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Table 33.  Number and percentage of public schools reporting that security staff engage in specified practices at school, by type of school practice and selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10

 
    Carry a stun gun1   Carry chemical aerosol sprays2   Carry a firearm
School characteristic   Number of schools   Percent of schools     Number of schools   Percent of schools     Number of schools   Percent of schools  
All public schools   13,700   16.5     18,200   21.9     23,200   28.0  
                               
Level3                              
Primary   3,000   6.2     4,300   8.8     6,100   12.5  
Middle   4,700   30.6     6,300   41.2     7,800   51.0  
High school   4,700   38.6     6,000   49.4     7,800   63.3  
Combined   1,200   19.4     1,500   24.0     1,600   24.6  
                               
Enrollment size                              
Less than 300   1,700   9.2     2,100   11.2     2,500   13.5  
300–499   2,800   11.1     3,700   14.8     5,000   19.8  
500–999   5,100   17.2     7,000   23.4     9,000   30.3  
1,000 or more   4,000   44.9     5,300   59.7     6,700   74.6  
                               
Urbanicity                              
City   3,500   16.1     4,700   21.8     5,900   27.6  
Suburb   4,000   16.9     5,600   23.4     7,100   29.6  
Town   2,500   21.0     2,900   24.2     3,800   31.6  
Rural   3,600   14.3     5,000   19.6     6,400   25.3  
1Stun gun includes Taser gun.
2Chemical aerosol sprays include Mace and pepper spray.
3Primary schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not higher than grade 3 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 8. Middle schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 4 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 9. High schools are defined as schools in which the lowest grade is not lower than grade 9 and the highest grade is not higher than grade 12. Combined schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.
NOTE: All public schools in the 2009–10 SSOCS sample are included in the estimates presented in this table. "At school" was defined for respondents to include activities happening in school buildings, on school grounds, on school buses, and at places that hold school-sponsored events or activities. Security staff includes security guards, security personnel, and sworn law enforcement officers. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding. Responses 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 (NCES), 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS).