School crime is declining overall, with some exceptions

Key Points:

• According to a report by the U.S. Department of Education, instances of crime on K-12 campuses, including student altercations and assaults on teachers, saw a significant decrease in the decade leading up to 2022.

• The percentage of high school students carrying weapons like guns or knives on campus dropped from 5% in 2011 to 3% in 2021, while reports of bullying among students aged 12-18 also decreased from 28% in 2010-11 to 19% in 2021-22.

• However, the report raised concerns about gun violence, noting a rise in student firearm possessions in the 2021-22 school year compared to the previous decade. Additionally, in 2022, four active shooter incidents resulted in 52 casualties, the second-highest number since 2000.

Expert Analysis:

“This report underscores the complex trends in school crime and safety,” stated Peggy Carr, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics. Carr emphasized the report’s value in providing relevant data to policymakers, educators, and the public regarding the challenges within the education sector.

The National Center for Education Statistics released this report as part of its annual series on school safety, in collaboration with the U.S Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Statistics.

While overall school crime victimization declined over the past decade, specific data on gun violence at K-12 campuses remains worrisome. The report highlighted that between 2000 and 2022, 50 active shooter incidents resulted in 328 casualties, with nearly half occurring between 2018 and 2022.

Active shooter incidents, as defined by NCES, involve individuals actively attempting to harm people in a public area.

<