Table 233.12.

Percentage of public schools that took a serious disciplinary action in response to specific offenses, by type of offense and selected school characteristics: 2019-20

[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
School characteristic	Total, at least one action1			Type of offense
				Physical attacks or fights			Distribution, possession, or use of alcohol			Distribution, possession, or use of illegal drugs			Use or possession of a firearm or explosive device			Use or possession of a weapon other than a firearm or explosive device
1	2			3			4			5			6			7
Total	35.4		(1.06)	24.0		(0.89)	8.0		(0.39)	19.5		(0.65)	2.4		(0.35)	10.0		(0.61)
School level2
Elementary	15.5		(1.48)	10.2		(1.20)	1.0	!	(0.36)	2.5		(0.65)	0.9	!	(0.42)	4.2		(0.76)
Middle	61.4		(1.91)	41.4		(1.69)	15.3		(1.09)	35.7		(1.61)	3.0		(0.57)	19.0		(1.56)
Secondary/high	73.5		(1.72)	50.6		(1.82)	23.0		(1.09)	58.0		(1.81)	6.9		(0.81)	20.6		(1.68)
Combined/other	32.5		(4.58)	21.9		(4.14)	6.4	!	(2.70)	14.5		(3.25)	‡		(†)	6.0	!	(2.57)
Enrollment size
Less than 300	20.1		(2.15)	12.4		(1.75)	2.5	!	(0.80)	8.7		(1.47)	‡		(†)	4.5		(1.19)
300 to 499	28.3		(1.86)	18.5		(1.56)	4.1		(0.61)	11.3		(1.18)	1.9	!	(0.72)	7.1		(1.32)
500 to 999	38.8		(1.70)	25.8		(1.54)	8.5		(0.63)	20.7		(0.99)	1.5		(0.33)	11.1		(1.06)
1,000 or more	75.1		(1.52)	56.3		(1.63)	28.2		(1.67)	60.6		(1.52)	8.8		(1.03)	26.0		(1.49)
Locale
City	38.6		(1.75)	27.3		(1.79)	6.7		(0.71)	20.3		(1.38)	3.5		(0.89)	11.9		(1.27)
Suburban	33.6		(1.53)	22.9		(1.41)	8.5		(0.76)	19.6		(0.72)	1.7		(0.31)	11.3		(1.09)
Town	38.7		(2.92)	24.5		(2.50)	7.3		(1.03)	23.0		(1.97)	2.1		(0.56)	9.1		(1.76)
Rural	33.0		(2.19)	21.6		(1.91)	8.9		(0.92)	16.9		(1.06)	2.4	!	(0.76)	7.0		(1.12)
Percent minority enrollment3
0 to 25 percent	31.2		(1.81)	18.0		(1.30)	8.5		(0.69)	18.6		(1.28)	1.3		(0.36)	7.4		(0.93)
26 to 50 percent	35.3		(2.22)	24.8		(1.84)	9.4		(0.95)	19.7		(1.53)	2.4	!	(0.83)	9.3		(1.26)
51 to 75 percent	37.0		(2.46)	27.2		(2.36)	9.3		(1.22)	19.6		(1.85)	3.2		(0.69)	11.4		(1.50)
76 to 100 percent	39.8		(2.22)	28.4		(1.91)	5.2		(0.67)	20.3		(1.41)	3.3		(0.79)	13.0		(1.41)
Percent of students eligible for     free or reduced-price lunch
0 to 25 percent	24.7		(1.96)	13.6		(1.48)	7.5		(1.04)	16.2		(1.59)	1.0	!	(0.33)	5.4		(0.97)
26 to 50 percent	38.2		(1.69)	24.5		(1.61)	10.1		(0.96)	21.5		(1.22)	1.6		(0.43)	9.8		(1.14)
51 to 75 percent	36.7		(2.35)	24.3		(1.79)	9.8		(1.04)	21.7		(1.35)	3.5		(0.84)	11.7		(1.26)
76 to 100 percent	38.2		(2.02)	29.1		(1.92)	5.0		(0.68)	17.9		(1.45)	3.1		(0.72)	11.5		(1.24)

†Not applicable.

!Interpret data with caution. The coefficient of variation (CV) for this estimate is between 30 and 50 percent.

‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.

1 Schools that took serious disciplinary actions in response to more than one type of offense were counted only once in the total.

2 Elementary schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades K through 4 than in higher grades. Middle schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades 5 through 8 than in higher or lower grades. Secondary/high schools are defined as schools that enroll students in more of grades 9 through 12 than in lower grades. Combined/other schools include all other combinations of grades, including K–12 schools.

3 Percent combined enrollment of Black, Hispanic, Asian, Pacific Islander, and American Indian/Alaska Native students, and students of Two or more races.

NOTE: Serious disciplinary actions include out-of-school suspensions lasting 5 or more days, but less than the remainder of the school year; removals with no continuing services for at least the remainder of the school year; and transfers to alternative schools for disciplinary reasons. Percentages of schools taking such actions are based on all public schools, rather than only those at which offenses occurred. 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, 2019-20 School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), 2020. (This table was prepared October 2021.)