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An ecological perspective was used to predict school violence from a number of variables describing the students and their families based on nationally representative sample of 10,400 students in grades 7–11 in 162 schools across Israel. Self‐administered anonymous questionnaires that included a scale for reporting victimization by serious and moderate physical violence, threats, and verbal–social victimization were filled out during class. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) examined the relationships between students’ reports of victimization and student level variables (gender, age) and the school‐level variables—cultural affiliation (Jewish vs. Arab), the socio‐economic status (SES) of the school's neighborhood and students’ families, school and class size, school level (junior high vs. high), and school climate. Variance between schools accounted for 9–15% of the variance in student victimization (major factors being school climate characteristics and percent of boys at the school). Boys reported higher victimization than girls for all forms of school violence. Students in junior high schools reported more victimization than high school students. Higher levels of victimization were reported in overcrowded classes, while school size was not associated with students’ reports of victimization. Although there were almost no differences between Jewish and Arab schools in students’ reports of victimization, the SES of the school's neighborhood and students did have a moderate effect. The discussion highlights the importance of improving school climate and the need to allocate more resources to schools in low SES contexts in order to protect students from school violence.

This guide provides professionals charged with reducing bullying and making schools safer with practical solutions for creating and implementing monitoring systems that use multiple sources of data. Including examples of how monitoring works, the authors advocate for an ongoing cycle that involves collecting information from multiple audiences about what is taking place in and around schools. Mapping, which gives school leaders, students, and staff members a visual record of safe and unsafe areas on the campus, is described along with other methods of gathering, analyzing, and sharing feedback.

Despite the increased research on violence toward teachers and public policies aimed at protecting teachers from violence, knowledge of the factors contributing to teachers’ sense of safety at school remains limited. Drawing from socioecological theory, we examined the contributions of both teachers’, parents’, students’, and schools’ characteristics to teachers’ sense of feeling unsafe in school. Specifically, we examined teachers’ individual and work characteristics (sex, age, years of experience, and working in the regular classroom or not), their perceptions of school violence, and their relationships with students and their peers. At the school level, we examined the school size, poverty level, and school-level reports of parents’, students’, and teachers’ perception of the school climate and school violence. The sample consisted of 9625 teachers (73% female), 126,301 students, and 56,196 parents from 2116 schools with a low socioeconomic status in Chile. Descriptive statistics showed that most teachers do not feel afraid (72.9%) nor thought that their job was dangerous (74.6%). A hierarchical multivariate regression analysis and multilevel analyses showed that teachers with higher perceptions of feeling unsafe were females or reported being “other sex”, had fewer years of experience, worked mainly in the classroom, perceived a higher level of school violence, and had worse perceptions of peer relationships and teacher–student relationships. These teachers were mostly in schools with higher poverty levels, larger enrollment, and higher student-reported and parent-reported school violence compared to the rest of the sample of low-SES Chilean schools. We discuss the implications of these findings for preventive school interventions and programs regarding school violence and teacher turnover.

Youths who experience homelessness are at high risk of victimization, yet little is known about school violence in the context of students experiencing homelessness. Specifically, limited research has considered different subgroups of students experiencing homelessness according to the McKinney–Vento Homeless Assistance Act (nonsheltered, sheltered, doubled up) in comparison with nonhomeless students. Using a representative sample of California public high school students (N = 390,028), authors applied bivariate and multivariate analyses to examine differences among nonsheltered, sheltered, and doubled-up students experiencing homelessness regarding levels of discriminatory bullying, behavioral victimization, and weapon victimization at school. Findings show that students experiencing homelessness across all subgroups are at high risk of experiencing school violence. The severity of findings and differences among subgroups emphasize the need to develop schoolbased responses for each subgroup. Providers serving youths experiencing homelessness are encouraged to consider schools as a site for prevention and intervention for this population.

Researchers have examined the importance of school administrative support for teacher safety, victimization, anxiety, and retention; however, studies to date have rarely focused on school administrators’ perceptions of support by their district leaders, and its relation to administrators’ anxiety/stress, safety, and their intentions to transfer or quit their jobs. In the current study of 457 PreK-12th grade school administrators in the United States, structural equation modeling was used to examine relations between administrators’ perceptions of support from their district leaders and their anxiety/stress, safety, and intentions to transfer or quit their jobs. Administrator experiences of violence by student offenders served as a moderator. Results indicated that administrators’ perceptions of district leaders’ support were associated with lower intentions to transfer or quit their positions both directly and indirectly as a function of decreased anxiety/stress. District support was positively related to administrator safety, particularly for administrators who reported experiencing more student violence. Findings highlight the importance of district support of administrators for reducing mental health concerns and transfer/quit intentions in the context of student violence against school administrators. Implications of findings for research and practice are presented.

Scientific and public attention regarding educator-directed violence has increased over the past 15 years; however, research on violence against administrators is limited. Although school administrators are responsible for school performance and safety, they can be particularly vulnerable to violence from students, teachers, and parents. This study includes 497 pre-K–12th grade school administrators in the United States. A path analysis was conducted to examine the associations between administrator perceptions of student-, school-, and community-level strengths and administrator experiences of verbal/threatening and physical violence. Cultural pluralism, which incorporates student and staff support of cultural differences and honors different voices and cultures in curricula and discussion, was investigated as a moderator of these associations. Results indicate that (a) student strengths are associated with less student verbal/threatening violence against administrators; (b) school strengths are associated with less student and colleague verbal/threatening violence against administrators; and (c) community strengths are associated with less physical violence from students and less verbal/threatening violence from parents against administrators. Cultural pluralism practices significantly moderated the relationship between student strengths and physical violence from colleagues. Findings highlight school practices and policies across the school ecology that are associated with less administrator-directed violence.

Previous research indicates that suicidal ideation is higher among military-connected youth than non military-connected youth. This study extends prior work by examining suicidal ideation, plans, and attempts in military-connected and non military-connected adolescents. Data were gathered from 390,028 9th and 11th grade students who completed the 2012–2013 California Healthy Kids Survey. Bivariate comparisons and multivariate logistic analyses were conducted to examine differences in suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and attempts requiring medical attention between military and not military-connected youth. In multivariate logistic analyses, military-connected youth were at increased risk for suicidal ideation (OR = 1.43, 95 % CI = 1.37–1.49), making a plan to harm themselves (OR = 1.19, CI = 1.06–1.34), attempting suicide (OR = 1.67, CI = 1.43–1.95), and an attempted suicide which required medical treatment (OR = 1.71, CI = 1.34–2.16). These results indicate that military-connected youth statewide are at a higher risk for suicidal ideation, plans, attempts, and attempts requiring medical care because of suicidal behaviors. It is suggested that policies be implemented to increase awareness and screening among primary care providers, school personnel, and military organizations that serve military-connected youth.

In the present study, we analyzed qualitative survey data from 538 school psychologists across schools in the United States regarding their perceptions of school safety issues and potential strategies to address school safety. There are only a few studies exploring the experiences and perspectives of school psychologists that have been based on large-scale qualitative data. Using inductive coding, three themes for safety concerns emerged: (a) aggressive behaviors from students, (b) mental and behavioral needs, and (c) limited staffing. Three themes also emerged for potential solutions: (a) professional development/training, (b) school–family–community relationships, and (c) threat assessments. These findings from school psychologists have implications for addressing structural issues to prevent school violence in research and practice. Policy recommendations to inform resource allocation and improve school safety are discussed.

Educational researchers and practitioners assert that supportive school and classroom climates can positively influence the academic outcomes of students, thus potentially reducing academic achievement gaps between students and schools of different socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. Nonetheless, scientific evidence establishing directional links and mechanisms between SES, school climate, and academic performance is inconclusive. This comprehensive review of studies dating back to the year 2000 examined whether a positive climate can successfully disrupt the associations between low SES and poor academic achievement. Positive climate was found to mitigate the negative contribution of weak SES background on academic achievement; however, most studies do not provide a basis for deducing a directional influence and causal relations. Additional research is encouraged to establish the nature of impact positive climate has on academic achievement and a multifaceted body of knowledge regarding the multilevel climate dimensions related to academic achievement.

Issues with school safety and violence have raised concerns that warrant attention from researchers, policy makers, and practitioners alike. In this study, we explored how school social workers—a group of school personnel who are understudied in the school violence literature—experience school safety and violence in the United States. Using a sample of 271 school social workers, we analyzed qualitative responses to two open-ended survey questions: (a) What are the most concerning safety issues facing educators and staff in your school? (b) What policies, procedures, resources, or interventions are needed to better prevent or address violence in your school? Data were collected online between March and June 2022 by the American Psychological Association Task Force on Violence against Educators and School Personnel. Derived using a socioecological framework, findings reflect school social workers’ needs for workplace safety and perspectives on how to prevent and mitigate school violence at the school site, district, and community levels. Implications range from promoting strong relationships in schools and between the school and community to bolstering funding sources that can sustain programs, training, and staffing aimed at improving experiences for all students. The implications of our findings for future research and practice are presented.