RALEIGH — The annual consolidated data report presented by the Center for Safer Schools (CFSS) to the State Board of Education showed a decrease in dropouts and an increase in certain types of crime in North Carolina public school units (PSUs) for the 2022-23 school year.
PSUs reported a noteworthy 11.7% reduction in dropouts, with high school dropouts reaching the lowest point since the 2013-14 non-pandemic school year.
State Superintendent Catherine Truitt expressed optimism about the decline in dropouts, emphasizing the importance of classroom time in preparing students for their future.
“It is promising to see a decrease in dropouts across North Carolina’s public schools as we know time in the classroom better prepares students for their future,” Truitt said in a press release. “I’m hopeful to see this trend continue as education is essential for students’ personal and professional success.”
The report emphasizes increased safety awareness, enabling school districts to assess safety protocols, threat assessment team formation, and grants dedicated to school safety. Despite these positive initiatives, there was a rise in acts of crime and violence, as well as suspensions.
A decrease in possession of weapons was credited to safety initiatives by the CFSS, the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI) and local districts.
“Initiatives such as Educating Kids About Gun and Gang Violence (EKG2) and the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System play a critical role in keeping schools safer,” said Karen W. Fairley, executive director of the CFSS. “While these programs and others carried out through the Center can play an important proactive role in both training and reporting, we know that real progress starts in communities with conversations between school districts, community leaders, and local law enforcement.”
Truitt highlighted the significance of data from the report for school districts to enhance safety programming and planning, supporting the CFSS in allocating resources strategically.
Per the report, PSUs reported 13,193 acts of crime and violence; an 18% increase from the 11,170 crimes reported in 2021-22.
Over a five-year period (2018-2019 to 2022-2023), both the number and rate of crimes increased by 38.1% and 39.6%, respectively. Similarly, a 10-year comparison (2013-2014 to 2022-2023) showed a 30.2% increase in the number of crimes and a 29.2% increase in the rate of crimes.
The most frequently reported school crime incidents in this year’s report involved possession of a controlled substance, with a notable increase of 35.7% in 2022-23, while possession of a weapon decreased by 3.7%.
Sexual offenses rose over 44%, going from 72 in 2021-22 to 104 in 2022-23. Assault resulting in serious physical injury almost doubled, going from 74 in 2021-22 to 134 in 2022-23, representing an 81% increase.
Alarmingly, there as an increase in the number of reported incidents of “possession of a firearm or powerful explosive.” In 2021-22, the count was 161. That number rose 23.6% to 199 in 2022-23
Suspensions saw an increase, with 247,454 short-term suspensions reported in 2022-23, along with a slight rise in long-term suspensions and an over 33% increase in expulsions with 64 students expelled in 2022-23. There were 48 expulsions in 2021-22.
To address the expulsion rates, CFSS plans to focus on Alternative Learning Programs and Schools (ALPS) to create safer environments, with additional staff and a subcommittee dedicated to discipline/alternative learning placements.
