Table 83.

Percentage of teachers indicating that certain issues are serious problems in their schools and that certain problems occur daily, by level and control of school: Selected years, 1987-88 through 2007–08

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Control of school and issue	Percent of teachers indicating issue is a serious problem																											Percent of teachers indicating problem occurs daily, 2003-041
	1987-88 total		1993-94 total		1999-2000 total		2003-04									2007-08												Total2		Elementary schools		Secondary schools
							Total2			Elementary schools			Secondary schools			Total			Elementary schools			Secondary schools			Combined schools
1	2		3		4		5			6			7			8			9			10			11			12		13		14
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	3.7	(0.17)	2.8	(0.22)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	3.6	(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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	3.1	(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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	4.5	(0.14)	0.5	(0.11)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	21.6	(0.45)	18.5	(0.61)	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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
Racial tension	—	(†)	—	(†)	—	(†)	2.4		(0.15)	1.8		(0.19)	3.9		(0.22)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	2.4	(0.15)	1.8	(0.19)	3.9		(0.22)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
Teacher absenteeism	0.8	(0.13)	0.8	(0.10)	0.8	(0.11)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	0.5		(0.13)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	1.0	!	(0.32)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
Students cutting class	0.9	(0.16)	0.7	(0.11)	0.8	(0.12)	0.5		(0.11)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	0.5		(0.09)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
Physical conflicts among students	1.3	(0.19)	1.5	(0.15)	1.0	(0.18)	2.4		(0.31)	2.7		(0.55)	‡		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	2.3	(0.33)	2.6	(0.58)	1.0	!	(0.35)
Robbery or theft	1.3	(0.18)	0.8	(0.10)	0.9	(0.11)	0.4		(0.10)	‡		(†)	1.3	!	(0.40)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	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)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	0.5	(0.11)	‡	(†)	0.8	!	(0.28)
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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	1.1	(0.26)	#	(†)	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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	2.4	(0.40)	1.2	(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)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	5.1	(0.37)	3.6	(0.56)	6.3		(1.05)
Students dropping out	—	(†)	0.6	(0.09)	0.5	(0.10)	0.3	!	(0.09)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
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)	—	(†)	—	(†)	—		(†)
Racial tension	—	(†)	—	(†)	—	(†)	0.4		(0.08)	‡		(†)	‡		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	—		(†)	0.4	(0.08)	‡	(†)	0.9	!	(0.36)

—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. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.

1 Only the 2003-04 survey included questions about how often problems occurred.

2 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. Some data may have been revised from previously published figures.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS), "Public Teacher Questionnaire," selected years, 1987-88 through 2007-08; "Private Teacher Questionnaire," selected years, 1987-88 through 2007-08; and "Charter Teacher Questionnaire," 1999-2000. (This table was prepared February 2011.)