Definition: Rate per 10,000 students in all Sarasota County Schools of incidents of crime, violence, and disruptive behaviors. The School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) System currently collects data on 26 incidents of crime, violence, and disruptive behaviors that occur on school grounds, on school transportation, and at off-campus, school-sponsored events, during any 24-hour period, 365 days per year. Incidents are reported by schools to the districts which, in turn, provide the data to the DOE.

Source: School Environmental Safety Incident Reporting (SESIR) System, Florida Department of Education

2025 Target: 86.31 per 10,000 students

Below is a comparison of the value for this indicator among seven coastal counties: Charlotte, Sarasota, Collier, Lee, Manatee, Hillsborough, and Pinellas. These counties have been recommended as comparable counties by Sarasota County Government.

Rate of Reported Incidents in Schools per 10,000 Students (2016)

In the 2015-2016 school year in Sarasota County, there was a rate of approximately 70 reported incidents of crime, violence and disruptive behaviors per 10,000 students. This rate has decreased by 58% since 2009. The rate in Sarasota County is significantly lower than the rest of the state (257.9 per 10,000 students), with a difference of 187.6 incidents per 10,000 students. In 2015-2016 the four most common reported incidents were battery, drug use or possession (excluding alcohol), tobacco use, and fighting. In 2015-2016 these four types of incidents accounted for 57% of all reported incidents. Since the 2009-2010 school year, tobacco and drug use have often been the most commonly reported incidents, with the exception of 2012-2013 when the most common reported incident was battery, as it was in the 2015-2016 school year. In the State of Florida in 2015-2016, fighting, physical attacks, drug use or possession (excluding alcohol) and tobacco were the most common reported incidents

Several factors contribute to school drug use and violence, including: peer pressure, stress and anxiety, home and school environments, and lack of adult guidance. Violence and drug use in schools interferes with student safety, comfort, and ability to succeed academically. Students who commit crimes or disruptions on campus are more likely to get suspended and miss valuable time in the classroom.