Evidence · School safety
How safe are America's schools? What the federal data shows
Crime, weapons, bullying and mental health support in U.S. schools, from the government's annual safety report.
The short answer
Crime against students at school fell by more than half over the decade to 2022, and bullying dropped. But schools recorded more firearms than in any year of the decade, 2022 brought the second-highest casualty count from active shooters since 2000, and fewer schools offered mental health care.
Crime at school fell over the decade
The federal Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety tracks school safety every year. Nonfatal crimes against students ages 12 to 18 at school fell from 52 per 1,000 students in 2012 to 22 in 2022. The share of students who reported bullying fell from 28% in 2010-11 to 19% in 2021-22.
Weapons and shootings rose
Public schools reported 10 firearm possessions per 100,000 students in 2021-22, the highest rate in the past decade. Earlier years ranged from 2 to 7. Schools had 4 active shooter incidents in 2022 with 52 casualties, the second-highest count since 2000.
Support services shrank
Fewer public schools offered mental health care in 2021-22 than before the pandemic. 49% provided mental health diagnosis, down from 55% in 2019-20, and 38% provided treatment, down from 42%. The share of schools with armed sworn officers fell from 51% to 45%.
What you can do now
- Ask your school for its safety plan, how it handles threats and how it informs parents after an incident.
- Ask how the school reports and responds to bullying, including online bullying.
- Ask what mental health support the school offers and how a parent can request it.
- Attend school board meetings when safety policies are on the agenda.
Related
We update this page as new data comes out. If you see an error, please contact us.