Table 1. Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of crime that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by incident type and selected school characteristics: School year 2009

School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS)

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Table 1. Number and percentage of public schools reporting incidents of crime that occurred at school, the number of incidents, and the rate of incidents per 1,000 students, by incident type and selected school characteristics: School year 2009–10


		Violent incidents¹					Serious violent incidents²						Theft³				Other incidents⁴
School characteristic	Total number of schools	Number of schools	Percent of schools		Number of incidents	Rate per 1,000 students	Number of schools	Percent of schools	Number of incidents		Rate per 1,000 students		Number of schools	Percent of schools	Number of incidents	Rate per 1,000 students	Number of schools	Percent of schools	Number of incidents	Rate per 1,000 students
All public schools	82,800	61,100	73.8		1,183,700	25.0	13,600	16.5	52,500		1.1		36,500	44.1	258,500	5.5	56,400	68.1	434,700	9.2

Level⁵
Primary	48,900	31,500	64.4		482,100	21.3	6,400	13.0	21,900		1.0		12,600	25.7	41,700	1.8	28,000	57.3	101,900	4.5
Middle	15,300	13,800	90.5		375,200	40.0	2,900	19.0	13,600		1.5		9,900	65.2	69,000	7.4	12,500	81.9	104,000	11.1
High school	12,200	11,100	90.9		264,400	21.4	3,400	27.7	13,500		1.1		10,100	82.6	125,000	10.1	11,300	92.2	200,100	16.2
Combined	6,400	4,700	73.7		62,000	20.8	1,000	15.5	‡		‡		3,800	60.5	22,700	7.6	4,600	72.5	28,800	9.7

Enrollment size
Less than 300	18,900	11,800	62.8		111,300	27.2	2,000	10.4	6,100	!	1.5	!	5,800	30.7	21,400	5.2	10,400	55.3	36,600	8.9
300–499	25,200	18,000	71.3		274,300	26.5	4,000	15.7	14,200		1.4		9,200	36.4	40,900	3.9	15,900	63.3	71,100	6.9
500–999	29,800	22,800	76.4		487,900	25.0	4,800	16.0	16,400		0.8		13,900	46.7	81,800	4.2	21,600	72.5	134,600	6.9
1,000 or more	8,900	8,500	95.4		310,100	23.2	2,900	33.0	15,700		1.2		7,600	84.9	114,500	8.6	8,400	94.3	192,500	14.4

Urbanicity
City	21,500	16,100	74.9		396,300	28.8	4,700	21.8	17,400		1.3		10,200	47.6	85,400	6.2	15,800	73.5	160,200	11.7
Suburb	23,800	17,500	73.5		371,000	22.4	3,700	15.6	16,200		1.0		10,300	43.1	81,000	4.9	15,800	66.1	133,200	8.0
Town	12,100	9,700	80.3		166,300	28.2	1,900	15.6	6,300		1.1		5,600	46.2	33,400	5.7	8,900	74.1	55,100	9.3
Rural	25,300	17,800	70.2		250,100	22.5	3,400	13.2	12,600		1.1		10,400	41.1	58,700	5.3	15,900	62.6	86,200	7.8

Crime level where students live⁶
High	5,900	5,400	91.5		175,500	45.4	1,800	30.1	10,300		2.7		3,300	55.7	26,500	6.9	4,900	83.4	61,400	15.9
Moderate	18,400	14,800	80.3		344,300	33.4	3,700	19.8	14,300		1.4		9,000	49.0	69,700	6.8	13,600	73.9	117,600	11.4
Low	47,700	32,600	68.4		446,800	17.1	5,900	12.3	21,800		0.8		18,600	38.9	117,000	4.5	29,800	62.4	185,400	7.1
Mixed	10,700	8,200	77.3		217,100	30.9	2,300	21.5	6,000		0.9		5,600	52.4	45,200	6.4	8,100	75.6	70,400	10.0

Percent of combined Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native students
Less than 5 percent	11,700	8,200	69.6		108,500	23.3	1,500	12.4	5,400	!	1.2	!	4,800	40.8	22,700	4.9	6,900	59.0	34,200	7.4
5 to less than 20 percent	20,900	14,200	67.9		192,800	17.2	2,100	10.0	6,500		0.6		8,000	38.3	53,300	4.8	12,800	61.2	79,800	7.1
20 to less than 50 percent	20,000	15,200	75.9		293,600	23.1	3,700	18.7	15,200		1.2		9,200	46.2	74,400	5.8	13,900	69.7	113,000	8.9
50 percent or more	30,100	23,600	78.2		588,800	31.4	6,300	21.1	25,300		1.4		14,500	48.0	108,100	5.8	22,800	75.5	207,700	11.1

Percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch
0–20 percent	13,600	8,400	61.7		109,600	11.5	1,500	10.7	5,900		0.6		5,200	38.0	41,400	4.4	7,500	54.8	59,900	6.3
21–50 percent	26,200	19,600	74.6		322,500	20.8	4,000	15.4	13,300		0.9		12,800	48.8	95,900	6.2	17,700	67.3	141,600	9.1
More than 50 percent	42,900	33,200	77.2		751,600	33.6	8,100	18.9	33,200		1.5		18,500	43.1	121,200	5.4	31,300	72.9	233,200	10.4

Percent of students below 15th percentile on standardized tests
0–5 percent	33,100	22,000	66.4		323,500	17.7	4,600	13.8	16,600		0.9		12,500	37.9	76,900	4.2	20,200	61.0	126,500	6.9
6–15 percent	29,900	23,300	78.0		428,500	24.2	4,800	16.1	16,400		0.9		14,300	47.7	103,700	5.8	21,500	71.8	165,000	9.3
More than 15 percent	19,800	15,800	80.0		431,600	38.1	4,200	21.4	19,400		1.7		9,700	49.0	77,900	6.9	14,700	74.6	143,300	12.7

Percent of students likely to attend college
0–35 percent	18,300	13,800	75.7		359,500	39.0	3,000	16.5	13,000		1.4		8,100	44.4	55,700	6.0	12,900	70.6	112,900	12.2
36–60 percent	23,600	18,900	80.3		380,400	30.1	4,400	18.8	14,200		1.1		10,500	44.4	74,700	5.9	17,500	74.2	122,100	9.7
More than 60 percent	40,900	28,300	69.3		443,800	17.4	6,200	15.1	25,300		1.0		17,900	43.7	128,100	5.0	26,000	63.6	199,700	7.8

Percent of students who consider academic achievement important
0–25 percent	4,700	3,400	72.8		81,400	35.5	900	18.7	2,800		1.2		2,300	48.8	17,100	7.5	3,200	67.7	33,700	14.7
26–50 percent	12,200	9,800	80.8		238,100	35.2	2,400	19.5	8,800		1.3		6,600	54.2	50,900	7.5	9,500	78.0	86,400	12.8
51–75 percent	23,300	19,100	82.2		388,700	30.4	4,100	17.7	12,000		0.9		10,900	46.8	74,500	5.8	17,200	74.0	127,900	10.0
More than 75 percent	42,600	28,700	67.4		475,500	18.7	6,300	14.7	28,900		1.1		16,700	39.2	116,100	4.6	26,500	62.2	186,700	7.3

Percent male enrollment
0–44 percent	8,300	6,000	71.4		94,400	22.2	1,300	15.7	6,300	!	1.5		3,200	38.1	16,600	3.9	5,200	62.4	31,100	7.3
45–55 percent	66,000	49,800	75.4		1,013,100	25.7	11,500	17.5	44,200		1.1		30,500	46.2	229,200	5.8	45,800	69.4	372,600	9.5
More than 55 percent	8,400	5,400	63.9		76,100	20.4	800	9.2	2,000		0.5		2,800	33.7	12,700	3.4	5,400	64.0	31,000	8.3

Student-to-FTE ratio⁷
Less than 12 students	12,300	8,600	69.7		118,000	28.1	1,600	13.3	5,300		1.3		5,600	45.2	24,500	5.8	8,100	66.2	41,700	10.0
12–16 students	32,600	24,500	75.3		470,600	27.0	5,200	16.0	19,500		1.1		14,200	43.5	90,200	5.2	22,100	67.7	145,300	8.3
More than 16 students	37,900	28,000	73.9		595,100	23.2	6,800	17.9	27,700		1.1		16,700	44.2	143,800	5.6	26,200	69.2	247,700	9.6

Number of classroom changes ⁸
0–3 changes	18,900	10,700	56.7		144,000	16.0	2,300	12.1	7,300		0.8		4,000	20.9	14,900	1.7	10,500	55.5	47,500	5.3
4–6 changes	37,200	28,100	75.4		547,900	24.9	5,900	15.7	20,300		0.9		16,500	44.2	126,200	5.7	25,700	68.9	214,000	9.7
More than 6 changes	26,600	22,300	83.9		491,800	30.0	5,500	20.6	24,900		1.5		16,100	60.4	117,400	7.2	20,300	76.2	173,200	10.6

Regular use of law enforcement ⁹
Regular use	35,400	29,500	83.3		772,100	28.9	7,800	22.1	35,500		1.3		21,300	60.2	198,800	7.4	28,400	80.2	314,900	11.8
No regular use	47,400	31,600	66.7		411,600	19.9	5,800	12.2	16,900		0.8		15,200	32.0	59,700	2.9	28,000	59.1	119,800	5.8

Number of serious discipline problems¹⁰
No problems	59,800	40,100	67.0		554,500	17.3	7,800	13.0	22,200		0.7		22,400	37.4	129,600	4.0	37,200	62.2	226,300	7.1
1 problem	14,000	12,400	88.8		278,500	31.3	3,200	22.8	14,200		1.6		8,200	58.8	63,800	7.2	11,400	81.4	100,700	11.3
2 problems	4,200	4,000	95.6		141,400	47.0	900	22.0	6,500	!	2.2	!	2,800	65.9	26,000	8.6	3,700	87.4	40,600	13.5
3 or more problems	4,800	4,600	96.2		209,300	61.3	1,700	35.9	9,500		2.8		3,100	65.0	39,100	11.5	4,200	87.1	67,000	19.6

Transfers as a percentage of enrollment¹¹
Less than 6 percent	20,100	12,800	63.7		165,200	14.7	2,300	11.2	7,700		0.7		7,500	37.3	46,000	4.1	11,800	58.8	68,500	6.1
6 to less than 11 percent	18,600	13,300	71.6		210,800	20.2	3,500	19.1	11,700		1.1		8,200	44.4	57,800	5.5	13,000	69.8	91,200	8.8
11 to less than 21 percent	22,400	17,100	76.1		323,900	24.2	3,800	17.1	12,100		0.9		10,800	48.0	78,900	5.9	16,300	72.5	129,800	9.7
21 percent or more	21,700	18,000	82.7		483,700	39.2	4,000	18.4	20,900		1.7		10,000	46.0	75,800	6.1	15,400	70.8	145,200	11.8

Prevalence of schoolwide disruptions¹²
No disruptions	78,500	57,300	73.1		1,095,100	24.7	12,500	15.9	48,500		1.1		33,700	42.9	230,300	5.2	52,700	67.1	382,600	8.6
Any disruptions	4,300	3,800	88.2		88,600	29.7	1,100	26.1	4,000		1.3		2,800	64.9	28,200	9.4	3,700	86.9	52,100	17.4

Percent of students absent on a daily basis
0–2 percent	5,400	3,200	58.8		54,600	18.5	700	12.5	4,600	!	1.6		1,800	34.2	15,600	5.3	3,000	55.0	17,500	5.9
3–5 percent	48,300	34,200	70.7		569,100	21.5	6,200	12.8	22,100		0.8		18,600	38.4	109,000	4.1	30,400	62.9	190,200	7.2
6–10 percent	24,700	20,500	83.0		475,700	31.4	6,000	24.4	21,300		1.4		13,700	55.4	110,500	7.3	19,900	80.7	190,700	12.6
More than 10 percent	4,400	3,300	75.1		84,300	30.3	800	17.3	4,500	!	1.6		2,400	55.4	23,400	8.4	3,100	71.8	36,300	13.0

Prevalence of violent incidents¹³
No violent incidents	21,700	‡	‡		‡	‡	‡	‡	‡		‡		3,100	14.4	11,500	1.3	8,300	38.4	22,900	2.5
Any violent incidents	61,100	61,100	100	¹⁴	1,183,700	30.9	13,600	22.3	52,500		1.4		33,400	54.6	247,000	6.5	48,100	78.7	411,900	10.8
!Interpret data with caution. The standard error for this estimate is from 30 percent to 50 percent of the estimate’s value.
‡Reporting standards not met. The standard error represents more than 50 percent of the estimate.
¹Violent incidents include rape or attempted rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with or without a weapon, threat of physical attack with or without a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.
²Serious violent incidents include rape or attempted rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with a weapon, threat of physical attack with a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.
³Theft or larceny (taking things worth over $10 without personal confrontation) was defined for respondents as "the unlawful taking of another person's property without personal confrontation, threat, violence, or bodily harm. This includes pocket picking, stealing a purse or backpack (if left unattended or no force was used to take it from owner), theft from a building, theft from a motor vehicle or of motor vehicle parts or accessories, theft of a bicycle, theft from a vending machine, and all other types of thefts."
⁴Other incidents include possession of a firearm or explosive device; possession of a knife or sharp object; distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs or alcohol; and vandalism.
⁵Primary 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.
⁶Respondents were asked, "How would you describe the crime level in the area(s) in which your students live?" Response options included "high level of crime," "moderate level of crime," "low level of crime," and "students come from areas with very different levels of crime."
⁷Student-to-FTE ratio was calculated by dividing the total number of students enrolled in the school by the total number of full-time-equivalent teachers and aides. The total number of full-time-equivalent teachers and aides is a combination of the full-time and part-time teachers and aides, including special education teachers and aides, with an adjustment to compensate for the part-time status.
⁸Respondents were asked, "How many classroom changes do most students make in a typical day?" Responses exclude morning arrival and afternoon departure.
⁹Respondents were asked, "During the 2009–10 school year, did you have any security guards, security personnel, or sworn law enforcement officers present at your school at least once a week?"
¹⁰Serious discipline problems include student racial/ethnic tensions, student bullying, student sexual harassment of other students, student verbal abuse of teachers, widespread disorder in classrooms, student acts of disrespect for teachers other than verbal abuse, gang activities, and cult or extremist group activities. If a respondent reported that any of these problems occurred daily or weekly in their school, each was counted once in the total number of serious discipline problems.
¹¹Transfers as a percentage of enrollment combines the number of students who were transferred to a school and the number of students who were transferred from a school divided by the total number of students enrolled in the school.
¹²Schoolwide disruptions include actions that disrupted school activities such as death threats, bomb threats, and chemical, biological, or radiological threats. Respondents were instructed to exclude all fire alarms, including false alarms.
¹³Violent incidents include rape or attempted rape, sexual battery other than rape, physical attack or fight with or without a weapon, threat of physical attack with or without a weapon, and robbery with or without a weapon.
¹⁴Rounds to 100.
NOTE: "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. 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, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2009–10 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS).

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