Arizona Department of Education 2007 School Safety Study Research and Evaluation School Safety and Prevention September 14, 2007 Contents Executive Summary ...................................................................................................................... ii Introduction ...................................................................................................................................1 Methods ........................................................................................................................................4 Analyses .......................................................................................................................................8 Violent and Serious Behaviors Reported by Public High School Students ...............................8 Relative Safety of Public High Schools in Arizona ..................................................................11 Violent and Serious Incidents Reported by K-12th Grade Public School Administrators .........14 Comparison of the Incidents Reported by School Administrators and the Behaviors Reported by Students..............................................................................................................17 Summary of Findings ..................................................................................................................22 Violent and Serious Behaviors Reported by Students.............................................................22 Relative Safety of Public High Schools in Arizona ..................................................................23 Violent and Serious Incidents Reported by K-12th Grade Public School Administrators .........24 Comparison of the Incidents Reported by School Administrators and the Behaviors Reported by Students..............................................................................................................25 Conclusions and Recommendations ..........................................................................................26 i 2007 School Safety Study Executive Summary Violent and serious behaviors at school compromise the learning environment and endanger students, teachers, and staff. Ideally, a safe school is free from violent and serious behaviors and members of the school community feel safe. The purpose of this report is to describe the safety of public schools in Arizona. The first step in developing and maintaining safe schools is for educational stakeholders to be knowledgeable about the variety, severity, and scope of violent and serious behaviors occurring at school. The 2007 School Safety Study was an exploratory research study that focused on: • Describing the violent and serious behaviors reported by public high school students as occurring on school property in 2003 and 2005 • Comparing the behaviors reported by public high school students as occurring on school property in 2005 with the same behaviors reported by high school students throughout the nation • Describing the violent and serious incidents reported by public school administrators in 2004, 2005, and 2006 • Comparing the violent and serious behaviors reported by public high school students as occurring on school property in 2005 with the number of violent and serious incidents reported by public school administrators While this study focused on student behaviors at school, many non-student offenders such as staff, contracted personnel, and trespassers, were responsible for violent and serious incidents on the campuses of public schools in Arizona. It is also important to note that the violent and serious behaviors that occurred at school represent only a piece of the school safety picture. Safe and effective schools foster learning, safety, and socially appropriate behaviors. Safe and effective schools have a strong academic focus and support students in achieving high standards, foster positive relationships between school staff and students, and promote meaningful parental and community involvement. Significant findings from this study include: • Smoking cigarettes at school was reported significantly less often by public high school students in Arizona than high school students throughout the nation in 2005 • More public high school students in Arizona reported being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in 2005 than in 2003 • Public high school students in Arizona reported having access to illegal drugs on school property, being threatened or injured with a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property, and having at least one drink of alcohol on school property significantly more often than high school students throughout the nation in 2005 • Approximately 82,063 public high school students reported being harassed or bullied on school property in 2005 • Approximately 95,849 public high school students reported having property such as a car, clothing, or book stolen or deliberately damaged on school property • Disparities exist between the number of incidents reported by public school administrators and similar behaviors reported by students ii Administrators at a safe school use school safety data from a variety of source to identify, monitor, and evaluate school safety issues. These data are used to prioritize concerns and focus resources on the development and use of efficient and effective strategies, policies, programs, and practices. Safe and effective schools share school safety data with members of the school community and other educational stakeholders. Toward this end, the following recommendations are offered: • Continue to improve the accuracy and reliability of the collection, tracking, and reporting of school safety incident data • Expand the Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey (AZ YRBS) to include school level data and middle school students • Support the collection of additional local data including the perceptions of students, teachers, and staff regarding school safety • Enhance professional development for school personnel on the collection, analysis, and use of data • Provide financial resources to accomplish the above iii 2007 SCHOOL SAFETY STUDY Introduction A.R.S. §15-231.03 requires the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to conduct a random sample survey of school districts regarding school safety every four years and to submit a written report that summarizes the results to the governor, the president of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives. Pursuant to this requirement, the purpose of the 2007 School Safety Study was to describe the safety of public schools in Arizona. The data in this study provides a picture of the variety, severity, and scope of violent and serious behaviors occurring on the campuses of public schools in Arizona. It provides a foundation for discussion of school safety issues confronting educational stakeholders. Importance of Research Local media headlines attest to the violent and serious behaviors occurring at public schools in Arizona: School lockdown tied to drug deal1 Man rams car, threatens girlfriend with hammer at school2 Bullies using cyber space 3 These behaviors endanger students, teachers, and staff making teaching and learning difficult. Performance Goal 4 of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) requires that all students are educated in learning environments that are safe, drug-free, and conducive to learning. Standard 4 of the Arizona Standards and Rubrics for School Improvement requires schools to function as effective learning communities that support a climate conducive to student achievement. Hence, educational stakeholders are responsible for ensuring that students attending public schools in Arizona are kept safe at school, at school sponsored events, or on their way to and from school. Study Design The 2007 School Safety Study was an exploratory research project that utilized descriptive statistics to summarize data collected from the 2003 and 2005 Arizona and National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (YRBS) and the 2004, 2005, and 2006 Arizona Safe and Drug-Free Schools (SDFS) Report census. Research Questions The following questions guided this research: • What is the definition of a safe school? • What is the percent of violent and serious behaviors reported by high school students attending public schools in Arizona? 1 Soares, A. and Keane, K., (February 13, 2007), The Arizona Republic. Hedblom, M. (August 30, 2007). Ibid. 3 Sass, B. (July 17, 2007). Ibid. 2 -1- • • • How does the percent of violent and serious behaviors reported by high school students attending public schools in Arizona compare to the percent of the same behaviors reported by high school students throughout the Nation? What is the rate of violent and serious incidents reported by public school administrators in Arizona? How does the school safety indicator data collected from school administrators compare to similar data reported by students? Definition of a Safe School For purposes of this report, a safe school was defined as being free from violent and serious behaviors that endanger students, teachers, and staff. These violent and serious behaviors include: • Homicide • Suicide • Weapons • Gangs • Sexual assault with or without a weapon • Attempted sexual assault with or without a weapon • Physical attacks with or without a weapon • Physical threats with or without a weapon • Physical injury • Possession use, or distribution of alcohol • Possession or use of drugs • Possession or use of tobacco • Robbery • Theft • Larceny • Vandalism • Verbal threats • Bullying • Harassment • Intimidation • Sexual harassment • Conflict due to race, religion, or sexual orientation In addition, a safe school is a school where students, teachers, and staff feel safe. Various definitions of a safe school were compiled from a review of literature. All indicators selected were addressed in at least three of the reviewed documents before being included as a school safety indicator. The tools currently used in Arizona to collect school safety indicator data were reviewed to identify questions that provided the data needed to describe the selected indicators. Data was not available to describe the following indicators: verbal threats, attempted sexual assault with or without a weapon, gangs, conflict due to race, religion, or sexual orientation, and the perceptions of teachers and staff regarding the safety of their school. -2- Limitations School safety was described in this study by the violent and serious behaviors reported by students and incidents of similar behaviors reported by school administrators. While this study focuses on student behaviors, many non-student offenders, such as staff, contracted personnel, and trespassers, were responsible for violent and serious incidents on the campuses of public schools in Arizona. It is also important to note that the violent and serious behaviors that occur at school are only part of the school safety equation. Educational stakeholders strive for safe and effective schools. In addition to the violent and serious behaviors occurring at school, a safe and effective4 school: • Focuses on academic achievement • Involves families in meaningful ways • Develops links to the community • Emphasizes positive relationships among students and staff • Discusses safety issues openly • Treats students with equal respect • Creates ways for students to share their concerns • Helps children feel safe expressing their feelings • Offers extended day programs for students • Promotes good citizenship • Identifies problems and assesses progress toward solutions Safe and effective schools openly and objectively examine circumstances that are potentially dangerous for students and staff and situations where members of the school community feel threatened or intimidated. Safe and effective schools continually assess progress by identifying problems and collecting information regarding progress toward solutions. Moreover, effective schools share this information with students, families, and the community. 4 Dwyer, K., Osher, D., and Warger, C. (1998). Early Warning Timely Response: A Guide to Safe Schools. Washington DC, U.S. Department of Education, August. -3- Methods The safety of public schools in Arizona was described by the percent of violent and serious behaviors reported by students in the Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Surveys (AZ YRBS) and the rate of violent and serious incidents per 1,000 students as reported by school administrators in the Safe and Drug-Free Schools (SDFS) Reports. The relative safety of public schools was determined by comparing the percent of violent and serious behaviors reported by students in the AZ YRBS to the percent of the same behaviors reported by students in the National YRBS. The number of serious and violent behaviors reported by students in the 2005 AZ YRBS was also compared to the number of similar incidents reported by school administrators in the 2005 SDFS Report. Youth Risk Behavior Surveys The purpose of the Arizona and National YRBS is to assess and monitor behaviors that place high school students at increased risk for premature morbidity and mortality and includes questions pertinent to school safety. Both the Arizona and National surveys used a multi-stage random sample and are administered on odd numbered years. Arizona Youth Risk Behavior Survey (AZ YRBS) - A two-stage cluster sample designed to produce a representative sample of 9th-12th grade students enrolled at public schools in Arizona was used for the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS. The ADE contracted with Macro International Inc. to administer the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS. The data collected in the Arizona YRBS is accurate and reliable at the 95 percent confidence level. Please see Appendix A for a description of the response rates, sampling design, and weighting procedures. National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (National YRBS) - A three-stage cluster sample designed to produce a nationally representative sample of students in the 9th-12th grades was used for the 2003 and 2005 National YRBS. The National YRBS was administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The data collected in the National YRBS is accurate and reliable at the 95 percent confidence level and is valid for public high school students throughout the nation. Please see Appendix B for a description of the response rates, sampling design, and weighting procedures. There were 10 questions on the AZ YRBS that asked students how often they were involved with certain violent and serious behaviors while at school. These behaviors were categorized and ranked based on the criminal status of the behavior as defined by Arizona Revised Statute (A.R.S.) Title 13 Criminal Code and whether the behavior was indicated as violent according to the Unsafe School Choice Option criteria developed by the ADE. Please see Appendix C for a description of the Unsafe School Choice Option criteria. Nine of the questions on the 2005 AZ YRBS were identical to questions asked on the 2005 National YRBS questionnaire. -4- Table 1 Arizona and National 2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) Questions Used to Describe School Safety Indicators By Category Category C1 V2 Perception of Safety NA NA Violent Crime C V Weapons C V Physical Attack NC NV C NV C NV C NV C NV Theft & Vandalism C NV Non-Criminal NC NV Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) Indicator Did not go to school at least one day in the past month because felt unsafe at school or on the way to school Have been threatened or injured with a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property at least once during the past 12 months Have carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property on one or more of the past 30 days Have been in a physical fight on school property at least once during the past 12 months Have been offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property by someone during the past 12 months Have used marijuana on school property one or more times during the past 30 days Have had at least one drink of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days Have smoked cigarettes on school property on one or more of the past 30 days Have had property, such as their car, clothing, or books stolen or deliberately damaged on school property one or more times during the past 12 months Have been harassed or bullied on school property one or more times during the past 12 months3 1 Indicates a criminal offense per A.R.S. Title 13 Criminal Code, (C-Criminal, NC-Not Criminal) Indicates a violent criminal offense per the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Unsafe School Choice Option Policy (V-Violent, NV-Non Violent). 3 This question was not asked on the National YRBS. 2 -5- Safe and Drug-Free Schools (SDFS) Report The SDFS Report is an annual census of all public schools in Arizona. The purpose of the SDFS Report includes collecting the number of violent and serious incidents that occur at school, at school sponsored events, or on the way to and from school. The SDFS Report census is administered annually by the ADE and completed online by school administrators. A copy of the 2006 SDFS Report questionnaire can be viewed in Appendix D. Copies of the 2004, 2005, and 2006 SDFS Reports questionnaires are available on the ADE website at http://www.ade.az.gov/sa/health/tools/SDFSReport.asp. The 2004, 2005, and 2006 SDFS Report Census had an average 99 percent response rate. Table 2 Response Rates for the 2004, 2005, and 2006 SDFS Report Census 2004 2005 2006 3 year Average Expected 1727 1793 1852 1791 Accepted 1723 1789 1795 1769 Response Rate 99.77% 99.78% 96.92% 98.79% Limitations of SDFS Report Data The accuracy and reliability of the SDFS Report questionnaire has not been established. Processes have been developed and implemented to improve the accuracy and reliability of the data reported by administrators. These processes included the development of incident definitions; annual training opportunities on the definitions and data reporting procedures; and ongoing technical assistance in all aspects of the completion of the report. Reporting requirements, however, specify when there is more than one violation involved in an incident, only the highest level violation is reported. For example, if a student came to school drunk, harassed other students, and carried a concealed weapon, the weapon violation would be the only incident reported on the SDFS Report. Although many people may have been involved in one incident, only one incident would be reported. For example, if there was one incident of vandalism but three students were involved, this would be reported as one incident. The data from the SDFS Report does, nonetheless, reflect what public school administrators reported to the state and the public and is useful in describing a piece of the school safety picture. Procedures Each SDFS Report submitted to ADE was reviewed for completeness and consistency and either accepted or rejected. If a report was rejected, the school was given guidance on editing the report and the report was resubmitted. Incidents reported in the SDFS Report were categorized and ranked using the same criteria used to categorize and rank the behaviors reported in the YRBS. -6- Table 3 SDFS Report Questions Used to Describe School Safety By Category 1 2 Question: Please provide the number of incidents at your school during the current school year using the categories below. A single event (e.g., fight) is one incident regardless of how many perpetrators or victims were involved. Violent death (homicide & suicide) Rape or sexual assault Robbery (taking things by force) with a weapon Robbery (taking things by force) without a weapon Physical attack or fight with a weapon Threat of physical attack with a weapon Use of a firearm or destructive device Use of a weapon other than a firearm/explosive device C V C V C V C V C V Violent Crime C V C V C V C V 3 Use C V Use of a firearm or destructive device C V Robbery (taking things by force) with a weapon C V Use of a weapon other than a firearm/explosive device C V Physical attack or fight with a weapon C V Threat of physical attack with a weapon Weapons Possession C NV Possession of a firearm or destructive device C NV Possession of a weapon other than a firearm/explosive device Threats C NV Bomb threat C NV Hazardous or biochemical materials threat C/NC NV Physical attack or fight without a weapon Physical Attack NC NV Threat of physical attack without a weapon C NV Possession or use alcohol C NV Distribution Illegal Drugs ATOD C NV Possession or use illegal drugs C NV Possession or use tobacco C NV Theft/Larceny Theft & Vandalism C NV Motor vehicle theft C NV Vandalism NC NV Sexual harassment Non-Criminal NC NV Intimidation/Bullying 1 Indicates a criminal offense per A.R.S. Title 13 Criminal Code, (C-Criminal, NC-Not Criminal) 2 Indicates a violent criminal offense per the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Unsafe School Choice Option Policy (V-Violent, NV-Non Violent). 3 There are five SDFS Report indicators included in both the Violent Crime category and the Weapons Use sub-category. Violent Death Table 4 Additional SDFS Report Questions Used to Describe School Safety By Category Category 1 C V 2 Question How many students were seriously injured (beyond first aid) as a result of a violent act C V on school grounds? At your school were there any incidents in which non-students used firearms with Violent Crime C V intent to harm? How many school personnel were intentionally attacked or injured by students on C V school grounds? 1 Indicates a criminal offense per A.R.S. Title 13 Criminal Code, (C-Criminal, NC-Not Criminal) 2 Indicates a violent criminal offense per the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Unsafe School Choice Option Policy (V-Violent, NV-Non Violent). -7- Perception of Safety There was no significant difference between the percent of responses from public high school students to the question in the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS that asked students if they did not go to school at least on day because they felt unsafe at school. Over five percent or approximately 15,763 public high school students in 2003 and 7.3 percent or approximately 23,962 in 2005 reported they did not go to school at least one day in the past 30 days because they did not feel safe at school or on their way to school. Violent Crime Being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property was the fourth most frequently occurring behavior reported by public high school students in 2003 and the fifth most frequently reported behavior in 2005. Almost 10 percent or approximately 27,801 students in 2003 and almost 11 percent or approximately 35,123 students in 2005 indicated they had been threatened or injured with a weapon on school property during the past 12 months. Weapons There was no significant difference between the percent of responses by public high school students to the question in the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS that asked if they carried a weapon, such as a gun, knife, or club on school property. Six percent or approximately 16,623 students in 2003 and 7.4 percent or approximately 24,291 in 2005 reported carrying a weapon on school property at least once during the past 12 months. Physical Attack Being in a physical fight on school property was the third most frequently occurring behavior reported by public high school students in 2003 and the fourth most frequently reported behavior in 2005. Over 11 percent or approximately 32,673 students in 2003 and 11.7 percent or approximately 38,405 in 2005 reported being in a physical fight on school property during the past 12 months. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) Illegal Drugs - Being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in the past year was the behavior public high school students reported occurring most often. There was a significant increase in this behavior from 2003 to 2005. More than 29 percent or approximately 81,969 students indicated being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in 2003 and almost 39 percent or approximately 127,033 indicated this happening in 2005. Marijuana - There was no significant difference between the percent of student responses to the question in the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS that asked public high school students if they had smoked marijuana on school property on one or more times in the past 30 days. Six and one half percent or approximately 18,629 students reported smoking marijuana on school property in 2003. Over five percent or approximately 16,741 students in 2005 reported the same behaviors. Alcohol - There was no significant difference between the percent of responses from public high school students to the question in the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS that asked if they had at least one drink of alcohol on school property. Having at least one drink of alcohol on school property on -9- one or more of the past 30 days was a behavior 7.1 percent or approximately 20,348 public high school students reported in 2003 and 7.5 percent or approximately 24,619 reported in 2005. Cigarettes - There was no significant difference between the percent of responses by public high school students to the question in the 2003 and 2005 AZ YRBS that asked if they smoked cigarettes on school property. Over six percent or approximately 18,343 students in 2003 reported smoking a cigarette on school property on one or more of the past 30 days and 4.7 percent or approximately 15,428 reported doing so in 2005. Theft and Vandalism Having property stolen or deliberately damaged on school property was the second most frequently occurring behavior reported by public high school students in 2003 and 2005. Thirty percent or approximately 86,268 students in 2003 and 29 percent or approximately 95,849 in 2005 reported having property stolen or deliberately damaged on school property during the past 12 months. Non-Criminal Being harassed or bullied one or more times during the past 12 months was the third most frequently occurring behavior reported by public high school students in 2005. The 2003 YRBS did not have a question asking students if they had been harassed or bullied on school property. Twenty-five percent or approximately 82,063 students indicated being harassed or bullied on school property during the past 12 months in 2005. - 10 - Relative Safety of Public High Schools in Arizona T-tests between the 2005 AZ and National YRBS response rates showed one indicator of school safety that was significantly lower in Arizona than in the nation, five that were statistically the same, and three that were significantly higher. Table 6 2005 Arizona YRBS Compared with the 2005 National YRBS 2005 Arizona (Including Charter Schools) Category Question Did not go to school at least one day in the past month because felt unsafe at school or on the way to school Have been threatened or injured with a Violent weapon such as a gun, knife, or club Crime on school property at least once during the past 12 months Have carried a weapon such as a gun, Weapons knife, or club on school property on one or more of the past 30 days Have been in a physical fight on Physical school property at least once during Attack the past 12 months Have been offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property by someone during the past 12 months Have used marijuana on school property one or more times during the Alcohol, past 30 days Tobacco, Have had at least one drink of alcohol and Other on school property on one or more of Drugs the past 30 days (ATOD) Have smoked cigarettes on school property on one or more of the past 30 days Have had property, such as their car, clothing, or books stolen or Theft & deliberately damaged on school Vandalism property one or more times during the past 12 months Have been harassed or bullied on Nonschool property one or more times Criminal during the past 12 months 1 P-values were determined using a t-test. 2 Difference is statistically significant for p< 0.05. Perception of Safety Percent 95% Confidence Interval 7.3 2005 United States Percent 95% Confidence Interval P1 Value Difference ± 1.8 6.0 ± 1.2 0.25 Not Different 10.7 ± 1.1 7.9 ± 0.7 <0.01 Higher 7.4 ± 1.0 6.5 ± 0.9 0.18 Not Different 11.7 ± 1.7 13.6 ± 1.1 0.08 Not Different 38.7 ± 2.3 25.4 ± 2.1 <0.01 Higher 5.1 ± 1.2 4.5 ± 0.6 0.43 Not Different 7.5 ± 1.7 4.3 ± 0.6 <0.01 Higher 4.7 ± 1.1 6.8 ± 0.8 <0.01 Lower 29.2 ± 2.4 29.8 ± 1.5 0.7 Not Different 25.0 ±1.6 NA NA NA NA - 11 - 2 Perception of Safety There was no significant difference between the percent of public high school students in Arizona and the percent of high school students throughout the nation that indicated missing at least one day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to school. Just over seven percent (7.3%) of public high school students in Arizona and six percent (6.0%) of high school students throughout the nation missed at least one day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe at school or on their way to school. Violent Crime Public high school students in Arizona reported being threatened or injured with a weapon significantly more often than high school students throughout the nation. Almost 11 percent (10.7%) of public high school students in Arizona were threatened or injured with a weapon on school property during the 2005 school year. Less than eight percent (7.8%) of high school students throughout the nation reported being threatened or injured with a weapon during the same time period. Weapons There was no significant difference between the percent of public high school students in Arizona and the percent of high school students throughout the nation that indicated carrying a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property at least once during the past 12 months. Over seven percent (7.4%) of public high school students in Arizona carried a weapon on to school property during the past 12 months. Over six percent (6.5%) of high school students throughout the nation did so. Physical Attack There was no significant difference between the percent of public high school students in Arizona and the percent of high school students throughout the nation that indicated being in a fight on school property at least once during the past 12 months. Almost 12 percent (11.7%) of public high school students in Arizona reported being in a physical fight on school property during the 2005 school year. More than 13 percent of high school students throughout the nation reported participating in the same behavior. Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) Illegal drugs - A significantly greater percent of public high school students in Arizona than high school students throughout the nation reported being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property in the past 12 months. Approximately 39 percent (38.7%) of public high school students in Arizona and just over 25 percent (25.4%) of high school students throughout the nation reported this behavior. Marijuana - There was no significant difference in the percent of public high school students in Arizona (5.1%) and high school students throughout the nation (4.5%) that reported using marijuana on school property one or more times during the past 30 days. Alcohol - A significantly greater percent of public high school students in Arizona as compared to high school students throughout the nation reported drinking alcohol at school. Nearly eight percent (7.5%) of high school students in Arizona indicated having at least one drink - 12 - of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days as compared to 4.3 percent of high school students throughout the nation. Cigarettes - Significantly fewer public high school students in Arizona than high school students throughout the nation reported smoking a cigarette on school property. Less than five percent (4.7%) of public high school students in Arizona smoked cigarettes on school property on one or more of the past 30 days. Almost seven (6.8%) percent of high school students throughout the nation reported the same behavior. Theft and Vandalism There was no significant difference between the percent of public high school students in Arizona (29.0%) that reported having their property stolen or deliberately damaged at school one or more times in the past 12 months and the percent of high school students throughout the nation (25.4%) that reported experiencing the same. Non-Criminal The 2005 National YRBS did not include a question asking students if they had been harassed or bullied on school property. There is no data, therefore, available to make the comparison. - 13 - Table 8 Frequency and Rate of Incidents per 1,000 Students Students Seriously Injured and Other Violent Behaviors on School Grounds 2004-2006 Enrollment Category Violent Crime 2004 983,847 SDFS Question How many students were seriously injured (beyond first aid) as a result of a violent act on school grounds? How many school personnel were intentionally attacked or injured by students on school grounds? At your school were there any incidents in which non-students used firearms with intent to harm? Number Total Rate/ 1,000 Students 2005 1,006,156 2006 1,010,769 Number Rate/ 1,000 Students 2004-2006 1,000,257 Number Rate/ 1,000 Students Average Number Average Rate/ 1,000 Students 339 0.34 328 0.33 445 0.44 371 0.37 327 0.33 312 0.31 444 0.44 361 0.36 7 0.01 5 0.00 7 0.01 6 0.01 673 0.68 645 0.64 896 0.89 738 0.74 Violent Death No incidents at school that resulted in death were reported by school administrators. Violent Crime Incidents involving threats of physical attack with a weapon and physical attacks or fights at school with a weapon were the violent crimes reported most often by school administrators. There was an average of one threat of physical attack or fight with a weapon reported for every 1,000 students. There was an average of one incident involving other types of violent behaviors at school for every 1,000 students. Other types of violent behaviors included the use of a weapon, robbery with or without a weapon, rape or sexual assault, and use of a firearm or destructive device. An average of one student out of 3,000 was seriously injured (beyond first aid) as a result of a violent act on school grounds. An average of 361 school personnel were intentionally attacked or injured by students on school grounds each year. There was an average of six incidents each year in which nonstudents used firearms on campus with the intent to harm. - 15 - Weapons For every 1,000 students there was an average of four incidents at school involving weapons: • Three incidents of weapon possession • One incident of weapon use Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) For every 1,000 students there was an average of 11 incidents reported for possession, use, or distribution of alcohol, tobacco, or other illicit drugs at school: • Six incidents reported for use or possession of illegal drugs at school • Three incidents reported for smoking or possession of tobacco at school • Two incidents reported for use or possession of alcohol at school There was an average of one incident of illegal drug distribution for every 2,000 students. Theft and Vandalism For every 1,000 students there was an average of 11 incidents at school reported for theft and vandalism: • Six incidents reported for vandalism • Five incidents reported for theft or larceny Physical Attack or Fight Physical attacks or fights without a weapon at school and threats of physical attack at school without a weapon were the incidents most frequently reported by school administrators. For every 1,000 students there was an average of 38 incidents of physical attack or fight reported: • Nine threats of physical attack without a weapon • Twenty-nine physical attacks or fights without a weapon Non-Criminal Non-criminal incidents were the second most frequently reported during 2005. There was an average of 22 non-criminal incidents reported for every 1,000 students: • Four incidents of sexual harassment • Eighteen incidents of intimidation or bullying - 16 - Comparison of the Incidents Reported by School Administrators and the Behaviors Reported by Students A comparison of the responses given by public high school students in the 2005 AZ YRBS and incidents reported by K-12th grade public school administrators in the 2005 SDFS Report indicated that public school administrators reported fewer incidents of violent and serious behaviors at school than public high school students reported occurring on school property. There are differences between the AZ YRBS and the SDFS Report that need to be noted: • Indicator definitions were not exactly the same • Only the highest level incidents were reported by school administrators on the SDFS Report when there was more than one violation involved in an incident • More than one student may have been involved in a incident • Incidents reported by public school administrators in the SDFS Report were collected from a census of all public schools and represents students enrolled in grades K-12 • Student responses on the AZ YRBS were collected from a representative sample of students enrolled in public high school grades 9-12 This comparison does, nonetheless, provide an objective description of the disparities between what students reported happening at school in 2005 and what school administrators reported to the ADE. Violent Crime Almost 11 percent or approximately 35,123 public high school students in Arizona reported being threatened or injured with a weapon on school property at least once during the 2005 school year. Kindergarten-12th grade public school administrators reported 1,192 similar incidents during the same year. Table 9 Comparison between 2005 AZ YRBS and 2005 SDFS Indicators Violent Crime AZ YRBS Have been threatened or injured with a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property at least once during the past 12 months SDFS Threats of physical attack with a weapon Physical attack or fight with a weapon Use of a firearm or destructive device Robbery with a weapon Use of a weapon other than a firearm or destructive device Total Approximate Number of HS Students 35,123 Number of Reported Incidents th K-12 Grade 623 376 15 27 148 1,189 Percent of HS Students 10.7 - 17 - Weapons Over seven percent or approximately 24,791 public high school students in Arizona reported having carried a weapon on school property in the past 30 days. Kindergarten-12th grade public school administrators reported 3,727 similar incidents involving a weapon during the same time frame. Table 10 Comparison between 2005 AZ YRBS and 2005 SDFS Indicators Weapons Approximate Number of HS Students AZ YRBS Have carried a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property on one or more of the past 30 days 24,791 Number of Reported Incidents th K-12 Grade 15 27 148 376 623 74 SDFS Use of firearm or destructive device Robbery with a weapon Use of a weapon other than a firearm/explosive device Physical attack or fight with a weapon Threats of physical attack with a weapon Possession of a firearm or destructive device Possession of a weapon other than a firearm/explosive device Percent of HS Students 7.40 2,479 Total 3,727 - 18 - Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs High school students that indicated being offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property at least once in the past 12 months was 38.7 percent or approximately 127,033 students. The number of incidents of similar behaviors reported by school administrators during the same time period was 6,035. There were 7.5 percent or approximately 24,619 public high school students in Arizona that reported having at least one drink of alcohol on school property in the past 30 days. Kindegarten-12th grade public school administrators reported 1,648 incidents that involved the possession or use of alcohol at school in the 2005 SDFS Report. Almost five percent or approximately 15,428 public high school students in Arizona indicated smoking cigarettes on school property one or more times in the past 30 days. Kindergarten-12th grade public school administrators reported 3,255 incidents of students smoking at school. Table 11 Comparison between 2005 AZ YRBS and 2005 SDFS Indicators Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs (ATOD) Approximate Number of HS Students AZ YRBS Have been offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property by someone during the past 12 months SDFS Distribution of illegal drugs Possession or use of illegal drugs Total AZ YRBS Have had at least one drink of alcohol on school property on one or more of the past 30 days SDFS Possession and Use of Alcohol AZ YRBS Have smoked cigarettes on school property on one or more of the past 30 days SDFS Possession and Use of Tobacco 127,033 Number of Reported th Incidents K-12 Grade Percent of HS Students 38.70 580 5,455 6,035 Approximate Number of HS Students 24,619 Number of Reported th Incidents K-12 Grade Percent of HS Students 7.50 1,648 Approximate Number of HS Students 15,428 Number of Reported th Incidents K-12 Grade Percent of HS Students 4.70 3,255 - 19 - Theft and Vandalism Over 29 percent or approximately 95,849 public high school students reported having property stolen or deliberately damaged on school property in the past 12 months. Kindergarten-12th grade school administrators reported 11,648 incidents involving theft and vandalism during the same time frame. Table 12 Comparison between 2005 AZ YRBS and 2005 SDFS Indicators Theft and Vandalism AZ YRBS Have had property, such as a car, clothing, or books stolen or deliberately damaged on school property one or more times in the past 12 months SDFS Motor Vehicle theft Theft/Larceny Vandalism Total Approximate Number of HS Students Percent of HS Students 95,849 Number of Reported th Incidents K-12 Grade 85 5,321 6,242 11,648 29.2 Physical Attack or Fight Almost 12 percent or approximately 38,405 public high school students reported being in a physical fight on school property at least once in the past 12 months. Kindergarten-12th grade school administrators reported 30,298 incidents of physical attacks or fights without a weapon. Table 13 Comparison between AZ 2005 YRBS and 2005 SDFS Indicators Physical Attack or Fight AZ YRBS Have been in a physical fight on school property at least once in the past 12 months SDFS Physical attack or fight without a weapon Approximate Number of HS Students 2005 38,405 Number of Reported th Incidents K-12 Grade Percent of HS Students 11.7 30,289 - 20 - Non-Criminal Twenty-five percent or approximately 82,063 public high school students reported being harassed or bullied at least once on school property during the 2005 school year. Kindergarten12th grade school administrators reported 21,349 incidents of sexual harassment, intimidation, and bullying the same year. Table14 Comparison between 2005 AZ YRBS and 2005 SDFS Indicators Non-Criminal AZ YRBS Have been harassed or bullied on school property one or more times during the past 12 months SDFS Sexual harassment Intimidation/Bullying Approximate Number of HS Students 2005 82,063 Number of Reported Incidents th K-12 Grade 3,847 17,502 Percent of HS Students 25.0 21,349 - 21 - Summary of Findings Violent and Serious Behaviors Reported by Students The violent and serious behaviors reported by public high school students as occurring on school property most and least often during the 2003 and 2005 school years were: • • • • • • • • Most Often 2003 Property stolen or deliberately damaged Offered, sold, or given an illegal drug Physical fight on school property Threatened or injured with a weapon • • • • Least Often 2003 Not going to school at least one day because they felt unsafe at school Carried a weapon, such as a gun, knife, or club Smoked cigarettes Used marijuana • • • • Most Often 2005 Offered, sold, or given an illegal drug Property stolen or deliberately damaged Harassed or bullied Physical fight on school property Least Often 2005 Smoked cigarettes Used marijuana Not going to school at least one day because they felt unsafe at school Carried a weapon, such as a gun, knife, or club Chart 1 2003 and 2005 Arizona YRBS Percent of Students by Question 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Felt Unsafe Threaten Injured Weapon Possess of Weapon *Distr of Illegal Drugs Use of Marijuana Use of Alcohol 2003 5.5 9.7 5.8 28.6 6.5 7.1 6.4 30.1 11.4 0 2005 7.3 10.7 7.4 38.7 5.1 7.5 4.7 29.2 11.7 25 Smoked Theft & Physical Harrassed Cigarettes Vandalism Fight or Bullied *Indicates a significant increase in this behavior from 2003 to 2005 - 22 - Relative Safety of Public High Schools in Arizona Significantly fewer public high school students in Arizona than high school students throughout the nation reported smoking cigarettes on school property during the 2005 school year. There were no significant differences in the number of public high school students in Arizona than high school students throughout the nation that reported: • Not going to school because it felt unsafe at school or on the way to school • Carrying a weapon such as a gun, knife, or club on school property • Being in a physical fight on school property • Using marijuana on school property • Having property, such as their car, clothing, or books stolen or deliberately damaged on school property Significantly more public high school students in Arizona than high school students throughout the nation reported being: • Threatened or injured with a weapon on school property • Offered, sold, or given an illegal drug on school property • Having at least one drink of alcohol on school property Chart 2 2005 Arizona and National Youth Risk Behavior Surveys Percent of Students by Question 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Felt Unsafe *Threaten Posses of Injured Weapons Weapon *Dist. of Illegal Drug Use of Marijuana *Use of Alcohol *Smoked Cigarettes Physical Theft & Attack Vandalism Arizona 7.3 10.7 7.4 38.7 5.1 7.5 4.7 11.7 29.2 National 6 7.9 6.5 25.4 4.5 4.3 6.8 13.6 29.8 *Indicates a significant difference - 23 - Violent and Serious Incidents Reported by K-12th Grade Public School Administrators The incidents reported as occurring at school least often by public school administrators were: • • • • Use of a firearm or destructive device Hazardous or biochemical threats Robbery (taking things by force) with a weapon Rape or sexual assault The incidents reported as occurring at school most often by public school administrators during the 2004, 2005, and 2006 school year were: • Physical attack or fight without a weapon • Intimidation/bullying • Threats of physical attack without a weapon • Vandalism Chart 3 Rate of SDFS Incidents for Every 1,000 Students by Category 45 40 35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0 Violent Deaths Violent Crimes Weapons ATOD Theft and Vandalism Physical Attack Non-Criminal 2004 0.00 1.38 3.65 10.95 11.8 36.56 21.72 2005 0.00 1.38 3.84 11.09 11.58 39.17 21.22 2006 0.00 1.44 3.97 10.58 11.11 38.73 21.36 Avg 0.00 1.4 3.82 10.87 11.49 38.17 21.43 - 24 - Comparison of the Incidents Reported by School Administrators and the Behaviors Reported by Students Disparities exist between the number of incidents reported by K-12th grade public school administrators and similar behaviors reported by public high school students. While the data is collected differently on the AZ YRBS and the SDFS Report, this comparison provides an objective description of the disparities between what students reported happening at school in 2005 and what school administrators reported to the ADE. Chart 4 Comparison Between the Approximate Number of Behaviors Reported by Students in the 2005 AZ YRBS and the Number of Incidents Reported by K-12th Grade Public School Administrators in the 2005 SDFS Report by Category Violent Crime Weapons Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drugs Illegal Drug Alcohol Tobacco Theft and Vandalism Physical Attack or Fight Non-Criminal AZ YRBS 35,123 24,791 SDFS Report 1,189 3,727 127,333 24,619 15,428 95,849 38,405 82,063 6,035 1,648 3,255 11,648 30,298 21,348 - 25 - Conclusions and Recommendations Accurate, reliable, and timely school safety data has become increasingly important for school, district, and state level planning and decision making. School safety data gathered from a variety of sources are needed to portray a comprehensive and balanced picture of the violent and serious behaviors occurring on school property, at school sponsored events, and on the way to and from school. School level data such as that reported by public school administrators in the SDFS Report must be described and analyzed along with student, teacher, and staff behavior reports and perceptions. The following recommendations are offered: • Continue to improve the accuracy and reliability of the collection, tracking, and reporting of school safety incident data • Expand the AZ YRBS to include middle school students and school level data • Support the collection of additional local data including the perceptions of students, teachers, and staff regarding school safety • Enhance professional development for school personnel on the collection, analysis, and use of data • Provide financial resources to accomplish the above Continue to improve the accuracy and reliability of the collection, tracking, and reporting of school safety incident data - Public school administrators in Arizona need an effective means by which to collect, track and report school safety incident data. The ADE is currently in the process of developing a school safety incident management system called Arizona Safety Accountability for Education (Az SAFE)5. A primary focus of Az SAFE is to improve data accuracy and reliability. In addition to the school safety incidents that will be collected and managed in Az SAFE, other data related to each incident will be collected including the type of violations that occurred; the resulting actions taken; the people involved and their roles; and time of day, location, and physical injuries sustained. Expand the AZ YRBS to include middle school students and school level data - School safety data reported by students complements and enhances incident data reported by school administrators. The ADE currently implements the AZ YRBS using a stratified random sample that is valid for public high school students at the state level. The AZ YRBS should be expanded to collect data that is valid for public high school and middle school students at the school level. Expanding the AZ YRBS would allow public school administrators to combine school level student data with school level incident data and further inform the school safety planning and program development process. Support the collection of additional local data including the perceptions of students, teachers, and staff regarding school safety - Additional data at the school level are also needed to determine the perceptions of students, teachers, and staff regarding their safety at school. Perceptions of safety at school provide another view of the school safety picture and must be taken into consideration when setting priorities and developing school safety programming. 5 Funding for the development of Az SAFE was provided from the U.S. Department of Education in the form of a competitive Grant to the States to Improve Management of Drug and Violence Prevention Programs. The ADE was awarded this grant in the spring of 2005, has developed the first version of the on-line system in collaboration with school administrators, teachers, and various departments within the ADE, and is piloting the system during the 2008 school year. - 26 - Enhance professional development for school personnel on the collection, analysis, and use of data - High quality and comprehensive professional development is needed to build the capacity of educators to effectively use school safety data. Professional development should include training on the collection, analyses, presentation, and utilization of data for assessing school safety needs, setting priorities, and evaluating the effectiveness of school safety strategies, policies, programs, and practices. Provide financial resources to accomplish the above - Accurate, reliable, and timely data collection, whether it is student reports of violent and serious behaviors occurring on school property, the tracking and reporting of incidents caught and reported by school administrators, or data identifying the perceptions of students, teachers, and staff regarding their personal safety, requires financial resources. Additional funding would provide the resources needed to improve the collection, analyses, and utilization of school safety data. - 27 - Appendix A 2005 YOUTH RISK BEHAVIOR SURVEY Sample Description and Weighting Procedures Sample Description School Level - All regular public schools and charter schools containing grades 9, 10, 11, or 12 were included in the sampling frame. Schools were selected systematically with probability proportional to enrollment in grades 9 through 12 using a random start. 40 regular schools and 53 charter schools were sampled. Two charter schools were ineligible. Class Level - All classes in a required subject or all classes meeting during a particular period of the day, depending on the school, were included in the sampling frame. Systematic equal probability sampling with a random start was used to select classes from each school that participated in the survey. Response Rates Schools: Students: Overall: 96% - 87 of the 91 sampled eligible schools participated. 85% - 3,322 of the 3,912 sampled students submitted questionnaires. 3,307 questionnaires were usable after data editing. 96% * 85% = 81% Weighting A weight has been associated with each questionnaire to reflect the likelihood of sampling each student and to reduce bias by compensating for differing patterns of non-response. The weight used for estimation is given by: W = W1 * W2 * f1 * f2 * f3 W1 = the inverse of the probability of selecting the school; W2 = the inverse of the probability of selecting the classroom within the school; f1 = a school-level non-response adjustment factor calculated by school size category (small, medium, large). The factor was calculated in terms of school enrollment instead of number of schools. f2 = a student-level non-response adjustment factor calculated by class. f3 = a post stratification adjustment factor calculated by gender within grade and by race/ethnicity. Use of the Weighted Results The weighted results can be used to make important inferences concerning the priority health-risk behaviors of all regular public and charter school students in grades 9 through 12. Appendix B 2005 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey Sample Description and Weighting Procedures The sampling frame for the 2005 national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) consisted of all public and private schools with students in at least one of grades 9--12 in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. The sampling frame was obtained from the Quality Education Data (QED), Inc., database. The QED database includes information on both public and private schools and the most recent data from the Common Core of Data from the National Center for Education Statistics. A three-stage cluster sample design produced a nationally representative sample of students in grades 9--12 who attend public and private schools. The first-stage sampling frame consisted of 1,261 primary sampling units (PSUs), consisting of counties, sub areas of large counties, or groups of smaller, adjacent counties. The 1,261 PSUs were categorized into 16 strata according to their metropolitan statistical area (MSA) status (i.e., urbanicity) and the percentages of black* and Hispanic† students in the PSUs. From the 1,261 PSUs, 57 were selected with probability proportional to overall school enrollment size for the PSU. In the second stage of sampling, 203 schools with any of grades 9--12 were selected with probability proportional to school enrollment size. The third stage of sampling consisted of randomly selecting, in each chosen school and in each of grades 9--12, one or two classrooms from either a required subject (e.g., English or social studies) or a required period (e.g., homeroom or second period). All students in selected classes were eligible to participate. Schools, classes, and students that refused to participate were not replaced. To enable a separate analysis of data for black and Hispanic students, three strategies were used to over-sample these students: 1) larger sampling rates were used to select PSUs that are in high-black and high-Hispanic strata; 2) a modified measure of size was used that increased the probability of selecting schools with a disproportionately high minority enrollment; and 3) two classes per grade, rather than one, were selected in schools with a high minority enrollment. A weight based on student sex, race/ethnicity, and grade level was applied to each record to adjust for school and student non-response and over-sampling of black and Hispanic students. The overall weights were scaled so that the weighted count of students equals the total sample size, and the weighted proportions of students in each grade match the national population proportions. For the 2005 national YRBS, 13,953 questionnaires were completed in 159 schools. The school response rate was 78%, and the student response rate was 86%. The school response rate multiplied by the student response rate produced an overall response rate of 67%. CDC's Institutional Review Board granted clearance for the national YRBS. Additional information about the national YRBS is available at http://www.cdc.gov/yrbs.