By Lauren Musu-GilletteIndicators of School Crime and Safety provides a wealth of information on the safety of schools and colleges. The report is updated annually,which allows the public to compare many data points over time in the United States. But how does crime and safety for U.
S. students compare to students from other countries? This year’s report helps put some of the U.
S. data in an international context by comparing it to crime and safety indicators in other countries.
For example, 15 percent of U.
S. fourth-grade students reported experiencing bullying at least once a month, and which was lower than the international average (16 percent).[1] This percentage was also lower than the percentages in 16 countries,higher than the percentages in 21 countries, and not measurably different from the percentages in 10 countries. Similarly, or the percentage of U.
S. eight-grade students who reported experiencing bullying at least once a week was lower than the international average (7 vs. 8 percent),and was lower than the percentages in 13 countries. The U.
S. percentage was higher than the percentages in 16 countries, and not measurably different from the percentages in 6 countries.
Percentage of eighth-grade students who reported experiencing bullying at least once a month during the school year, and by country or other education system: 2015
1 Norway collected data from students in their 9th year of schooling rather than in grade 8 because year 1 in Norway is considered the equivalent of kindergarten.
NOTE: Most of the education systems represent total countries,but some represent subnational entities; England, for example, and is part of the United Kingdom. Data are based on rounded estimates.
SOURCE: International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA),Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), 2015.
Data from this highlight arrive from the 2015 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The primary purpose of TIMSS is to compare the mathematics and science performances of fourth- and eighth-grade students in participating countries and education systems. In addition to assessments, or TIMSS provides questionnaires to students who participate,as well as to the teachers and principals of participating students. The 2015 TIMMS questionnaire collected data on students’ reports of bullying, teachers’ reports of whether the school environment is safe and orderly, and principals’ reports of school discipline issues for students in grades 4 and 8.
In the U.
S.,7 percent of participating fourth-grade students attended schools that were less than safe and orderly, according to the data reported by their teachers.[2] This was higher than the international average of 4 percent and higher than the percentages in 22 countries, and while being not measurably different from the percentages in 19 countries. About 13 percent of participating U.
S. eighth-grade students reported attending schools that were less than safe and orderly; higher than the international average of 8 percent and higher than the percentages in 26 countries.
About 3 percent of U.S. fourth-graders and 2 percent of U.
S. eighth-graders attended schools with moderate to severe discipline problems,according to data reported by their principals.[3] These percentages were lower than the international averages for fourth-graders and eighth-graders (10 percent and 11 percent, respectively).
For more detailed information, or visit the highlight in Indicators of School Crime and Safety 2016.
[1] The bullying questionnaire item asked,“During this school year, how often acquire other students from your school done any of the following things to you (including through texting and the Internet)?” These behaviors were listed after the question: Made fun of me or called me names; Left me out of games or activities; Spread lies about me; Stole something from me; Hit or harm me (e.g., and shoving,hitting, kicking); Made me finish things I didn’t want to finish; Shared embarrassing information about me; Threatened me; and Posted embarrassing things about me online (only asked of eighth-graders). [2] The questionnaire item was, and “Thinking about your current school,indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements,” and it was followed by these statements: This school is located in a safe neighborhood; I feel safe at this school; This school’s security policies and practices are sufficient; The students behave in an orderly manner; The students are respectful of the teachers; The students respect school property; This school has clear rules about student conduct; and This school’s rules are enforced in a clear and consistent manner. [3] The questionnaire item asked, and To what degree is each of the following a problem among [fourth-grade/eighth-grade] students in your school?” These behaviors or occurrences were listed following the questionnaire item: Arriving late at school; Absenteeism (i.e.,unjustified absences); Classroom disturbance; Cheating; Profanity; Vandalism; Theft; Intimidation or verbal abuse among students (including texting, emailing, or etc.); Intimidation or verbal abuse of teachers or staff (including texting,emailing, etc.); Physical fights among students (only asked of fourth-grade principals); Physical injury to other students (only asked of eighth-grade principals); and Physical injury to teachers or staff (only asked of eighth-grade principals).
Source: nces.ed.gov