Skip Navigation

Table 14.  Number and percentage of public high schools reporting the use of any serious disciplinary action, and the percentage distribution of serious disciplinary actions used by schools, by selected offenses: School year 2003–04


Offense Schools using any serious disciplinary action1   Percentage distribution of serious
disciplinary actions used by schools1
Number
of schools
Percent
of schools
Number of
actions taken
Number of
actions taken
per 1,000 students
  Removals with no
services for at least the
remainder of school year
Transfers to
specialized schools2
Out-of-school
suspensions
lasting 5 or more days
Total offenses  9,109 84 294,993 25.4   5 23 73
                 
Use or possession of a firearm or explosive device3  1,179 11 6,305 0.5   8 15 77
Use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm3,4  4,105 38 13,073 1.1   12 40 48
Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs  7,178 66 58,704 5.0   10 35 54
Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol  4,717 44 18,899 1.6   5 22 73
Physical attacks or fights5  7,047 65 106,128 9.1   3 17 80
Insubordination6  4,783 44 91,884 7.9   2 19 79
1 Serious disciplinary actions include removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder of the school year, transfers to specialized schools for disciplinary reasons, and out-of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days, but less than the remainder of the school year.
2 Specialized school was defined for respondents as "a school that is specifically for students who were referred for disciplinary reasons. The school may also have students who were referred for other reasons. The school may be at the same location as your school."
3 Firearm or explosive device was defined for respondents as "any weapon that is designed to (or may readily be converted to) expel a projectile by the action of an explosive. This includes guns, bombs, grenades, mines, rockets, missiles, pipe bombs, or similar devices designed to explode and capable of causing bodily harm or property damage."
4 Weapon was defined for respondents as "any instrument or object used with the intent to threaten, injure, or kill. Includes look-alikes if they are used to threaten others."
5 Physical attack or fight was defined for respondents as "an actual and intentional touching or striking of another person against his or her will, or the intentional causing of bodily harm to an individual."
6 Insubordination was defined for respondents as "a deliberate and inexcusable defiance of or refusal to obey a school rule, authority, or a reasonable order. It includes but is not limited to direct defiance of school authority, failure to attend assigned detention or on-campus supervision, failure to respond to a call slip, and physical or verbal intimidation or abuse."
NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100 percent 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, School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2004.