A useful school safety conversation needs more than a single number. It needs a picture of whether plans are current, whether people are prepared to act, what students experience, and where schools can strengthen trust before a concern becomes a crisis.
These figures bring together the latest national data available from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Center for Education Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The source and data year appear with every statistic so readers can follow the evidence directly.
92%
of public schools updated their emergency operations plan at least annually.
The figure comes from the 2023-24 school year and speaks to whether plans are being revisited as buildings, staff, students, and local risks change.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics School Pulse Panel (2023-24 school year)85%
of public schools had a behavioral threat assessment team or other formal group.
In the 2023-24 school year, schools reported having a group to identify students who may be at risk of harming themselves or others.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics School Pulse Panel (2023-24 school year)59%
of public schools performed active assailant drills.
This reported 2023-24 figure is distinct from having a written plan. It shows how schools are putting at least one type of response procedure into practice.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics School Pulse Panel (2023-24 school year)96%
of public schools had a written active shooter plan.
The 2021-22 survey also found that 96% had written plans for natural disasters, 94% for suicide threats or incidents, and 92% for bomb threats or incidents.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Fast Facts (2021-22 school year)857,500
violent incidents were recorded by U.S. public schools.
This total covers the 2021-22 school year. The same federal report recorded about 479,500 nonviolent incidents, showing why safety planning must account for more than one kind of disruption.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools (2021-22 school year)67%
of public schools reported at least one violent incident.
The number reflects incidents reported during the 2021-22 school year. It is a national count, not a prediction for any individual school or district.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public Schools (2021-22 school year)19%
of students ages 12 to 18 reported being bullied at school.
Among students who reported being bullied in 2021-22, 22% said it happened online or by text, a reminder that school safety reaches beyond the building.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Student Bullying (2021-22 school year)55%
of U.S. high school students felt close to people at school.
The 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey uses this as a measure of school connectedness, an important part of whether students feel known and able to seek help.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Youth Risk Behavior Survey (2023)How to read the data
Preparedness, prevention, and connection belong in the same conversation.
Written plans and drills matter because they clarify roles under pressure. Incident and bullying figures matter because they show the everyday realities schools are managing. Student connection matters because people are more likely to bring forward concerns when they believe adults will listen and act with care.
No national statistic can describe a single school. Local leaders still need to understand their own routines, building, relationships, reporting pathways, and community context. The value of national data is the perspective it provides for asking better local questions.
Methodology & sources
Where these figures come from.
This page uses publicly available national data only. Preparedness figures come from the National Center for Education Statistics School Pulse Panel. Incident and written-plan figures come from the National Center for Education Statistics. Student connection figures come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Data collection periods vary by source. Each statistic is labeled with its underlying survey year or school year rather than being presented as a current count. This page is reviewed monthly and updated sooner when a source releases newer national figures.
Cite this page
DrSpells. “School Safety Statistics: 8 Figures That Matter.” Updated July 31, 2026. Individual figures are linked to their primary public sources above.