The safety of American schools is a pressing concern, with headlines often spotlighting incidents that shake communities nationwide. To better understand this critical issue, we surveyed students across the U.S. to hear directly from those most affected. Discover what U.S. students think about school safety, their experiences, and their top priorities for change.
Key Findings
- Surprisingly, 90% of students feel safe at school, despite the dangers they may face.
- However, 83% of students believe U.S. schools aren’t adequately prepared for active shooter situations — even though they identified shootings as the top safety threat.
- Further, 78% of students believe access to guns increases safety risks at school.
- 56% of students have been personally or closely affected by school violence.
- A majority (59%) of students feel that socioeconomic factors impact safety in schools, with lower-income students more affected.
- 78% of students believe that U.S. schools could provide better mental health resources.
Today’s Students Face Numerous Serious Threats
90% of students usually feel safe at school. However, they still face serious and severe threats in their educational environment. Here are the top risks they identified.
Shootings Are the Main Concern for Gen Z and Millennials
1 in 4 students fear they’ll be a victim of a school shooting. Other concerns include:
- Lack of security measures: 20%;
- Bullying or harassment: 15%;
- Drug or substance-related incidents: 14%;
- Weapons on campus: 10%;
- Sexual harassment or assault: 8%;
- Self-harm or suicidal ideation: 7%.
There is anxiety specific to gun violence. 78% of students believe access to guns increases safety risks at school. Additionally, 45% of students feel that arming teachers with guns would not improve safety, which may indicate an overarching desire to keep firearms out of schools altogether.
Many Believe School Security Is Inadequate
1 in 4 students are unhappy with their school’s security measures, but all seem to have a different idea of how to best improve it. Here are the measures students think will make a difference:
- Increased presence of security guards: 29%;
- Mental health support for students: 21%;
- Metal detectors and bag checks: 14%;
- Clear communications about safety protocols: 13%;
- Updated tech and surveillance devices: 12%;
- Anti-bullying programs: 6%;
- Stricter visitor controls: 5%.
To stay safe in light of these security issues, students may take matters into their own hands. 47% admit to skipping school at least once due to safety concerns. Another 68% have even considered homeschooling or remote learning, rather than attending classes in person, because they feel unsafe — if they haven’t already made the switch, that is.
Bullying Persists Despite Nationwide Initiatives
Despite widespread campaigns and policies, 44% of students view current anti-bullying initiatives as outdated and ineffective. Further, only 6% of students think these programs are the best way to improve safety in schools.
Unfortunately, bullying occurs outside of school, too, thanks to social media. 90% of students believe social media results in issues like increased bullying and escalating conflicts, making it a serious safety concern both in and out of the classroom.
Perhaps more concerning, out of all the threats they face, 25% of students think teachers are least prepared to handle cyberbullying. This means students are more confident school staff can handle arguably more extreme dangers like active shooters (20%) and natural disasters (16%) — just not bullying.
A Vicious Cycle of Drugs and Violence
16% of students rely on drugs or alcohol to cope with the stress of feeling unsafe at school.
However, the relationship between substance use and school safety is further complicated by socioeconomic disparities. Nearly 1 in 5 students from lower-income households use drugs or alcohol to cope with feeling unsafe at school.
Sexual Harassment and Assault Pose a Risk for Female Students
Female students are twice as likely to express concern about sexual harassment than their male counterparts at school.
This, unfortunately, may be due to the prevalence of sexual harassment in schools, which disproportionately affects female students. Overall, 11% of U.S. high school students have experienced sexual violence at school. However, female students are more than three times as likely to experience sexual violence as their male peers.
Students See the Socioeconomic Safety Gap
59% of students believe socioeconomic status significantly impacts safety in schools. And unfortunately, these students may be right.
Among low-income households, school violence affected 24% of students; another 34% were close to someone who was impacted. In contrast, these figures dropped to 17% and 21% for high-income households.
Beyond this, students’ opinions differ on the main ways that socioeconomic status impacts safety at school. 36% believe wealthier districts have better access to security measures that will keep students safe. Here’s the full breakdown:
- Mental health challenges tied to financial instability: 16%;
- Differences in parental involvement: 14%;
- Differences in bullying or harassment: 12%;
- Differences in support services: 11%;
- Ability to afford safer transportation: 6%;
- Access to extracurricular activities: 5%.
Even Household Income Affects Student Safety and Success
Over half of all students struggle academically due to safety concerns regularly; 6% struggle each day.
That said, students from lower-income households are more affected. Specifically, 9% state that safety concerns hinder their ability to focus and perform academically every day, and 11% report being affected several times per week.
In contrast, safety concerns don’t impact students from high-earning households as frequently. Only 4% report daily academic disruptions, but 13% experience such issues several times a week.
Overwhelming Majority Are Optimistic About Improving School Safety
Despite the challenges they face, 73% of students are hopeful schools will become safer for the next generation. Interestingly, male students feel slightly more optimistic (79%) about this future than their female peers (69%).
However, students believe there are a few different ways to achieve this goal.
More Security Personnel
24% of students believe that additional school safety funding should be allocated toward hiring more security personnel.
This is another area where male and female students differ. 30% of male students rank hiring security personnel as their top priority for safety funding, compared to only 20% of their female counterparts. 25% of female students put the expansion of mental health services above all else, making this their top priority for safety funding.
Despite these differences, it still comes as no surprise that hiring more security personnel is what so many students want to invest in. 77% of Gen Z believe law enforcement officers are an effective way to keep schools safe. This figure jumps up to a whopping 96% for students from high-income households.
Better Surveillance and Monitoring Tools
18% of students want to see funding go to improved physical safety measures, such as surveillance cameras and metal detectors. This underscores a strong belief in the efficacy of technology in fostering secure learning environments.
What’s more, 38% believe that surveillance cameras and monitoring systems would improve student safety more than any other form of technology. Opinions about the top safety tech were distributed fairly evenly across other tools:
- Wearable technology for students and staff: 19%;
- Anonymous reporting tools: 16%;
- Mobile apps for real-time safety updates: 14%;
- Emergency communication systems: 13%.
Advanced video monitoring systems play a crucial role in improving school safety by deterring potential threats and facilitating swift responses to emergencies. The presence of these systems can discourage harmful activities, as individuals are less likely to act maliciously under the watchful eye of high-tech surveillance.
Further, modern video systems equipped with artificial intelligence can detect unusual behaviors, such as unauthorized access or escalating conflicts, allowing school officials to intervene before situations escalate.
Streamlining Internal Communication
30% of students believe that their safety is a responsibility shared by all, ranging from administrators to teachers to law enforcement to parents.
However, when singling out one group as most responsible for safety, students picked the following as their top choice:
- School administrators: 26%;
- Security officers: 22%;
- Government officials: 21%;
- Local law enforcement: 9%;
- Teachers: 8%;
- Students themselves: 8%;
- Parents and guardians: 7%.
Ultimately, when it comes to actually keeping students safe, multiple parties are involved. Coordinating among them is not only a challenge but also a safety risk — especially in a threatening situation. This makes improving communication essential for safety at school.
Technologies like portable two-way radios are crucial in streamlining communication between personnel. These systems allow administrators, teachers, and security staff to maintain direct contact, coordinate responses, and alert others during crises. Additionally, real-time communication between staff fosters a quicker, more efficient response to emergencies, helping to protect students and staff in a timely manner.
Expanding Access to Mental Health Resources
78% of students believe that U.S. schools could provide better mental health resources. Further, only 18% feel supported by teachers and school staff when it comes to their mental health.
In addition, one-third of students see anxiety and stress as the main mental health issues affecting safety in schools. Depression is the second most common choice (20%), with bullying following closely behind (18%).
What’s more, 24% of students want to see safety funding go toward the expansion of mental health services. 21% think mental health support would be the best way to improve safety at school.
Safety threats like gun violence and bullying aren’t just detrimental to students’ physical health — they affect mental health too. And with these risks constantly looming, it’s no wonder students feel as though they need more mental health support.
Prioritizing Active Shooter Preparation
The majority of students (83%) believe that U.S. schools aren’t adequately prepared for active shooter situations — despite identifying shootings as the biggest threat.
A meager 6% believe school staff are prepared to handle an active shooter situation better than other threats. And, sadly, 75% aren’t confident their school administration could keep them safe during a school shooting. In fact, 68% of all students haven’t communicated safety concerns to anyone at school, even when they’ve wanted to do so.
Proactivity is key in addressing students’ concerns. Conducting active shooter drills ensures everyone at school knows how to respond in the event of an emergency. They also allow for the testing of communication systems, evacuation plans, and security protocols, identifying and addressing any weaknesses. This is a vital step in achieving the safer future America’s students long to see.
Methodology
We surveyed 1,000 students across the U.S. Respondents represented various demographics, school types, and geographic regions to ensure a well-rounded view of the state of school safety. All students were between the ages of 16 and 40.
The survey aimed to capture student perspectives on safety, their experiences with security measures, and their priorities for creating safer learning environments.
By analyzing the responses, we identified critical trends and correlations, shedding light on the challenges students face and their expectations for change. These findings provide valuable insights into how schools can better address safety concerns and foster environments where all students can learn without fear.
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