There are a number of data and indicators that can help inform the Nation on the nature of school climate in learning environments. Below are a selection of national indicators that can help provide context from the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) and other sources with data on college students.
In addition, a report called, Indicators of School Crime and Safety, presents data on crime at school from the perspectives of students, teachers, principals, and the general population from an array of sources--the National Crime Victimization Survey, the School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey, the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the School Survey on Crime and Safety and the School and Staffing Survey.
Indicator 1: Students Ages 12-18 Who Reported Being Targets of Hate-Related Words at School
Indicator 1: Percentage of Students Ages 12-18 Who Reported Being Targets of Hate-Related Words at School (2001-2017).
NOTE: “Hate-related” refers to derogatory terms used by others in reference to students’ personal characteristics. “At school” includes the school building, on school property, on a school bus, and, from 2001 onward, going to and from school. NOTE: For both 2007 and 2009, the reference period was the school year, whereas in prior survey years the reference period was the previous 6 months. Cognitive testing showed that estimates from 2007 and 2011 are comparable to previous years.
Citation: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2019.
| Indicator 1: Students Ages 12-18 Who Reported Being Targets of Hate-Related Words at School | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 2001 | 12.3 | |
| 2003 | 11.7 | |
| 2005 | 11.2 | |
| 2007 | 9.7 | |
| 2009 | 8.7 | 7.7 |
| 2011 | 9.1 | 7.4 |
| 2013 | 6.6 | 6.9 |
| 2015 | 7.2 | 6.0 |
| 2017 | 6.4 | 6.0 |
Indicator 2: Students in Grades 9-12 Who Reported Using Alcohol Anywhere at Least One Day During the Previous 30 Days
Indicator 2: Percentage of Students in Grades 9-12 Who Reported Using Alcohol Anywhere at Least One Day During the Previous 30 Days (1993-2017).
NOTE: The term "anywhere" was not used in the YRBS questionnaire; students were simply asked how many days did they have at least one drink of alcohol during the past 30 days.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), various years, 1993-2019.
| Indicator 2: Students in Grades 9-12 Who Reported Using Alcohol Anywhere at Least One Day During the Previous 30 Days | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 1993 | 48.0 | |
| 1995 | 51.6 | |
| 1997 | 50.8 | |
| 1999 | 50.0 | |
| 2001 | 47.1 | |
| 2003 | 44.9 | |
| 2005 | 43.3 | |
| 2007 | 44.7 | |
| 2009 | 41.8 | 11.1 |
| 2011 | 38.7 | 12.0 |
| 2013 | 34.9 | 8.1 |
| 2015 | 32.8 | 7.8 |
| 2017 | 29.8 | 8.5 |
| 2019 | 29.2 | 8.0 |
Indicator 3: Students in Grades 9-12 Who Reported that Illegal Drugs Were Made Available to Them on School Property During the Previous 12 Months
Indicator 3: Percentage of Students in Grades 9-12 Who Reported that Illegal Drugs Were Made Available to Them on School Property During the Previous 12 Months
NOTE: Students were asked if anyone offered, sold, or gave them an illegal drug on school property during the previous 12 months. "On school property" was not defined for respondents. Data is not available for this indicator in 1995 or 1997.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), various years, 1993-2019.
| Indicator 3: Students in Grades 9-12 Who Reported that Illegal Drugs Were Made Available to Them on School Property During the Previous 12 Months | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 1993 | 24.0 | |
| 1999 | 30.2 | |
| 2001 | 28.5 | |
| 2003 | 28.7 | |
| 2005 | 25.4 | |
| 2007 | 22.3 | |
| 2009 | 22.7 | 22.7 |
| 2011 | 25.6 | 25.6 |
| 2013 | 22.1 | 22.1 |
| 2015 | 21.7 | 21.7 |
| 2017 | 19.8 | 19.8 |
| 2019 | 21.8 | 21.8 |
Indicator 4: Percentage of Students Ages 12-18 Being Bullied
Indicator 4: Percentage of Students Ages 12-18 Who Reported Being Bullied at School (2007-2017).
NOTE: "At school" includes the school building, on school property, on a school bus, or going to and from school. Bullying types do not sum to total because students could have experienced more than one type of bullying. In 2006-2007, the unit response rate for this survey did not meet NCES statistical standards; therefore, interpret the data with caution.
Citation: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2019.
| Indicator 4: Percentage of Students Ages 12-18 Being Bullied | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 2007 | 31.7 | |
| 2009 | 28.0 | 15.8 |
| 2011 | 27.8 | 15.8 |
| 2013 | 21.5 | 17.0 |
| 2015 | 20.8 | 17.7 |
| 2017 | 20.2 | 17.2 |
Indicator 5: Rate of Violent Victimizations Per 1,000 Students at School
Indicator 5: Rate of Violent Victimizations Per 1,000 Students at School (2008-2016).
NOTE: "Violent victimization" includes serious violent crimes and simple assault. Serious violent crimes include rape, sexual assault, robbery, and aggravated assault. "At school" includes inside the school building, on school property, or on the way to or from school.
Citation: U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Indicators of School Crime and Safety, 2019.
| Indicator 5: Rate of Violent Victimizations Per 1,000 Students at School | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 2008 | 29.8 | |
| 2009 | 28.1 | |
| 2010 | 16.5 | |
| 2011 | 23.7 | 13.8 |
| 2012 | 28.8 | |
| 2013 | 37.4 | 15.2 |
| 2014 | 18.9 | |
| 2015 | 20.8 | 14.3 |
| 2016 | 17.8 | |
| 2017 | 20.6 | 15.4 |
| 2018 | 24.0 | |
Indicator 6: High School Students Who Reported Attempted Suicide During the 12 Months Before the Survey
Indicator 6: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Attempted Suicide During the 12 Months Before the Survey (1991-2017).
NOTE: 95% confidence interval.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), various years, 1991-2019.
| Indicator 6: High School Students Who Reported Attempted Suicide During the 12 Months Before the Survey | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 1991 | 7.3 | |
| 1993 | 8.6 | |
| 1995 | 8.7 | |
| 1997 | 7.7 | |
| 1999 | 8.3 | |
| 2001 | 8.8 | |
| 2003 | 8.5 | |
| 2005 | 8.4 | |
| 2007 | 6.9 | |
| 2009 | 6.3 | |
| 2011 | 7.8 | 5.7 |
| 2013 | 8.0 | 6.6 |
| 2015 | 8.6 | 6.7 |
| 2017 | 7.4 | 7.2 |
| 2019 | 8.9 | 7.9 |
Indicator 7: High School Students Who Were Overweight
Indicator 7: Percentage of High School Students Who Were Overweight (1999-2017).
NOTE: Students who were ≥85th percentile.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), various years, 1999-2019.
| Indicator 7: High School Students Who Were Overweight | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 1999 | 9.9 | |
| 2001 | 10.5 | |
| 2003 | 13.5 | |
| 2005 | 13.1 | |
| 2007 | 15.8 | |
| 2009 | 15.8 | |
| 2011 | 15.2 | |
| 2013 | 16.6 | |
| 2015 | 16.0 | |
| 2017 | 15.6 | |
| 2019 | 16.1 | |
Indicator 8: College Students Reporting Alcohol Use in the Last 30 Days*
Indicator 8: College Students Reporting Alcohol Use in the Last 30 Days (2009-2019).*
Missing values have been excluded from analysis. Students responding "not applicable" were excluded from several analyses.
Citation: American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, various years, Fall 2009-2019.
| Indicator 8: College Students Reporting Alcohol Use in the Last 30 Days* | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 2009 | 59.2 | |
| 2010 | 59.8 | |
| 2011 | 62.0 | |
| 2012 | 62.0 | |
| 2013 | 61.3 | |
| 2014 | 64.3 | |
| 2015 | 59.5 | |
| 2017 | 61.7 | |
| 2019 | 58.4 | |
Indicator 9: College Students Who Reported Experiencing a Verbal Threat*
Indicator 9: College Students Reported Experiencing Verbal Threats Within the Last 12 Months (2009-2019).*
Missing values have been excluded from analysis. Students responding "not applicable" were excluded from several analyses.
Citation: American College Health Association, National College Health Assessment, various years, Fall 2009-2019.
| Indicator 9: College Students Who Reported Experiencing a Verbal Threat* | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 2009 | 21.9 | |
| 2010 | 20.9 | |
| 2011 | 18.3 | |
| 2012 | 18.5 | |
| 2013 | 17.0 | |
| 2014 | 17.8 | |
| 2015 | 17.6 | |
| 2017 | 19.8 | |
| 2019 | 17.2 | |
Indicator : Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Prescription Opioid Misuse During Their Lifetime
Indicator 10: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Prescription Opioid Misuse During Their Lifetime
NOTE: Students were asked if they ever took prescription pain medicine without a doctor's prescription or differently than how a doctor told them to use it. Data is not available for this indicator before 2017.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division of Adolescent and School Health, Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS), various years, 2017-2019.
| Indicator : Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Prescription Opioid Misuse During Their Lifetime | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Data Trends & Indicators | US |
| 2017 | 14.0 | |
| 2019 | 14.3 | |