Crime, violence, dropout rates and out-of-school suspensions declined across North Carolina public schools last school year, according to a report released by state education officials.
The report shows 10,630 reported acts of school crime and violence last school year, a 4.8 percent decrease from the 11,161 acts in 2011-12. The most common reported acts involve illegal possession of drugs or alcohol, weapons or assault.
About 2.45 percent of high school students dropped out last school year, a significant decline from the previous year. There were 11,049 dropouts last school year, compared to 13,488 in 2011-12.
Cases of corporal punishment also declined by nearly 50 percent in 2012-13 school. Districts that use corporal punishment reported 203 uses, down from 404.
The state also reported 247,919 short-term suspensions, which last 10 days or less. It’s a 4 percent drop from the previous year. The average length of a short-term suspension was 2.74 days.
Long-term suspensions of 11 days or more also declined among students, with 1,423 reported in 2012-13. That’s an 11.6 percent decrease from the 1,609 reported in 2011-12. The average length of a long-term suspension was 49.3 days.
The numbers come at a time when Wake and Durham school systems are under federal investigations for complaints about excessive policing, especially of minority students. Both districts saw increases in the number of short-term suspensions.
In Durham public schools, there were 6,020 short-term suspensions across the school district, compared to 5,934 during 2011-12 school year. Wake county schools reported 15,378 short-term suspensions – 1,155 more than the previous year.
State officials credit school resource officers, positive intervention programs and from school s for the improved numbers.
“I think the prevalence of getting kids in learning alternative programs has really helped reduce long term suspensions a lot. And I think also just examining the things that they are long term suspended for has helped a lot,” says Kenneth Gattis, an education coordinator with the state’s Department of Public Instruction.
Despite the improved numbers, the state reports a slight increase in the number of student expulsions. Thirty-seven students last year received expulsions, compared to 30 in the previous year.
