3 (0.06) 0.3 (0.06) #   (†) #   (†) #   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Verbal abuse of teachers 2.0 (0.24) 2.3 (0.25) (†) 2.4   (0.40) 1.1   (0.29) 4.0   (0.84)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student disrespect for teachers (†) 3.4 (0.27) 3.8 (0.31) 5.1   (0.37) 3.6   (0.54) 6.3   (1.05)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Students dropping out (†) 0.6 (0.09) 0.5 (0.10) 0.3 ! (0.09)   (†)   (†) 0.4 ! (0.20) 0.4   (0.13) 0.5 ! (0.22)   (†) 0.3 ! (0.13)   (†)   (†)   (†)
Student apathy (†) 4.5 (0.28) 4.3 (0.29) 3.0   (0.39) 1.4   (0.23) 6.6   (0.95) 3.9   (0.34) 1.7   (0.30) 6.9   (1.06) 5.1   (0.74) 3.6   (0.38) 1.7   (0.42) 7.1   (1.32)   (†)
                                                                            (†)
Lack of parental involvement (†) 4.0 (0.26) 3.4 (0.30) 2.5   (0.37) 1.6   (0.28) 3.6   (0.77) 2.5   (0.24) 1.9   (0.36) 2.8   (0.67) 3.0   (0.46) 2.7   (0.32) 1.8   (0.34) 3.2   (0.80)   (†)
Poverty (†) 2.7 (0.23) 2.1 (0.21) 2.2   (0.26) 1.7   (0.31) 3.4   (0.78) 2.0   (0.21) 1.4   (0.28) 2.0   (0.56) 2.6   (0.44) 2.6   (0.33) 2.7   (0.52) 2.8   (0.79)   (†)
Students come unprepared to learn (†) 4.1 (0.28) 4.9 (0.36) 3.5   (0.30) 2.1   (0.53) 6.8   (0.99) 3.6   (0.34) 1.9   (0.33) 6.2   (1.51) 4.4   (0.85) 3.9   (0.41) 2.0   (0.41) 6.7   (1.07)   (†)
Poor student health (†) (†) (†)   (†)   (†)   (†) 0.7   (0.13) 0.3 ! (0.12)   (†) 1.0   (0.25) 0.8   (0.21) 0.4 ! (0.17) 0.5 ! (0.25)   (†)
—Not available.
†Not applicable.
#Rounds to zero.
!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.
‡Reporting standards not met. Data may be suppressed because the response rate is under 50 percent, there are too few cases for a reliable estimate, or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1 For 2003-04, combined schools are included in the total but not shown separately.
NOTE: Elementary schools are those with any of grades kindergarten through grade 6 and none of grades 9 through 12. Secondary schools have any of grades 7 through 12, and none of grades kindergarten through grade 6. Combined schools have both elementary and secondary grades, or have all students in ungraded classrooms.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), "Public School Teacher Data File," selected years, 1987-88 through 2011-12; "Private School Teacher Data File," selected years, 1987-88 through 2011-12; and "Charter School Teacher Data File," 1999-2000. (This table was prepared May 2013.)

2014 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest