Fostering a Positive and Safe School Environment for Teaching and Learning

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Ensuring that schools are safe environments for learning and growth is a top priority for policy makers, state education agencies, and district and school leaders. For more than 20 years, the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS) provided reliable nationally representative data to guide decisions that shape safer schools across the United States. Administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Educational Statistics, SSOCS collected information on school crime, safety, and climate from principals in public elementary and secondary schools.

By using rigorous survey methods and standardized definitions across states to produce national estimates of school crime, SSOCS enables researchers and policymakers to track trends, identify emerging issues in U.S. schools, and develop evidence-based strategies to address these issues.
 

Our Work

AIR played a pivotal role in every SSOCS administration since its inception, providing support throughout the survey process—from design and development to collection and processing to analysis and reporting—to help ensure SSOCS data remained relevant, accurate, and accessible.

Some ways AIR supported this work include:

• Survey Design and Questionnaire Development – We developed survey items aligned with best practices and federal priorities; facilitated technical review panels to bring together federal partners, researchers, and practitioners; and conducted testing to refine survey items and improve the respondent experience.
   
• Sample Design – We developed and reviewed sampling plans to ensure technical accuracy and appropriateness of procedures and evaluate cost and precision implications.
   
• Data Collection and Processing – We prepared data collection materials; secured necessary clearances and approvals; and reviewed data processing plans and specifications.
   
• Data File Preparation and Disclosure Risk Analysis – We reviewed data files for accuracy; implemented disclosure avoidance techniques to protect respondent confidentiality; and developed data files and documentation in multiple formats (e.g., SAS, Stata, SPSS, ASCII).
   
• Analysis and Reporting – We programmed statistical tables; conducted analyses to test the significance of comparisons; and authored reports and briefs to highlight key findings and trends.