North Carolina is working to ensure its schools are safe and supportive. This page features school climate information for North Carolina, including a list of grants the its communities have received; State discipline and bullying policies; data for a selection of indicators; related news articles; and grantee highlights demonstrating community efforts.
Grants Received
State Grant Program
The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed into law in 2015. The Student Support and Academic Enrichment (SSAE) program falls under ESSA, subpart 1 of Title IV, Part A. The SSAE program is intended to improve students’ academic achievement by increasing the capacity of State educational agencies (SEAs), local educational agencies (LEAs), and local communities to provide all students with access to a well-rounded education; improve school conditions for student learning; and improve the use of technology to improve the academic achievement and digital literacy of all students. States receive funds in the form of block grants and then fund local education agencies. To learn more, visit the T4PA Center website.
Local Educational Agency and District Grant Programs
In 2022, Scotland County School System received a Project Prevent grant. This district is using this 5-year grant to to increase their capacity to identify, assess, and serve students exposed to pervasive violence, helping to ensure that affected students are offered mental health services for trauma or anxiety; support conflict resolution programs; and implement other school–based violence prevention strategies in order to reduce the likelihood that these students will later commit violent acts. To find out more about this grant, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/08/19/2022-17932/applications-for-new-awards-project-prevent-grant-program.
In 2019, Iredell-Statesville Schools received a Project Prevent grant. This district is using this 5-year grant to increase their capacity to help schools in communities with pervasive violence to better address the needs of affected students and to break the cycle of violence in those communities. To find out more about this grant, visit: https://www2.ed.gov/programs/projectprevent/index.html.
In 2022, Cumberland County Schools received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. This district is using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program.
In 2014, Cabarrus County Schools received a School Climate Transformation grant. With this 5-year grant, Cabarrus County Schools developed support systems and provided technical assistance to schools on implementing evidence-based multi-tiered behavioral frameworks. The primary goal was to improve behavioral outcomes and learning conditions for all students. To find out more about this grant go to: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/schoolclimatelea/index.html.
Buncombe County Schools, Iredell-Statesville Schools, and the Wake County Public School System received funding through the U.S. Department of Education Elementary and Secondary School Counseling grant program. This 3-year grant helped schools expand the capacity of their school mental health services by 1) hiring qualified mental health professionals and 2) supporting parental involvement and school staff professional development to increase their capacities for collaborating with mental health community-based service providers. For more information about this grant, go to: http://www2.ed.gov/programs/elseccounseling/index.html.
In 2022, Surry County Schools, Iredell-Statesville Schools, and Guilford County Board of Education received a School-Based Mental Health Services grant. These districts are using this 5-year grant to increase the number of qualified (i.e., licensed, certified, well-trained, or credentialed, as defined in the notice inviting applications) mental health service providers that provide school-based mental health services to students in local educational agencies (LEAs) with demonstrated need. To find out more about this grant, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/04/2022-21631/applications-for-new-awards-school-based-mental-health-services-grant-program.
State Education Agency
In 2022, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. This state is using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program.
In 2022, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction received a School-Based Mental Health Services grant. This state is using this 5-year grant to increase the number of qualified (i.e., licensed, certified, well-trained, or credentialed, as defined in the notice inviting applications) mental health service providers that provide school-based mental health services to students in local educational agencies (LEAs) with demonstrated need. To find out more about this grant, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/10/04/2022-21631/applications-for-new-awards-school-based-mental-health-services-grant-program.
Institution of Higher of Education
In 2023, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. This university is using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program.
In 2022, the University of North Carolina at Greensboro received a Mental Health Service Professional Demonstration grant. This university is using this 5-year grant to support and demonstrate innovative partnerships to train school-based mental health services providers for employment in schools and local educational agencies (LEAs). The goal of this program is to expand the pipeline of high-quality, trained providers to address the shortages of mental health service professionals in schools served by high-need LEAs. To find out more about this program, visit: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2022/11/28/2022-25824/applications-for-new-awards-mental-health-service-professional-demonstration-grant-program.
Indicator 1: Threatened or Injured with a Weapon on School Property
Indicator 1: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported They Had Been Threatened or Injured with a Weapon (For Example, a Gun, Knife, or Club) on School Property One or More Times During the 12 Months Before the Survey
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on November 20, 2024.
Indicator 1: Threatened or Injured with a Weapon on School Property | ||
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Year | North Carolina | US |
2009 | 6.8 | 7.7 |
2011 | 9.1 | 7.4 |
2013 | 6.9 | 6.9 |
2015 | 4.9 | 6.0 |
2017 | 6.9 | 6.0 |
2019 | 7.2 | 7.4 |
2021 | 5.1 | 6.6 |
Indicator 2: Involved in Physical Fight on School Property
Indicator 2: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Having Been in a Physical Fight on School Property One or More Times During the 12 Months Before the Survey
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on November 20, 2024.
Indicator 2: Involved in Physical Fight on School Property | ||
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Year | North Carolina | US |
2009 | 9.4 | 11.1 |
2011 | 10.6 | 12.0 |
2013 | 7.6 | 8.1 |
2015 | 6.9 | 7.8 |
2017 | 7.6 | 8.5 |
2019 | 7.4 | 8.0 |
2021 | 5.5 | 5.8 |
2023 | 6.4 | 7.9 |
Indicator 3: Offered, Sold, or Given Illegal Drugs on School Property
Indicator 3: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported that they Were Offered, Sold, or Given an Illegal Drug by Someone on School Property During the 12 Months Before the Survey
This state did not collect data in 2023.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on November 20, 2024.
Indicator 3: Offered, Sold, or Given Illegal Drugs on School Property | ||
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Year | North Carolina | US |
2009 | 30.2 | 22.7 |
2011 | 29.8 | 25.6 |
2013 | 23.6 | 22.1 |
2015 | 24.5 | 21.7 |
2017 | 21.9 | 19.8 |
2019 | 22.2 | 21.8 |
2021 | 22.3 | 13.9 |
Indicator 4: Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide
Indicator 4: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported They Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide During the 12 Months Before the Survey
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on November 20, 2024.
Indicator 4: Seriously Considered Attempting Suicide | ||
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Year | North Carolina | US |
2009 | 13.2 | 15.8 |
2011 | 14.3 | 15.8 |
2013 | 16.7 | 17.0 |
2015 | 15.9 | 17.7 |
2017 | 16.2 | 17.2 |
2019 | 18.9 | 18.8 |
2021 | 13.9 | 22.2 |
2023 | 18.2 | 20.4 |
Indicator 5: Bullied On School Property
Indicator 5: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported Being Bullied On School Property During the 12 Months Before the Survey
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on November 20, 2024.
Indicator 5: Bullied On School Property | ||
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Year | North Carolina | US |
2009 | 16.6 | 19.9 |
2011 | 20.5 | 20.1 |
2013 | 19.2 | 19.6 |
2015 | 15.6 | 20.2 |
2017 | 18.7 | 19.0 |
2019 | 18.9 | 19.5 |
2021 | 14.0 | 15.0 |
2023 | 17.3 | 19.2 |
Indicator 6: Reported That Their Mental Health Was Most Of The Time Or Always Not Good
Indicator 6: Percentage of High School Students Who Reported That Their Mental Health Was Most Of The Time Or Always Not Good (Poor Mental Health Includes Stress, Anxiety, and Depression) During the 30 Days Before the Survey
Data for this indicator are not available before 2021.
Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023 High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data. Available at https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/results.htm. Accessed on November 20, 2024.
Indicator 6: Reported That Their Mental Health Was Most Of The Time Or Always Not Good | ||
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Year | North Carolina | US |
2021 | 33.5 | 29.3 |
2023 | 30.0 | 28.5 |