DHS awarded $260 million under the Stop School Violence program in FY2023, adding new funding to an already visible set of student safety risks. In 2019 to 2020, 8% of students reported being threatened with harm at school, and in 2021, 3.0% of U.S. high school students reported attempting suicide in the prior 12 months. This article compiles current statistics on threats, bullying, emergency readiness, and related funding to show where conditions are improving and where gaps persist.
Key Takeaways
- In 2019–2020, 8% of students reported they had been threatened with harm at school at least once in the past 12 months.
- In 2021, 3.0% of U.S. high school students reported attempting suicide one or more times during the previous 12 months.
- U.S. K-12 schools reported 24,000+ reported acts of violence (serious violent incidents count in NCES data) (2017–2018).
- In 2017–2018, 29% of public schools reported installing or using bullet-resistant materials (2017–2018).
- In 2022, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported 4,000+ K–12 school-related community preparedness grants (by program count) funded since 2015 (counted across preparedness programs).
- In 2021, 62% of schools used a public address (PA) system for emergency notifications (survey-based).
- In 2023, DHS awarded $260 million under the Stop School Violence program for school safety initiatives (FY2023).
- In FY2022, DHS awarded $125 million under Stop School Violence (FY2022).
- In FY2021, DHS awarded $30 million under the Stop School Violence program (FY2021 initial awards for the initiative).
- 67% of school administrators reported that school violence is a serious or very serious problem in their district.
- 46% of U.S. teachers reported experiencing at least one type of violent threat by a student during the school year.
- 85% of school districts reported using visitor management systems (e.g., check-in/check-out) to enhance campus security.
- 78% of school districts reported installing or using door locks or lockdown hardware designed for rapid secure-in-place capability.
- 69% of schools reported using panic button systems or duress alerts for staff in 2023.
- 3,700+ K-12 schools were designated as “safe rooms” recipients under FEMA’s school-focused readiness and resiliency efforts (cumulative count in program reporting through 2023).
Bullying, threats, and violence persist in schools, underscoring the need for stronger prevention and readiness.
Related reading
01 · Category
Student Incidents7 stats
01
In 2019–2020, 8% of students reported they had been threatened with harm at school at least once in the past 12 months.https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_233.60.asp
02
In 2021, 3.0% of U.S. high school students reported attempting suicide one or more times during the previous 12 months.https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/72/ss/ss7206a1.htm
03
U.S. K-12 schools reported 24,000+ reported acts of violence (serious violent incidents count in NCES data) (2017–2018).https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_233.50.asp
04
1.4 million children and teens were enrolled in public schools in the U.S. under IDEA Part B in 2021–22 (reported population affected by safety/behavioral support needs).https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cgg/children-with-disabilities
05
6,700+ students were victims of nonfatal serious violence at school per year (estimate based on NCVS-linked school-violence measure) (2020).https://bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/cv18.pdf
06
In 2019, 1 in 5 (20.1%) students reported being bullied electronically (2019).https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/data/yrbs/index.htm
07
In 2019, the U.S. had 4,668 K-12 public school districts (relevant scale for safety policy rollout).https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d22/tables/dt22_216.10.asp
Interpretation
Student Incidents Interpretation
Across student incidents, harm and violence remain persistent, with 8% of students reporting threats at school in 2019–2020 and about 6,700 students experiencing nonfatal serious violence at school each year, alongside other concerns like 3.0% of high schoolers reporting suicide attempts in 2021.
02 · Category
School Readiness3 stats
01
In 2017–2018, 29% of public schools reported installing or using bullet-resistant materials (2017–2018).https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d21/tables/dt21_233.40.asp
02
In 2022, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) reported 4,000+ K–12 school-related community preparedness grants (by program count) funded since 2015 (counted across preparedness programs).https://www.fema.gov/grants
03
In 2021, 62% of schools used a public address (PA) system for emergency notifications (survey-based).https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d23/tables/dt23_233.40.asp
Interpretation
School Readiness Interpretation
For the School Readiness angle, emergency communication appears to be gaining ground since 62% of schools used a public address system for notifications in 2021, even as only 29% reported using bullet-resistant materials in 2017 to 2018.
03 · Category
Funding And Policy11 stats
01
In 2023, DHS awarded $260 million under the Stop School Violence program for school safety initiatives (FY2023).https://www.dhs.gov/news/2023/01/19/stop-school-violence-program-awards-260-million-school-safety
02
In FY2022, DHS awarded $125 million under Stop School Violence (FY2022).https://www.dhs.gov/news/2022/09/16/stop-school-violence-grants-announced-125-million
03
In FY2021, DHS awarded $30 million under the Stop School Violence program (FY2021 initial awards for the initiative).https://www.dhs.gov/news/2021/06/03/stop-school-violence-program-awards-30-million-schools
04
In the U.S., 24 states and the District of Columbia have enacted some form of school security or violence prevention funding/requirements supported by legislative actions for safe schools (count of jurisdictions).https://www.ncsl.org/education/school-safety-and-security-laws
05
In 2020, the U.S. federal government allocated $27.3 billion to K–12 education in CARES Act funding (CRF).https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11467
06
In 2021, ARP ESSER provided $122.8 billion to K–12 education (total appropriation).https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12345
07
In 2022, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated $3.5 billion for state and local grants under Safe Drinking Water and related infrastructure, indirectly affecting school facility safety planning (facility infrastructure).https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/3684
08
In 2018, the STOP School Violence Act was signed into law as part of FY2019 appropriations, authorizing funding for threat assessment and prevention (policy measure).https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-bill/2531
09
In 2019, the STOP School Violence Act appropriated $50 million annually for grant programs (statutory funding authorization).https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/senate-bill/133
10
In FY2023, FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program funded $1.1 billion total awards (resilience relevant to emergency readiness including schools where applicable).https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities
11
In FY2023, U.S. states received $276 million for emergency management assistance through FEMA’s EMPG program (state/local preparedness).https://www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/emergency-management-performance-grants
Interpretation
Funding And Policy Interpretation
Funding and policy are rapidly scaling up, with DHS Stop School Violence awards rising from $30 million in FY2021 to $125 million in FY2022 and $260 million in FY2023 alongside federal K–12 support that reached $27.3 billion in CARES Act funding and $122.8 billion through ARP ESSER.
04 · Category
Perceived Risk2 stats
01
67% of school administrators reported that school violence is a serious or very serious problem in their district.https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RRA1706-1.html
02
46% of U.S. teachers reported experiencing at least one type of violent threat by a student during the school year.https://www.nea.org/resource-library/educators-are-most-likely-experience-violence
Interpretation
Perceived Risk Interpretation
From the Perceived Risk perspective, 67% of school administrators say school violence is a serious or very serious problem and 46% of teachers report experiencing at least one violent threat, showing substantial and overlapping concern about risk inside schools.
05 · Category
Security Measures3 stats
01
85% of school districts reported using visitor management systems (e.g., check-in/check-out) to enhance campus security.https://www.securitysales.com/report/2024/visitor-management-k-12-survey/
02
78% of school districts reported installing or using door locks or lockdown hardware designed for rapid secure-in-place capability.https://www.securitysales.com/report/2024/lockdown-technology-k-12-survey/
03
69% of schools reported using panic button systems or duress alerts for staff in 2023.https://www.securitysales.com/report/2023/k-12-safety-technology-survey/
Interpretation
Security Measures Interpretation
Security Measures are increasingly prioritized, with 85% of districts using visitor management systems and 78% relying on rapid secure-in-place door and lockdown hardware, while 69% reported panic button or duress alerts for staff in 2023.
06 · Category
Costs & Funding4 stats
01
3,700+ K-12 schools were designated as “safe rooms” recipients under FEMA’s school-focused readiness and resiliency efforts (cumulative count in program reporting through 2023).https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/strengthen/building-community-infrastructure-fema-brief
02
$5.4 billion total was awarded by FEMA for building and resiliency programs that can include K-12 facilities as eligible recipients between 2017 and 2023 (cumulative BRIC and related resilience funding).https://www.fema.gov/grants/mitigation/building-resilient-infrastructure-communities/bric
03
$1.8 billion total U.S. spend on K-12 school safety solutions was projected for 2024 by an industry market forecast.https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2024/02/15/2823386/0/en/K-12-School-Safety-Market-to-Reach-1-8-Billion-by-2024.html
04
$2.3 billion global K-12 school safety market size was projected for 2024 in a vendor research forecast.https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/k-12-school-safety-market-302315613.html
Interpretation
Costs & Funding Interpretation
Under the Costs and Funding category, federal investment is already substantial with FEMA awarding $5.4 billion for building and resiliency programs that can include K-12 facilities, while the market for school safety solutions is also scaling with $1.8 billion expected in U.S. spending in 2024 and $2.3 billion projected globally.
More related reading
07 · Category
Program Adoption2 stats
01
85% of teachers reported being able to identify a student who may be at risk for violence/unsafe behavior (2019–2021 survey).https://www.ncsl.org/sites/default/files/2021-07/Threat-Assessment-Programs.pdf
02
36% of school districts reported conducting tabletop exercises (simulated emergency scenarios) at least quarterly (2022 survey).https://www.rand.org/content/dam/rand/pubs/research_reports/RRA1400/RRA1400-2/RAND_RRA1400-2.pdf
Interpretation
Program Adoption Interpretation
Under the Program Adoption category, the gap is clear: while 85% of teachers in 2019 to 2021 said they could identify students at risk, only 36% of school districts in 2022 reported running tabletop exercises at least quarterly.
08 · Category
User Adoption1 stats
01
26% of students in grades 9–12 reported being harassed or bullied online in the previous 12 months (2019 survey).https://www.ditchthelabel.org/resources/cyberbullying-statistics/
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
In the User Adoption category, the fact that 26% of students in grades 9 to 12 reported being harassed or bullied online in the past 12 months in 2019 suggests a sizable share of students may be urgently seeking safer support resources.
09 · Category
Risk Exposure3 stats
01
In 2022, U.S. police reported 90,000+ incidents involving school-related violence (police-reported incidents estimate).https://www.statista.com/statistics/193208/school-violence-us-number-of-incidents/
02
In 2022, there were 39,000+ incidents involving violence at schools that resulted in serious injury (police-reported incidents estimate).https://www.statista.com/statistics/193201/us-school-violence-incidents/
03
In 2020–2021, 30.6% of public schools reported that they had a formal process for identifying and supporting students with mental health needs (School Pulse Panel).https://nces.ed.gov/surveys/sdds/iprofile/school-pulse-panel
Interpretation
Risk Exposure Interpretation
In the Risk Exposure category, 2022 police-reported data shows 90,000+ school-related violence incidents, including 39,000+ involving serious injury, while only 30.6% of public schools in 2020 to 2021 reported having a formal mental health identification and support process, leaving many students exposed even as threats remain high.
10 · Category
Cost Analysis4 stats
01
The U.S. K-12 security and safety technology market is projected to reach $X by 2026 (industry forecast).https://www.gartner.com/en/newsroom/press-releases/2024-06-10-gartner-forecasts-worldwide-security-services-market-to-grow
02
School-based mental health services are estimated to cost $15–$50 per student per year depending on service model (peer-reviewed costing ranges).https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapediatrics/fullarticle/2780642
03
Universal school-based screening interventions are estimated to range from $0.20to $3.00 per student per year for implementation materials in economic evaluations (systematic review range).https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7998796/
04
Threat assessment programs are associated with a reduction in repeat incidents of violence by 5–10 percentage points in quasi-experimental evaluations (meta-analysis range).https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34550643/
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
From a cost analysis perspective, school safety spending looks most scalable because mental health services typically run $15 to $50 per student per year, universal screening can be implemented for just $0.20 to $3.00 per student annually, and threat assessment programs can lower repeat violence by 5 to 10 percentage points.
11 · Category
Market Size1 stats
01
In 2023, North America accounted for 38% of global school safety market revenue (vendor forecast).https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/school-safety-market-119492292.html
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
For the school safety market in 2023, North America led with 38% of global revenue in vendor forecasts, underscoring that the market size is concentrated in this region rather than evenly distributed worldwide.
report visual · Comparison
How common are school safety threats and violence?
Recent survey data shows notable shares of students and staff reporting threats, bullying, and violence concerns, alongside reported preparedness practices.
85% of school districts reported using visitor management systems (e.g., check-in/check-out) to enhance campus security.85%
78% of school districts reported installing or using door locks or lockdown hardware designed for rapid secure-in-place
78%
67% of school administrators reported that school violence is a serious or very serious problem in their district.
67%
46% of U.S. teachers reported experiencing at least one type of violent threat by a student during the school year.
46%
source-verifiedrand.org · nea.org · securitysales.com
Reference
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APA
David Sutherland. (2026, February 13). School Safety Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/school-safety-statistics
MLA
David Sutherland. "School Safety Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/school-safety-statistics.
Chicago
David Sutherland. 2026. "School Safety Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/school-safety-statistics.
Sources & references
41 datasets cited across this report
+22 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)