School shootings are the top safety concern for parents of children in grades K-12, and only 31% of parents feel their children are “very safe” at school, according to the 2022 Back-to-School Study from Qualtrics. More than one-tenth (13%) of parents have moved their kids to new schools due to safety concerns, with an additional third (33%) considering doing so.
These findings indicate a shift in conversations around school safety since the pandemic began in 2020 with only 22% of parents now reporting COVID as their top safety concern. While worries about COVID wane and most U.S. public schools make masks optional for the new academic year, parental perceptions of safety continue to impact enrollment and retention. These challenges occur amidst ongoing learning gaps and staffing shortages. See the full study results here.
Parents say the top actions they want schools to take to improve safety are hiring security guards and conducting safety trainings with students. Almost a third (29%) of parents say they have taken measures into their own hands by personally teaching their children techniques for staying safe at school.
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