Skip Navigation
IES    
NCES
National Center for
Education Statistics
Menu
Contact
Tools
ED.gov
Newsflash
Search IES
Back Arrow  Back Download Excel Excel File (20 KB) Download SE Excel Excel File (22 KB)

Table 14.  Number and percentage of public schools reporting the use of any serious disciplinary action, and the percentage distribution of serious disciplinary actions used by schools, by selected offenses: School year 2003–04


Offense  Schools using any serious disciplinary action1    Percentage distribution of serious
disciplinary actions used by schools1 
Number
of schools		 Percent
of schools		 Number of
actions taken		 Number of
actions taken
per 1,000 students		   Removals with no
services for at least the
remainder of school year		 Transfers to
specialized schools2 		 Out-of-school
suspensions
lasting 5 or more days
Total offenses  36,759 46 655,667 14.0   5 21 74
                 
Use or possession of a firearm or explosive device3  3,167 4 9,851 0.2   12 22 67
Use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm3,4  13,514 17 35,396 0.8   8 35 57
Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs  17,042 21 91,088 2.0   10 36 53
Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol  7,437 9 25,486 0.5   5 24 71
Physical attacks or fights5  25,767 32 273,485 5.9   4 16 81
Insubordination6  17,392 22 220,361 4.7   3 19 78
1 Serious disciplinary actions include removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder of the school year, transfers to specialized schools for disciplinary reasons, and out-of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days, but less than the remainder of the school year.
2 Specialized school was defined for respondents as "a school that is specifically for students who were referred for disciplinary reasons. The school may also have students who were referred for other reasons. The school may be at the same location as your school."
3 Firearm or explosive device was defined for respondents as "any weapon that is designed to (or may readily be converted to) expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. This includes guns, bombs, grenades, mines, rockets, missiles, pipe bombs, or similar devices designed to explode and capable of causing bodily harm or property damage."
4 Weapon was defined for respondents as "any instrument or object used with the intent to threaten, injure, or kill. Includes look-alikes if they are used to threaten others."
5 Physical attack or fight was defined for respondents as "an actual and intentional touching or striking of another person against his or her will, or the intentional causing of bodily harm to an individual."
6 Insubordination was defined for respondents as "a deliberate and inexcusable defiance of or refusal to obey a school rule, authority, or a reasonable order. It includes but is not limited to direct defiance of school authority, failure to attend assigned detention or on-campus supervision, failure to respond to a call slip, and physical or verbal intimidation or abuse."
NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100 percent because of rounding. Reponses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2004.

Back Arrow  Back Download Excel Excel File (20 KB) Download SE Excel Excel File (22 KB)

IES    
NCES
National Center for
Education Statistics
Explore the Institute of Education Sciences