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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 233.70. | Percentage of public schools with security staff present at least once a week, and percentage with security staff routinely carrying a firearm, by selected school characteristics: 2005–06 through 2019-20 |
| [Standard errors appear in parentheses] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| School characteristic | Percent with one or more security staff1 | Percent with any security staff routinely carrying a firearm2 | Percent with sworn law enforcement officers routinely carrying a firearm2 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–06 | 2007–08 | 2009–10 | 2013-143 | 2015-16 | 2017-18 | 2019-204 | 2005–06 | 2007–08 | 2009–10 | 2015–16 | 2017–18 | 2019-204 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 41.7 | (1.28) | 46.3 | (1.29) | 42.8 | (1.07) | 43.0 | (1.48) | 56.5 | (1.29) | 61.4 | (1.27) | 65.0 | (1.41) | 30.7 | (1.10) | 34.1 | (1.11) | 28.0 | (0.97) | 42.9 | (1.50) | 46.7 | (1.06) | 51.4 | (1.28) | ||||||||||||||
| School level | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elementary5 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 45.5 | (2.05) | 50.9 | (1.96) | 54.6 | (2.20) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 30.8 | (2.45) | 35.9 | (1.62) | 40.9 | (2.04) | ||||||||||||||
| Middle6 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 72.4 | (1.90) | 79.7 | (1.57) | 81.5 | (1.27) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 59.6 | (1.69) | 66.4 | (1.88) | 68.0 | (1.79) | ||||||||||||||
| Secondary/high7 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 76.3 | (2.16) | 78.8 | (1.84) | 84.4 | (1.76) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | 65.0 | (2.06) | 65.6 | (2.21) | 70.9 | (1.69) | ||||||||||||||
| Combined/other8 | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 47.0 | (8.65) | 53.1 | (4.76) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | --- | (†) | ‡ | (†) | 16.1 | ! | (5.52) | 39.1 | (4.24) | |||||||||||||
Enrollment size |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Less than 300 | 22.7 | (2.65) | 27.6 | (2.55) | 25.6 | (2.91) | 21.7 | (3.05) | 34.8 | (3.61) | 44.7 | (3.28) | 48.3 | (3.84) | 16.2 | (2.17) | 16.1 | (2.39) | 13.5 | (2.16) | 26.8 | (3.38) | 34.4 | (3.30) | 32.6 | (3.38) | ||||||||||||||
| 300 to 499 | 29.8 | (2.29) | 36.1 | (2.66) | 33.5 | (2.26) | 35.4 | (2.90) | 49.9 | (2.66) | 51.5 | (2.49) | 60.1 | (2.35) | 20.5 | (1.83) | 26.7 | (2.37) | 19.8 | (1.84) | 37.8 | (2.70) | 36.0 | (2.06) | 48.1 | (2.38) | ||||||||||||||
| 500 to 999 | 50.5 | (1.90) | 52.7 | (1.99) | 47.3 | (1.60) | 50.6 | (2.37) | 64.6 | (1.99) | 69.0 | (1.62) | 69.8 | (1.92) | 36.9 | (1.67) | 39.5 | (1.98) | 30.3 | (1.42) | 46.0 | (2.16) | 52.4 | (1.77) | 56.0 | (2.01) | ||||||||||||||
| 1,000 or more | 86.9 | (1.39) | 90.6 | (1.59) | 90.0 | (1.37) | 87.2 | (2.27) | 91.4 | (1.73) | 94.3 | (0.97) | 95.9 | (1.13) | 70.3 | (1.67) | 73.5 | (1.62) | 74.6 | (1.75) | 80.5 | (1.65) | 79.4 | (1.63) | 82.6 | (1.56) | ||||||||||||||
Locale |
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| City | 49.1 | (2.57) | 57.3 | (3.05) | 50.9 | (2.51) | 45.5 | (3.13) | 61.9 | (2.87) | 63.3 | (2.48) | 64.8 | (2.66) | 30.5 | (1.73) | 33.1 | (2.32) | 27.6 | (1.98) | 36.0 | (2.89) | 36.0 | (1.76) | 41.7 | (2.56) | ||||||||||||||
| Suburban | 42.7 | (1.67) | 45.4 | (2.08) | 45.4 | (1.90) | 47.7 | (2.70) | 57.9 | (2.30) | 63.3 | (1.78) | 67.8 | (1.92) | 32.2 | (1.51) | 33.7 | (1.94) | 29.6 | (1.45) | 44.6 | (2.28) | 51.0 | (1.89) | 55.6 | (2.06) | ||||||||||||||
| Town | 44.4 | (3.86) | 51.1 | (3.50) | 39.0 | (3.11) | 48.0 | (4.08) | 62.0 | (3.55) | 68.9 | (3.46) | 63.2 | (3.54) | 38.1 | (3.62) | 45.0 | (3.54) | 31.6 | (2.81) | 56.5 | (3.56) | 59.4 | (3.82) | 57.8 | (3.53) | ||||||||||||||
| Rural | 33.8 | (1.87) | 36.0 | (1.98) | 35.2 | (2.20) | 35.5 | (2.33) | 46.7 | (2.54) | 53.7 | (3.02) | 62.6 | (3.14) | 27.1 | (1.84) | 30.5 | (2.05) | 25.3 | (1.78) | 41.3 | (2.48) | 46.1 | (2.58) | 53.2 | (2.96) | ||||||||||||||
Percent minority enrollment9 |
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| 0 to 25 percent | 34.9 | (1.53) | 40.7 | (1.55) | 35.0 | (1.98) | --- | (†) | 51.1 | (2.36) | 58.3 | (2.34) | 64.4 | (2.31) | 27.6 | (1.33) | 34.3 | (1.54) | 25.9 | (1.56) | 45.6 | (2.31) | 52.5 | (2.06) | 57.1 | (2.31) | ||||||||||||||
| 26 to 50 percent | 42.4 | (2.64) | 44.9 | (3.16) | 42.8 | (2.21) | --- | (†) | 51.6 | (2.83) | 59.2 | (2.81) | 62.3 | (3.20) | 36.7 | (2.29) | 38.2 | (3.01) | 32.1 | (2.25) | 43.3 | (3.04) | 47.4 | (2.81) | 54.6 | (2.99) | ||||||||||||||
| 51 to 75 percent | 47.5 | (4.20) | 44.8 | (4.35) | 49.5 | (3.17) | --- | (†) | 62.9 | (3.61) | 61.5 | (4.04) | 65.4 | (3.23) | 34.3 | (3.12) | 31.7 | (3.07) | 33.4 | (2.97) | 47.3 | (3.29) | 48.1 | (3.87) | 49.6 | (3.22) | ||||||||||||||
| 76 to 100 percent | 53.9 | (3.12) | 62.3 | (3.14) | 54.5 | (2.89) | --- | (†) | 64.5 | (2.88) | 67.4 | (2.36) | 67.6 | (2.55) | 28.5 | (2.53) | 31.6 | (2.56) | 26.1 | (2.00) | 35.8 | (2.79) | 37.4 | (2.05) | 42.8 | (2.96) | ||||||||||||||
Percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 to 25 percent | 37.9 | (2.14) | 46.5 | (2.33) | 39.2 | (2.44) | 41.6 | 10 | (3.81) | 52.9 | (3.77) | 53.6 | (2.69) | 61.7 | (2.73) | 30.3 | (1.95) | 34.8 | (2.12) | 27.2 | (1.93) | 42.5 | (3.25) | 44.1 | (2.78) | 50.7 | (2.87) | |||||||||||||
| 26 to 50 percent | 42.1 | (2.08) | 40.8 | (2.52) | 40.0 | (1.68) | 39.6 | 10 | (3.10) | 50.8 | (2.89) | 64.7 | (2.69) | 61.8 | (2.95) | 33.8 | (1.78) | 35.2 | (2.02) | 30.3 | (1.59) | 41.3 | (2.61) | 55.4 | (2.95) | 53.1 | (2.68) | |||||||||||||
| 51 to 75 percent | 39.3 | (2.21) | 46.1 | (2.83) | 42.3 | (2.60) | 44.4 | 10 | (2.71) | 58.7 | (2.47) | 61.6 | (2.96) | 67.7 | (2.53) | 31.8 | (2.05) | 35.8 | (2.77) | 27.4 | (2.07) | 49.0 | (2.76) | 51.3 | (2.89) | 55.8 | (2.50) | |||||||||||||
| 76 to 100 percent | 49.8 | (2.73) | 55.0 | (3.68) | 49.8 | (2.76) | 45.8 | 10 | (3.24) | 62.2 | (2.62) | 63.4 | (2.01) | 67.3 | (2.67) | 25.6 | (2.17) | 29.7 | (2.68) | 26.8 | (2.32) | 38.9 | (3.04) | 38.2 | (1.79) | 46.6 | (2.81) | |||||||||||||
| ---Not available. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| †Not applicable. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| !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 Security staff include security guards/officers, security personnel, School Resource Officers (SROs), and sworn law enforcement officers who are not SROs. "Security guards/officers" and "security personnel" do not include law enforcement. SROs include all career law enforcement officers with arrest authority who have specialized training and are assigned to work in collaboration with school organizations. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2 Prior to 2015-16, the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) questionnaire asked respondents whether any of the security guards, security personnel, or sworn law enforcement officers at their school routinely carried a firearm. In 2015-16 and later years, the SSOCS questionnaire asked respondents only whether any of the sworn law enforcement officers (including SROs) at their school routinely carried a firearm; therefore, direct comparisons with earlier years should be avoided. Data on security staff routinely carrying a firearm were not collected in the 2013-14 Fast Response Survey System (FRSS). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 3 Data for 2013-14 were collected using the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS), while data for all other years were collected using the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS). The 2013-14 FRSS survey was designed to allow comparisons with SSOCS data. However, the mode of the 2013-14 FRSS survey differed from that of SSOCS, which evolved over time. Specifically, all respondents to the 2013-14 survey could choose either to complete the survey on paper (and mail it back) or to complete the survey online. All respondents to SSOCS had only the option of completing a paper survey prior to 2017-18. In 2017-18, SSOCS experimented with offering an online option to some respondents. In 2019-20, SSOCS switched to using primarily an online survey instrument. The 2013-14 FRSS survey also relied on a smaller sample than SSOCS. The FRSS survey's smaller sample size and difference in survey administration may have impacted the 2013-14 results. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 4 The coronavirus pandemic affected the 2019-20 data collection activities, while the change to virtual schooling and the adjusted school year may have impacted the data collected by SSOCS. Readers should use caution when comparing 2019-20 estimates with those from earlier years. For more information, see Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools in 2019–20: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety (NCES 2022-029). | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 5 Elementary schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades K through 4 than in higher grades. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 6 Middle schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades 5 through 8 than in higher or lower grades. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 7 Secondary/high schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades 9 through 12 than in lower grades. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 8 Combined/other schools include all other combinations of grades not specified in the Elementary, Middle, and Secondary/high categories, including K-12 schools. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 9 Percent combined enrollment of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native students, and students of Two or more races. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 10 Because the 2013-14 survey did not collect data on the percentage of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, the classification of schools by the percentage of eligible students was computed based on data obtained from the Common Core of Data. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| NOTE: Responses were provided by the principal or the person most knowledgeable about crime and safety issues at the school. Some data have been revised from previously published figures. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2005–06, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2015-16, 2017-18, and 2019-20 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2006, 2008, 2010, 2016, 2018, and 2020; Fast Response Survey System (FRSS), "School Safety and Discipline: 2013-14," FRSS 106, 2014; and Common Core of Data (CCD), "Public Elementary/Secondary School Universe Survey," 2013-14. (This table was prepared November 2021.) |
