1. Improving School Climate and Safety
David Esquith, Director
Office of Safe and Healthy Students
U.S. Department of Education
October 2016

2. ED and the History of OSHS
1987 – “War on Drugs”
“Gun Free Schools Act” - violence prevention
1999 – Columbine - school shootings
9/11/01 - emergency management
– NCLB - Mentoring, Student Drug Testing, MH Integration
2009 – Pandemic flu
2010 – Bullying
2012/13 – Newtown and “Now Is the Time” – emergency preparedness, school climate, mental health services, school safety
2015/16 - ESSA

3. Select Current OSHS Issues
School Safety: shootings, violence, including gender-based violence and sexual harassment and assault, bullying, hazing
School Discipline: suspensions and expulsions
Emergency Management Planning and Preparedness
Recovery from natural and man-made disasters
Physical and Mental Health: healthy eating habits, suicide
Substance Abuse
Trafficking in Persons

4. Emerging Issues for OSHS
Countering Violent Extremism
Transgender Youth Discrimination
Sextortion

5. Takeaways
Schools are safer than they have ever been, and there is still a lot of work to do.
Policy Choices: Avoiding a “One or the Other”
The Biggest Threats to School Safety and School Climate

6. Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2014
Information from…
Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2014
U.S. Department of Education, Institution of Education Sciences:
National Center for Education Statistics
U.S. Department of Justice Office, Office of Justice Programs:
Bureau of Justice Statistics

7. The percentage of students who reported being afraid of attack or harm at school decreased from 12% in 1995 to 3% in 2013.
Students’ Perceptions of Personal Safety at School and Away From School
Fear and Avoidance
Indicator 17: Students’ Perceptions of Personal Safety at School and Away From School
The percentage of students who reported being afraid of attack or harm at school decreased from 12% in 1995 to 3% in 2013.

8. Weapons on School Property, Grades 9-12 Access to Firearms, Ages 12-18
Students Carrying Weapons on School Property Anywhere and Students’ Access to Firearms
Weapons on School Property, Grades 9-12
Access to Firearms, Ages 12-18
Total reports of students carrying a weapon once in the past 30 days on school property has declined.
12% (1993) to 5% (2013)
The percentage of year olds reporting access to a loaded gun without adult permission has decreased.
7% (1993) to 4% (2013)
Indicator 14: Students Carrying Weapons on School Property & Anywhere & Students’ Access to Firearms
Between 1993 & 2013, the percentage of students in grades 9-12 who reported carrying a weapon on school property 1 day during the previous 30 days declined from 12% - 5%.
In every survey year from 1993 to 2013, a higher percentage of male students than of females reported carrying a weapon both on and off school grounds.
The percentage of 12 to 18 year old students reporting that they had access to loaded gun without adult permission decreased from 7% in 2007 to 4% in 2013.

9. Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization: Theft
11.4% reported theft in 1992.
1.8% reported theft in 2013.
Theft has declined tremendously.
4) Between 1992 and 2013, thefts at school declined from 114 per 1,000 students to 18 per 1,000.

10. Bullying at School and Cyber-Bullying Anywhere
Bullying among students ages 12 to 18 dropped to 22% in 2013 after remaining between 28% and 32% for the period from
Indicator 11: Bullying at School and Cyber-Bullying Anywhere
In 2013, a higher percent of females than of males reported they were made fun of, called names or insulted (15% vs 13%), where a higher number of males than females reported being pushed, shoved, tripped or spit on (7% vs 5%).
Idea: Boys face more physical bullying, women face more verbal confrontations.
DATA REPLACED WITH: “according to new data from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the reported prevalence or bullying among students 12 to 18 dropped to 22% after remaining stubbornly at 28% for the previous decade.”

11. Nonfatal Student and Teacher Victimization: Decrease Summary Chart
Rate of nonfatal victimization against students ages 12–18 per 1,000 students by location: 1992–2013

12. Challenges Middle Schoolers Teachers Being Victimized Gangs
Drugs/Alcohol

13. Bullying in Middle School
50% of these incidents were not reported to an adult.
25% of middle school students experienced bullying in the
school year.
25% of middle school students experienced bullying in the school year
50% of middle school bullying incidents were not reported to an adult in the school year.

18. Policy Choices: Doing Both
1. Keeping schools and classroom orderly and safe.
2. Effectively addressing the real threats to school safety and conditions for learning.

19. Math Quiz 2. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball.
1. A ball and a bat together cost $1.10.
2. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball.
3. How much does the ball cost?

21. Year
Number of Active Shooter Incidents at K-12 Institutions
2000
2001 2
2002
2003 3
2004 1
2005
2006 6
2007 14
2008
2009
2010 4
2011
2012
2013 27 13
Number of Active Shooter Incidents at Institutions of Higher Education

22. The Practical Maximizing the Use of Emergency Planning
Human Trafficking, Countering Violent Extremism, and Emergency Planning
Threat Assessments

25. The Biggest Threats to School Safety and Conditions for Learning?

26. The Biggest Threats to School Safety and Conditions for Learning
Loneliness
Fear
Hopelessness

27. The Biggest Threats to School Safety and School Climate
Loneliness – vulnerability to bad influences and predators
Fear --- fight or flight; violence
Hopelessness – self-loathing and self-harm; depression and suicide; drug abuse

28. Communities that Care Social Development Strategy
Opportunities for Active Participation, meaningful interaction, and prosocial
Skills need to succeed
Recognition – consistent praise for effort, improvement and achievement
Leads to
Bonding – emotional connection to people who provide recognition
Clear standards of behavior

29. Sally’s Favorite Teacher
Ms. Jones

30. Believing In Everyone
What work do we have to do to believe in everyone?
Recognizing and addressing our biases and prejudices.
Finding the good and nurturing it.

31. Resources National Center on Safe and Supportive Learning Environments
ED School Climate Survey
Readiness in Emergency Management for Schools (REMS) Technical Assistance Center

32. Title IV Part A Guidance

33. David Esquith, Director
Office of Safe and Healthy Students
U.S. Department of Education
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