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The National School Boards Coalition (NSBC) supports having a School Resource Officer (SRO) in every school because of their vital role in creating a secure learning environment by providing an immediate, professional response to emergencies and high-level threats that school staff are not equipped to handle. Beyond physical security, SROs follow a “triad model” in which they serve as mentors and educators, building positive relationships between youth and law enforcement that can de-escalate conflicts before they escalate. By acting as a visible deterrent and a trusted resource for students, we believe SROs help prevent crime on campus and provide a safer learning envireoment, allowing students and teachers to focus on education.
National School Safety Statistics (2024–2026)
As of 2026, school safety strategies increasingly rely on a mix of specialized personnel, advanced technology, and school resource officers.
Prevalence by School Level
SROs are significantly more common in secondary schools than in elementary schools. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and Brookings Institution research:
In the last 10 years, school shooting incidents have occurred most frequently at the high school level, with the highest deaths among elementary school levels. According to data from the K-12 School Shooting Database and USAFacts, high schools account for approximately 61% of all recorded incidents since 2000.
Incidents by School Level (1999–2025)
The distribution of active shooter incidents across grade levels remains consistent over time, with high schools being the most common site:
|
School Level |
Percentage of Incidents |
|
High School |
55% – 61% |
|
Middle / Junior High |
12% – 22% |
|
Elementary School |
16% – 23.6% |
|
K-8 or K-12 Campus |
3.4% – 5% |
Key Trends in the Last Decade
Characteristics by Grade Level
A U.S. GAO analysis noted that the nature of these shootings often varies by school level and location:
The National School Boards Coalition (NSBC) advocates for the incorporation of school board leaders in the discussions surrounding the dismantling of the US Department of Education, which we believe has negatively impacted local education systems. Emphasizing the return of decision-making power to school boards and communities highlights the need for a clear pathway that promotes collaboration with the USDOE during this transition.
School board officials recognize that state departments of education serve as an additional layer of government that can often hinder local communities’ ability to make decisions regarding policies, budgets, and curriculum. These decisions should ideally reflect the specific needs and priorities of those communities. Therefore, the NSBC urges acknowledgment that directing funding to states does not effectively support local districts. Instead, resources should be allocated directly to districts, locally, where elected representatives make informed decisions that best serve their communities.
The National School Boards Coalition (NSBC) expresses urgent concern regarding the increased politicization of K-12 curriculum and supplemental materials for decades, particularly since 2020. It has become evident that content provided by curriculum publishers is often laced with bias, utilizing teacher support materials to highlight topics and illustrations leaning toward polarizing viewpoints.
School boards frequently find themselves trapped in adopting the lesser of two evils, which compounds this troubling trend and necessitates immediate investigation and accountability. We call for Congress to thoroughly examine these companies’ ties to political organizations and internal employee associations that exhibit anti-American and radical affiliations. It is imperative to address the influence they wield in promoting a blanket of political ideology on K-12 students, all under the guise of education.
Their failure to deliver a curriculum that prioritizes the foundational basics of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and unbiased history, all funded by taxpayer dollars, cannot continue while American students graduate without essential knowledge in these critical areas. We must ensure our education system remains dedicated to equipping students with appropriate and necessary knowledge.
While the NSBC will continue to educate and support school boards in seeking alternatives, we must acknowledge that this is a larger issue requiring broader attention. The challenges posed by politicized curriculum materials extend beyond individual districts and demand a collective response. Addressing this comprehensively helps ensure our education system effectively equips students for success.
The NSBC urges swift action to hold these publishing companies accountable and to safeguard the integrity of our students’ education.
The National School Boards Coalition (NSBC) recognizes the importance of educational choice and is committed to advocating for students while empowering school board members to support this choice. We believe that parents have a fundamental right to select the learning environments that best suit their children’s unique educational needs. In a diverse educational landscape, where a single approach may not work for everyone, the ability to make choices is vital for students’ individual growth and success.
This advocacy begins with cultivating a choice-friendly culture within school districts, initiated by strong leadership from superintendents who understand the importance of diverse educational options. Districts should proactively share local tax revenues with charter schools and be more receptive to charter applications, ensuring these institutions can thrive and contribute to the educational landscape. Additionally, increasing transparency with parents upon enrollment regarding state funding availability from Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) or vouchers for local private school options further enhances educational opportunities.
NSBC members strive to promote superior public school education while supporting families that seek alternatives.
By implementing policies to facilitate local school choice opportunities and forming partnerships with private schools and homeschool co-ops, districts can broaden access to extracurricular programs and specialized activities, such as band and JROTC. Prioritizing education choice not only benefits students but also enriches the entire educational ecosystem, ensuring every child has the opportunity to thrive.