In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, scrutiny of police officers—including those in schools—has increased. Social science research has shown that school mental health staff members contribute more to positive student outcomes than school police. Nonetheless, high school students in 37 states are more likely to attend a school with a police officer than with a social worker. Key Numbers Data from the 2017–18 academic year show the following:
- Fifty-five percent of high school students, 38 percent of middle school students, and 18 percent of elementary school students attend a school with police presence, though the rates in high school and middle school have dropped since 2013–14 (when 67 percent of high schools and 45 percent of middle schools had a police officer).The four states with the highest shares of high school students in schools with police officers are Virginia (92 percent), South Carolina (87 percent), Tennessee (86 percent), and Georgia (85 percent).Forty percent of high school students, 33 percent of middle school students, and 31 percent of elementary school students attend a school with a social worker.States with the lowest rates of social workers in high school are Oklahoma (5 percent), Florida (9 percent), Mississippi (13 percent), and Alabama (15 percent). States with the highest shares of their high school students in schools with social workers are Rhode Island (92 percent), New Jersey (89 percent), Connecticut (89 percent), and Maine (79 percent).Sixty-two percent of students in high schools that are 20 to 80 percent students of color see a police officer in their school staff.The likelihood of a student of color attending a high school with a social worker is roughly 40 percent, regardless of the school’s racial demographics.
- Youth of ColorWhat does the “Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act” mean for students?School social workers and educational outcomesDo police keep schools safe? Fuel the school-to-prison pipeline? Here’s what research says.3 Key Questions for Rethinking Student Safety InvestmentsSocial work services in schools: Evaluation of a community-school social work modelResults from a statewide school-based mental health program: Effects on school climatePolice in schools and student arrest rates across the United States: Examining differences by race, ethnicity, and genderThe prevalence of police officers in US schoolsCops & No Counselors: How the lack of school mental health staff is harming studentsPatrolling public schools: The impact of funding for school police on student discipline and long‐term education outcomes
Authors
- Published in
- United States of America
- Rights Holder
- Urban Institute