Local school systems saw a decline in the number of criminal and violent acts last year, but statewide those numbers are up by 4.4. percent, according to data released by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction this week.
The Rowan-Salisbury School System had 109 acts for a rate of 5.39 percent per 1,000 students, a decrease from 118 acts for 5.72 percent the previous year.
“A positive and safe learning environment is the right of all students and should not be violated by negative student behavior,” Dr. Walter Hart, assistant superintendent of adminstration for the district, said in a press release. “While our district has a wide array of support in place to help students, those who chose to commit inappropriate actions are going to be reported as required by law and disciplined accordingly.”
Statewide, total acts went from 11,116 for a rate of 7.59 percent per 1,000 to 11,608 for 7.97 percent.
Kannapolis City Schools also saw a drop from 56 acts for a rate of 11.08 percent to 47 acts for 9.32 percent.
Suspensions dropped both locally and statewide.
Short-term suspension is classified as 10 days or fewer and long-term is defined as 11 days or more.
There were nearly 400 fewer short-term suspensions in Rowan last year, declining from 4,719 in 2008-2009 to 4,327.
The district’s long-term suspensions fell by two from 22 to 20.
Kannapolis had more than 300 fewer short-term suspensions and three times the number of long-term suspensions last year.
Last year 1,041 students received short-term suspension, compared to 1,344 the previous year. Long-term suspensions fell from nine in 2008-2009 to three.
Statewide, the number of students receiving short-term suspensions declined 5.5 percent from 293,453 to 277,206.
Long-term suspensions fell by more than 6 percent from 3,592 to 3,368.
Read the complete story in Saturday’s Post.