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| 2021 Tables and Figures | All Years of Tables and Figures | Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest |
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| Table 210.10. | Percentage of teachers indicating that certain issues are serious problems in their schools, by level, locale, and control of school: Selected years, 1987-88 through 2015–16 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Control of school and issue | 1987-88 total | 1993-94 total | 1999-2000 total | 2003-04 total | 2007-08 total | 2011-12 total | 2015-16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | Level of school | Locale of school | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elementary schools1 | Secondary schools2 | Combined schools3 | City4 | Suburban | Town | Rural | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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 | (0.33) | 11.9 | (0.33) | 12.1 | (0.27) | 9.1 | (0.28) | 18.4 | (0.56) | 10.3 | (0.75) | 18.5 | (0.59) | 10.3 | (0.44) | 10.4 | (0.60) | 7.5 | (0.41) | |||||||||||
| Student absenteeism | 16.4 | (0.23) | 14.4 | (0.29) | 13.9 | (0.26) | 13.1 | (0.31) | 11.7 | (0.36) | 13.9 | (0.35) | 15.0 | (0.31) | 10.5 | (0.33) | 23.4 | (0.60) | 17.3 | (1.04) | 19.7 | (0.64) | 12.4 | (0.47) | 16.6 | (0.77) | 12.6 | (0.49) | |||||||||||
| Teacher absenteeism | 2.3 | (0.09) | 1.5 | (0.09) | 2.2 | (0.10) | 1.1 | (0.08) | 1.5 | (0.15) | 1.6 | (0.14) | 2.3 | (0.10) | 1.7 | (0.12) | 3.1 | (0.21) | 2.8 | (0.43) | 3.3 | (0.26) | 1.8 | (0.17) | 1.9 | (0.21) | 1.7 | (0.17) | |||||||||||
| Students cutting class | 5.9 | (0.16) | 5.1 | (0.12) | 4.7 | (0.12) | 5.5 | (0.23) | 4.0 | (0.20) | 4.9 | (0.22) | 4.9 | (0.21) | 1.3 | (0.11) | 11.7 | (0.48) | 5.8 | (0.64) | 8.0 | (0.48) | 4.0 | (0.31) | 4.7 | (0.49) | 2.4 | (0.25) | |||||||||||
| Physical conflicts among students | 5.8 | (0.18) | 8.2 | (0.25) | 4.8 | (0.19) | 12.1 | (0.29) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
Robbery or theft |
3.7 | (0.12) | 4.1 | (0.17) | 2.4 | (0.11) | 3.7 | (0.17) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Vandalism of school property | 6.1 | (0.15) | 6.7 | (0.23) | 3.4 | (0.15) | 3.7 | (0.16) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student pregnancy | 6.9 | (0.17) | 7.3 | (0.24) | 3.7 | (0.12) | 2.4 | (0.12) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student use of alcohol | 11.4 | (0.18) | 9.3 | (0.17) | 7.4 | (0.14) | 3.0 | (0.10) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student drug abuse | 8.0 | (0.14) | 5.7 | (0.14) | 6.0 | (0.11) | 4.5 | (0.14) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
Student possession of weapons |
1.7 | (0.06) | 2.8 | (0.12) | 0.8 | (0.06) | 0.5 | (0.05) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Verbal abuse of teachers | 8.1 | (0.21) | 11.1 | (0.26) | --- | (†) | 11.8 | (0.31) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student disrespect for teachers | --- | (†) | 18.5 | (0.35) | 17.2 | (0.34) | 21.6 | (0.45) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Students dropping out | --- | (†) | 5.8 | (0.16) | 4.6 | (0.11) | 3.3 | (0.13) | 3.5 | (0.19) | 3.1 | (0.17) | 2.2 | (0.12) | 0.6 | (0.06) | 4.8 | (0.29) | 3.9 | (0.48) | 3.3 | (0.30) | 1.5 | (0.16) | 2.5 | (0.28) | 1.6 | (0.17) | |||||||||||
| Student apathy | --- | (†) | 23.6 | (0.35) | 20.6 | (0.30) | 16.6 | (0.34) | 16.5 | (0.45) | 20.0 | (0.44) | 18.3 | (0.32) | 12.3 | (0.34) | 29.4 | (0.52) | 20.9 | (0.99) | 21.2 | (0.67) | 15.9 | (0.51) | 20.9 | (0.86) | 17.2 | (0.57) | |||||||||||
Lack of parental involvement |
--- | (†) | 27.6 | (0.45) | 23.7 | (0.36) | 21.6 | (0.42) | 19.5 | (0.49) | 24.6 | (0.54) | 21.5 | (0.36) | 19.9 | (0.47) | 24.3 | (0.59) | 23.5 | (1.21) | 26.9 | (0.76) | 17.8 | (0.61) | 23.7 | (0.76) | 19.5 | (0.61) | |||||||||||
| Poverty | --- | (†) | 19.5 | (0.52) | 19.2 | (0.43) | 21.4 | (0.45) | 22.1 | (0.59) | 29.0 | (0.59) | 29.3 | (0.41) | 30.0 | (0.57) | 27.5 | (0.72) | 32.1 | (1.39) | 37.5 | (0.88) | 20.6 | (0.68) | 37.3 | (1.04) | 29.2 | (0.81) | |||||||||||
| Students come unprepared to learn | --- | (†) | 28.8 | (0.39) | 29.5 | (0.36) | 26.8 | (0.46) | 24.2 | (0.56) | 30.2 | (0.59) | 27.4 | (0.37) | 25.0 | (0.46) | 31.8 | (0.71) | 28.1 | (1.30) | 34.0 | (0.79) | 22.4 | (0.61) | 31.0 | (0.84) | 25.0 | (0.68) | |||||||||||
| Poor student health | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 3.3 | (0.20) | 5.0 | (0.25) | 5.2 | (0.15) | 5.4 | (0.21) | 4.7 | (0.24) | 6.7 | (0.60) | 7.8 | (0.34) | 3.9 | (0.23) | 5.6 | (0.38) | 3.9 | (0.24) | |||||||||||
Private schools |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Student tardiness | 3.6 | (0.38) | 2.6 | (0.23) | 2.9 | (0.21) | 2.8 | (0.40) | 2.5 | (0.28) | 3.8 | (0.59) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student absenteeism | 3.7 | (0.39) | 2.2 | (0.19) | 2.5 | (0.22) | 1.9 | (0.23) | 2.0 | (0.23) | 3.0 | (0.34) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||||||||||
| Teacher absenteeism | 0.8 | (0.13) | 0.8 | (0.10) | 0.8 | (0.11) | ‡ | (†) | 0.5 | (0.13) | 0.5 | (0.12) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Students cutting class | 0.9 | (0.16) | 0.7 | (0.11) | 0.8 | (0.12) | 0.5 | (0.11) | 0.5 | ! | (0.18) | 0.7 | (0.20) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ||||||||||
| Physical conflicts among students | 1.3 | (0.19) | 1.5 | (0.15) | 1.0 | (0.18) | 2.4 | (0.31) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
Robbery or theft |
1.3 | (0.18) | 0.8 | (0.10) | 0.9 | (0.11) | 0.4 | (0.10) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| 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) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student drug abuse | 1.8 | (0.24) | 1.3 | (0.15) | 1.8 | (0.14) | 1.1 | (0.25) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
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) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Student disrespect for teachers | --- | (†) | 3.4 | (0.27) | 3.8 | (0.31) | 5.1 | (0.37) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Students dropping out | --- | (†) | 0.6 | (0.09) | 0.5 | (0.10) | 0.3 | ! | (0.09) | 0.4 | ! | (0.20) | 0.3 | ! | (0.13) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ||||||||
| Student apathy | --- | (†) | 4.5 | (0.28) | 4.3 | (0.29) | 3.0 | (0.39) | 3.9 | (0.34) | 3.6 | (0.38) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
Lack of parental involvement |
--- | (†) | 4.0 | (0.26) | 3.4 | (0.30) | 2.5 | (0.37) | 2.5 | (0.24) | 2.7 | (0.32) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Poverty | --- | (†) | 2.7 | (0.23) | 2.1 | (0.21) | 2.2 | (0.26) | 2.0 | (0.21) | 2.6 | (0.33) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Students come unprepared to learn | --- | (†) | 4.1 | (0.28) | 4.9 | (0.36) | 3.5 | (0.30) | 3.6 | (0.34) | 3.9 | (0.41) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| Poor student health | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 0.7 | (0.13) | 0.8 | (0.21) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | |||||||||||
| ---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 Elementary schools are those with any of grades kindergarten through grade 6 and none of grades 9 through 12. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Secondary schools have any of grades 7 through 12, and none of grades kindergarten through grade 6. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Combined schools have both elementary and secondary grades, or have all students in ungraded classrooms. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 Interpret 2015-16 data collected from city teachers with caution. After nonresponse adjustments, the nonresponse bias for this category is greater than for other characteristics. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Private schools were not included in NTPS data collection for the 2015–16 cycle. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 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; and National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), "Public School Teacher Data File," 2015-16. (This table was prepared April 2021.) |
