How many high schools in the us have protection policies

Question:
What safety and security measures are used in America's public schools?

Schools use a variety of practices and procedures to promote the safety of students, faculty, and staff. 1 The School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) collects data on school safety and security practices by asking public school principals about their school�s use of safety and security measures, 2 as well as whether their school had written procedures for responding to selected scenarios and whether it had emergency drills for students. SSOCS also asks schools about the presence of security staff and the availability of trainings for classroom teachers or aides on school safety and discipline provided by the school or school district.

In 2021–22, SSOCS asked public schools about 20 safety and security measures. Of these, 10 were reported as being used by more than half of schools. These commonly used measures were generally related to either controlling access to the school during school hours or using communication systems and technology. The most commonly reported safety and security measures (reported by more than 90 percent of schools) were

• controlling access to school buildings during school hours (97 percent);
• requiring visitors to sign or check in and wear badges (97 percent); and
• using security cameras to monitor the school (93 percent).

The 10 safety measures reported in SSOCS by less than half of schools tended to focus on student conduct (for more information, see Digest of Education Statistics, table 233.65). For example, the least commonly reported measures (reported by less than 10 percent of schools) were

• metal detector checks on students every day (2 percent);
• requiring clear book bags or banning book bags on school grounds (4 percent); and
• random metal detector checks on students (6 percent).

Of the 20 safety and security measures asked about in 2021–22, all but 2 were also asked about in 2009–10. Of the measures asked about in both survey years, 10 were reported by a higher percentage of public schools in 2021–22 than in 2009–10 (including 7 of the 10 measures reported by more than half of schools). The largest increases over this period were for

• using security cameras to monitor the school (from 61 to 93 percent); and
• providing a structured anonymous threat reporting system 3 (from 36 to 62 percent).

Of the 18 measures with data for both 2009–10 and 2021–22, six were reported by a lower percentage of public schools in 2021–22 than in 2009–10 (including 2 of the 10 measures reported by more than half of schools). The largest reductions over this period were for

• enforcing a strict dress code (decreased from 57 to 37 percent); and
• prohibiting nonacademic use of cell phones or smartphones 4 (from 91 to 76 percent), although there was no consistent trend throughout the period.

Public schools� use of various safety and security measures differed by school characteristics during the 2021–22 school year. For example, greater percentages of elementary schools and middle schools than of secondary/high schools reported

• controlling access to school buildings (98 and 97 percent vs. 94 percent);
• requiring faculty and staff to wear badges or picture IDs (75 and 71 percent vs. 60 percent); and
• requiring students to wear uniforms (18 and 16 percent vs. 9 percent).

In contrast, greater percentages of secondary/high schools and middle schools than of elementary schools reported

• using security cameras to monitor the school (97 and 96 percent vs. 91 percent);
• conducting random sweeps for contraband (54 and 39 percent vs. 8 percent);
• enforcing a strict dress code (38 and 49 percent vs. 32 percent);
• requiring students to wear badges or picture IDs (15 and 14 percent vs. 6 percent);
• conducting random metal detector checks (14 and 10 percent vs. 2 percent);
• conducting daily metal detector checks (6 and 4 percent vs. less than 1 percent); and
• requiring book bags to be clear or banning them (5 and 6 percent vs. 2 percent).

Public schools� use of various safety and security measures also differed by the racial/ethnic composition of their student body. For instance, schools where 25 percent or less of the students were students of color 5 reported the following safety and security measures at lower rates than did schools with higher percentages of students of color (26 to 50 percent, 51 to 75 percent, or 76 to 100 percent):

• controlling access to school grounds (47 percent vs. 60, 60, and 79 percent, respectively)
• requiring students to wear badges or picture IDs (3 percent vs. 8, 14, and 15 percent, respectively)
• requiring students to wear uniforms (2 percent vs. 8, 12, and 43 percent, respectively)

In contrast, schools where 25 percent or less of the students were students of color reported conducting random sweeps for contraband (30 percent) at a higher rate than did schools with higher percentages of students of color (18, 21, and 20 percent, respectively).

1 For general technical notes related to data analysis, data interpretation, rounding, and other considerations, please refer to the Condition of Education Reader�s Guide. 2 In addition to data from the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), this Fast Fact uses 2013–14 data from the Fast Response Survey System (FRSS) for select trend analyses. 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 and 2021–22, 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.
3 For example, a system for reporting threats through online submission, telephone hotline, or written submission via drop box.
4 Prior to 2017–18, the questionnaire asked about prohibiting the �use of cell phones and text messaging devices during school hours.� It did not refer to �nonacademic� use or �smartphones.�
5 Students of color include those who are American Indian/Alaska Native, Asian, Black, Hispanic, Pacific Islander, or of Two or more races.

SOURCE: National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Safety and Security Practices at Public Schools. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved July 25, 2024, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/a19.

Related Tables and Figures: (Listed by Release Date)

• 2024, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 233.50. Percentage of public schools with various safety and security measures: Selected years, 1999�2000 through 2021�22
  
• 2024, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 233.65. Percentage of public schools with a written plan for procedures to be performed in selected scenarios and percentage that have drilled students on the use of selected emergency procedures: Selected school years, 2003�04 through 2021�22
  
• 2024, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, 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 2021�22
  
• 2024, Digest of Education Statistics 2023, Table 233.80. Percentage of students ages 12�18 who reported various security measures at school: Selected years, 1998-99 through 2021-22
  
• 2021, The Condition of Education 2021: Students� Reports of Safety and Security Measures Observed at School
  

Other Resources: (Listed by Release Date)

• 2024, Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools: Findings From the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2021-22
  
• 2024, Report on Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2023
  
• 2021, Crime and Safety Surveys (CSS): This site provides access to publications and data on school crime and safety.
  
• 2020, Policies Outlining the Role of Sworn Law Enforcement Officers in Public Schools
  
• 2019, NCES Blog: New Data Available on Crime and Safety in Public Schools
  
• 2018, NCES Blog: What Are Threat Assessment Teams and How Prevalent Are They in Public Schools?