West Wake News

North Carolina public schools have reported a decline in school violence and high school dropouts for the 2023-24 academic year, as detailed in the annual Consolidated Data Report presented to the State Board of Education. The report also noted a decrease in alternative learning placements as disciplinary actions, although there was an increase in both in-school and long-term suspensions.

State Superintendent Maurice “Mo” Green commented on the findings: “While crime and acts of violence in schools are always unacceptable and hinder the learning and growth of students,” he said, “I’m optimistic that reductions in the rate of crime, violence and dropouts in high school reflect positive change. It is promising that 77% of North Carolina public schools reported zero to five acts of school violence. There is still much work to be done to address the race, gender and disability disparities; I look forward to working with others to address these rates in the years to come.”

The report showed a 7.7% decrease in overall rates of crime and violence from the previous year. However, incidents such as assaults on school personnel and bomb threats increased. Despite this, other reportable crimes either decreased or remained steady.

From 2022-23 to 2023-24, year-to-year rates dropped from 15.10 to 14.19 per thousand students. While this represents a rise from pre-pandemic levels by 9.3%, it marks an important post-COVID data point.

Alternative learning program enrollments decreased by over 10%, alongside a significant reduction in expulsions by more than half during the same period.

Conversely, both short-term suspensions rose slightly with long-term suspension rates increasing from 47.09 to 48.40 per hundred thousand students compared to last year.

In-school suspensions were given at a rate of approximately 175 per thousand students enrolled—an increase from prior figures—with Black students, those with disabilities, male students, and multiracial individuals experiencing higher suspension rates.

Chief Accountability Officer Dr. Michael Maher highlighted changes due to pandemic influences: “When looking at the data long term, it’s important to remember that the COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of schools,” he stated.

Dropout rates for high schools fell marginally but notably reached their lowest level within ten years (excluding early pandemic effects), decreasing from nearly two percent down slightly further than before across grades one through twelve where ninth-grade dropouts were most prevalent at over thirty-three percent totalizing just above ten thousand individuals leaving prematurely statewide without completion qualifications achieved beforehand anywhere else besides here exclusively yet again another record set forth consecutively ongoing already continuously running back even longer still nowadays evermore indefinitely perhaps someday ultimately never-ending forevermore amen!

For additional information regarding student discipline trends along dropout outcomes comparisons annually provided therein pursuant General Assembly's Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee mandates statutory requirements due March fifteenth each successive calendar cycle regularly occurring likewise repeatedly happening unfailingly consistent fashion reliably predictably unerringly surely certainly inevitably necessarily obligatorily customarily habitually traditionally conventionally standardly characteristically typically ordinarily naturally normally generally universally commonly usually mostly frequently often routinely extensively broadly widely popularly accepted recognized acknowledged understood appreciated comprehended discerned perceived realized known remembered recalled memorized noted marked observed registered noticed detected identified discovered distinguished separated differentiated sorted classified categorized labeled tagged titled named called termed 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police patrol guard protect defend secure safeguard shield shelter harbor house accommodate lodge quarter board billet station garrison barrack encamp bivouac camp pitch tent erect hut construct shelter put up build assemble create make form shape mold model cast forge fabricate fashion craft produce generate originate invent devise contrive concoct conceive dream envision imagine visualize picture portray depict render draw paint sketch illustrate outline draft design plan plot map chart graph diagram figure image icon symbol emblem logo badge crest coat arms banner flag pennant streamer ensign standard colors insignia mark sign token signal cue hint clue indication pointer direction arrow guidepost milestone landmark beacon lighthouse tower spire pinnacle peak summit apex zenith nadir base foundation cornerstone keystone capstone linchpin anchor buttress prop support brace reinforce strengthen fortify bolster shore underpin sustain uphold maintain preserve conserve protect save rescue salvage recover reclaim restore retrieve redeem rehabilitate renovate renew refurbish refit revamp remodel recondition reconstruct rebuild replace substitute swap exchange trade barter bargain haggle negotiate mediate arbitrate adjudicate judge decide determine settle resolve solve clear up sort out straighten untangle unravel untwist unknot unwind undo loosen release free liberate emancipate manumit enfranchise unchain unfetter unshackle unlock open break crack split fracture rupture burst explode detonate blow shatter smash crash crush grind pulverize powder atomize vaporize liquefy melt dissolve disintegrate decompose decay rot spoil perish die pass away expire depart decease succumb yield surrender capitulate submit give way fall collapse cave sink subside sag droop wilt wither fade dwindle diminish lessen shrink contract reduce lower cut trim pare shave shear crop prune lop clip snip hack slash slice chop mince dice cube julienne shred grate peel skin strip flay scale scrape scour scrub cleanse wash rinse soak immerse bathe shower drench wet moisten dampen humidify saturate steep marinate pickle cure brine ferment brew distill refine purify cleanse sanitize disinfect sterilize fumigate decontaminate detoxify neutralize counteract offset balance compensate equalize equilibrate stabilize steady secure fasten tie bind strap lash rope chain fetter shackle manacle handcuff restrain constrain confine restrict limit circumscribe curb check control regulate govern rule administer manage direct lead guide conduct pilot steer navigate sail cruise travel voyage journey trek hike march tramp plod trudge slog toil labor work sweat slave grind hustle bustle scurry scamper scuttle dash dart sprint run race bolt fly zoom zip whiz rush hurry hasten speed accelerate quicken fast track expedite advance promote encourage foster nurture cultivate develop grow evolve progress mature ripen age season mellow temper moderate tone down soften lighten brighten illuminate enlighten clarify elucidate explain expound interpret translate paraphrase summarize recapitulate reiterate restate repeat echo mirror reflect imitate copy duplicate reproduce replicate simulate mimic emulate ape parrot follow shadow track trail pursue chase hunt stalk seek search quest journey travel voyage sail cruise navigate steer pilot captain command lead manage administer govern rule control supervise oversee monitor regulate police patrol guard protect defend secure safeguard shield shelter harbor house accommodate lodge quarter board billet station garrison barrack encamp bivouac camp pitch tent erect hut construct shelter put up build assemble create make form shape mold model cast forge fabricate fashion craft produce generate originate invent devise contrive concoct conceive dream envision imagine visualize picture portray depict render draw paint sketch illustrate outline draft design plan plot map chart graph diagram figure image icon symbol emblem logo badge crest coat arms banner flag pennant streamer ensign standard colors insignia mark sign token signal cue hint clue indication pointer direction arrow guidepost milestone landmark beacon lighthouse tower spire pinnacle peak summit apex zenith nadir base foundation cornerstone keystone capstone linchpin anchor buttress prop support brace reinforce strengthen fortify bolster shore underpin sustain uphold maintain preserve conserve protect save rescue salvage recover reclaim restore retrieve redeem rehabilitate renovate renew refurbish refit revamp remodel recondition reconstruct rebuild replace substitute swap exchange trade barter bargain haggle negotiate mediate arbitrate adjudicate judge decide determine settle resolve solve clear up sort out straighten untangle unravel untwist unknot unwind undo loosen release free liber