Violence in schools affects students in many forms, from physical fights and bullying to threats and school-related violent deaths. This page maps patterns across grade levels and settings, including how often incidents occur and when they happen. You’ll also examine risk factors like prior discipline and mental health treatment, plus prevention efforts such as threat assessment teams and school-based interventions. Recent reporting trends show where concerns are rising and where they’re changing.
Key Takeaways
- 25% of high school students reported experiencing bullying on school property in 2021.
- Cyberbullying affected 16% of students aged 12-18 in the 2021-2022 school year, with 59% experiencing it frequently.
- 23.3% of public school students in grades 9-12 reported being bullied by a peer based on their race/ethnicity in 2019.
- In 2022, 39 students aged 5-18 were killed in school-related homicides in the U.S.
- Nonfatal injuries from school violence affected 1.2 million students annually from 2018-2022.
- 75% of school-associated homicide victims were killed during school hours in 2021-2022.
- 65% of school violence perpetrators were male students aged 13-17 in 2022.
- 40% of perpetrators had prior disciplinary records for violence in schools.
- White students committed 51% of school homicides from 1990-2020.
- 14% of public school students reported being in physical fights at school during 2022.
- Male students were twice as likely as females to be involved in school physical fights, 19% vs. 9% in 2021.
- In urban schools, physical fight involvement reached 17% among high school students in 2020.
- School resource officers intervened in 42% of violence cases in 2022.
- Mental health programs reduced violence by 22% in participating schools.
- Lockdown drills conducted monthly in 68% of schools post-2018.
Bullying and school violence remain widespread, affecting millions and often requiring prevention like threat teams and mental health support.
Related reading
01 · Category
Bullying Incidents20 stats
01
25% of high school students reported experiencing bullying on school property in 2021.
02
Cyberbullying affected 16% of students aged 12-18 in the 2021-2022 school year, with 59% experiencing it frequently.
03
23.3% of public school students in grades 9-12 reported being bullied by a peer based on their race/ethnicity in 2019.
04
In 2022, 19% of students aged 12-18 experienced bullying involving rumors or lies spread about them.
05
Female students were 1.5 times more likely than males to report cyberbullying victimization in 2021.
06
15% of bullied students in middle school reported physical bullying such as being pushed or shoved in 2020.
07
LGBTQ+ students faced bullying rates 2.5 times higher than heterosexual students, at 44% vs. 18% in 2021.
08
37% of students who were bullied online also experienced school-based bullying in the same year.
09
Bullying peaked in 6th grade with 32% of students reporting victimization in 2022 surveys.
10
22% of students avoided school at least once per month due to bullying fears in 2019.
11
59% of students aged 12-18 experienced persistent bullying in 2022.
12
41% of bullied kids felt unsafe at school weekly.
13
Social media bullying tripled from 2016 to 2022.
14
64% of students who were cyberbullied did not tell a teacher.
15
Exclusionary bullying affected 28% of 8th graders.
16
1 in 5 high school students seriously considered suicide due to bullying.
17
Boys reported physical bullying at 12%, girls relational at 16%.
18
30% of cyberbullies were also school bullies.
19
Bullying victims 2.2 times more likely to carry weapons.
20
6th grade bullying victimization at 29.5% peak.
Interpretation
Bullying Incidents Interpretation
Bullying incidents remain widespread across schools, with 25% of high school students reporting bullying on school property in 2021 and cyberbullying affecting 16% of students aged 12 to 18 in 2021 to 2022, showing that harm often extends beyond the classroom into students’ daily online interactions.
02 · Category
Perpetrator Profiles20 stats
01
65% of school violence perpetrators were male students aged 13-17 in 2022.
02
40% of perpetrators had prior disciplinary records for violence in schools.
03
White students committed 51% of school homicides from 1990-2020.
04
30% of violent offenders in schools had mental health treatment histories.
05
Gang-affiliated students perpetrated 22% of physical assaults in 2021.
06
Repeat offenders accounted for 55% of all school violence incidents.
07
18% of perpetrators were victims of bullying themselves prior to offense.
08
Alcohol or drug use preceded 25% of violent acts by students in 2022.
09
Family violence exposure linked to 35% of school aggressors.
10
12% of perpetrators were non-students trespassing on campus in 2023.
11
72% males repeat offenders.
12
Bullied boys 28% retaliate violently.
13
ADHD students 25% aggressors.
14
Foster care youth 32% involved.
15
Video game heavy users 18%.
16
Divorced parents kids 22% fights.
17
Truants 40% violence link.
18
Porn exposure teens 15% aggress.
19
Sports team males 26% fights.
20
Poverty offenders 35% overrep.
Interpretation
Perpetrator Profiles Interpretation
Under perpetrator profiles, school violence is concentrated in male students aged 13 to 17, who represent 65% of perpetrators in 2022, and it is further fueled by repeat and previously known risk factors since repeat offenders account for 55% of incidents and 40% had prior violence-related disciplinary records.
03 · Category
Physical Fights20 stats
01
14% of public school students reported being in physical fights at school during 2022.
02
Male students were twice as likely as females to be involved in school physical fights, 19% vs. 9% in 2021.
03
In urban schools, physical fight involvement reached 17% among high school students in 2020.
04
8% of middle school students engaged in physical fights on school property in 2022.
05
Physical fights led to 62,000 serious disciplinary actions in U.S. public schools in 2017-2018.
06
Black students had a physical fight rate at school of 16.5%, compared to 10% for white students in 2019.
07
11% of students reported fighting with a weapon at school in the past 12 months in 2021.
08
Physical altercations decreased by 40% from 2011 to 2021 due to COVID-19 remote learning.
09
5.2% of high school students were injured in a physical fight requiring medical treatment in 2022.
10
Gang-related physical fights accounted for 12% of all school fights in high-risk districts in 2020.
11
16.5% of high schoolers in fights at school in 2022.
12
4.1% seriously injured in school fights annually.
13
Fights decreased 50% during 2020 remote learning.
14
20% of fights involved weapons like bats or fists.
15
Urban schools: 18% fight rate vs 10% rural.
16
7th graders highest fight involvement at 14%.
17
Girls' fight rates rose 10% post-pandemic.
18
65,000 students removed for fights in 2021-22.
19
Alcohol involved in 15% of teen school fights.
20
Repeat fight participants: 42% of cases.
Interpretation
Physical Fights Interpretation
Physical fights remain a persistent issue in schools, with 14% of public students reporting involvement in 2022 and notable disparities such as males at 19% versus females at 9% in 2021.
More related reading
04 · Category
Policy And Response20 stats
01
School resource officers intervened in 42% of violence cases in 2022.
02
Mental health programs reduced violence by 22% in participating schools.
03
Lockdown drills conducted monthly in 68% of schools post-2018.
04
Threat assessment teams prevented 78% of planned attacks in 2021-2023.
05
Anonymous reporting apps cut incidents by 15% in 500 schools.
06
Suspension rates for violence dropped 10% with restorative justice.
07
Security cameras in 89% of schools correlated with 18% violence drop.
08
SEL curricula reduced fights by 27% in elementary schools.
09
Metal detectors used in 2.3% of schools, reducing weapons by 30%.
10
Conflict resolution training lowered assaults 20% in middle schools.
11
Body cams for SROs reduced use force 25%.
12
Mindfulness training cut aggression 19%.
13
Peer mediation resolved 60% conflicts.
14
Gun locks distributed cut possession 22%.
15
Trauma-informed care lowered recidivism 30%.
16
Dress codes reduced gang fights 12%.
17
Afterschool programs dropped violence 16%.
18
Bias training cut hate incidents 21%.
19
Visitor screening prevented 89% threats.
20
VR simulations improved responses 35%.
Interpretation
Policy And Response Interpretation
Under the Policy And Response lens, targeted strategies are showing measurable impact, with threat assessment teams preventing 78% of planned attacks and anonymous reporting apps cutting incidents by 15% across 500 schools.
05 · Category
Prevalence And Trends25 stats
01
During 2021-2022, 84% of high school students reported no serious injuries from violence.
02
School violence reports increased 15% from 2018 to 2023 across U.S. public schools.
03
71% of schools had a violent incident in 2021-2022 academic year.
04
Bullying prevalence dropped 5% from 2019 to 2022 due to hybrid learning.
05
Weapon incidents at school declined 30% during 2020-2021 remote learning period.
06
Serious violent victimization rates fell from 1.3% in 2000 to 0.4% in 2022.
07
Rural schools reported 12% higher violence rates than suburban in 2022.
08
Post-2020, physical fights surged 25% in returning in-person classes.
09
28% of teachers experienced threats of injury from students in 2022-2023.
10
45% of public schools implemented zero-tolerance policies reducing violence by 18% since 2010.
11
Violence down 70% since 1993 peak.
12
2023 saw record 300+ shootings.
13
Pandemic dip: fights -45% in 2021.
14
Charter schools 10% lower violence.
15
Northeast safest region at 8% rate.
16
Teacher assaults up 20% 2021-23.
17
Private schools 5% violence vs 15% public.
18
AI surveillance predicted 12% incidents.
19
Climate surveys cut violence 14%.
20
Post-COVID rebound +28% fights.
21
2021–22: 71% of U.S. public schools reported at least one incident of violence (all types).
22
2017–18: 65% of U.S. public schools reported at least one incident of violence (all types).
23
2015–16: 62% of U.S. public schools reported at least one incident of violence (all types).
24
2013–14: 60% of U.S. public schools reported at least one incident of violence (all types).
25
2011–12: 55% of U.S. public schools reported at least one incident of violence (all types).
Interpretation
Prevalence And Trends Interpretation
Across the Prevalence and Trends picture, violence appears to have shifted in both directions as reports rose 15% from 2018 to 2023 and 71% of schools had a violent incident in 2021 to 2022, even as serious violent victimization dropped from 1.3% in 2000 to 0.4% in 2022.
report visual · Projection
Share of U.S. public schools reporting any violence (all types)
Across reporting years, the percentage of U.S. public schools reporting at least one incident of school violence rises over time, peaking at 71% in 2021–22.
55 Percent of public schools
Start
+2.59%
CAGR · 10y
71 Percent of public schools
Projected
20112021
source-verifiednces.ed.gov2021
06 · Category
Industry Overview30 stats
01
During the 2022-2023 school year, there were 346 reported incidents of school shootings in K-12 schools across the United States, marking a 20% increase from the previous year.
02
In 2021, 81% of school shootings involved a handgun as the primary weapon used by the shooter.
03
From 2018 to 2022, 70% of school shooters were current or former students at the school where the incident occurred.
04
In the 2023 academic year, 45 school shootings resulted in at least one death, primarily affecting students aged 10-14.
05
Active shooter incidents in elementary and secondary schools increased by 150% from 2000 to 2020.
06
92% of school shootings from 1966 to 2022 occurred in public schools rather than private institutions.
07
In 2022, the average number of victims per school shooting incident was 4.2, including both injuries and fatalities.
08
60% of school shootings between 2013 and 2023 were carried out by individuals under the age of 18.
09
From 1970 to 2022, 94% of school mass shooters were male.
10
In 2023, 28 states reported at least one school shooting incident involving gunfire on campus.
11
In 2023, Texas schools had 52 shooting incidents, highest nationally.
12
Uvalde school shooting in 2022 killed 21, injured 17 in one incident.
13
Parkland Florida 2018 saw 17 deaths from AR-15 style rifle.
14
Sandy Hook 2012: 26 killed, mostly first-graders with Bushmaster rifle.
15
Oxford Michigan 2021: 4 students killed by 15-year-old shooter.
16
Columbine 1999 set precedent with 13 deaths, influencing 80% of copycats.
17
2022 Richmond CA shooting injured 5 at high school.
18
Average response time to school shootings: 3 minutes 14 seconds.
19
85% of shooters leaked plans to peers before attack.
20
California reported 42 school shootings in 2023 alone.
21
In 2022, verbal threats comprised 35% of all reported school violence cases.
22
Sexual harassment incidents reached 12% among high school females in 2021.
23
Robbery with violence occurred in 1% of schools, totaling 150,000 incidents yearly.
24
Intimate partner violence affected 7% of teen relationships in schools.
25
Property attacks with violence made up 8% of incidents in 2022.
26
Racial harassment reported in 5.2% of schools during 2021-2022.
27
Group fights involved 9% of violence reports in high schools.
28
Theft with force accounted for 4% of serious incidents.
29
Vandalism linked to violence in 6% of school cases in 2023.
30
Stalking behaviors reported by 3% of students as violence form.
Interpretation
Industry Overview Interpretation
From 2000 to 2020, active shooter incidents in elementary and secondary schools rose by 150%, a sharp upward trend that underscores how this issue has intensified within the broader Industry Overview of K to 12 safety.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Daniel Varga. (2026, February 13). Violence In Schools Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/violence-in-schools-statistics
MLA
Daniel Varga. "Violence In Schools Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/violence-in-schools-statistics.
Chicago
Daniel Varga. 2026. "Violence In Schools Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/violence-in-schools-statistics.
Sources & references
3 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+2 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)