There was a decrease in dropouts in North Carolina school districts and charter schools in 2022-23, but a jump in crime and violence, as well as suspensions.
The annual Consolidated Data Report showed about 10,500 dropouts for all grade levels, a nearly 12 percent decrease from the previous year. The number of high school dropouts was the lowest in a non-pandemic school year since 2013-14.
State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said the decrease is a good sign for the future of education in North Carolina.
The report, however, also showed more than 13,000 acts of crime and violence, about 2,000 more than the year before.
Drug possession was the most frequently reported incident, followed by possession of a weapon.
Truitt said data from the report will be used by school districts to improve safety programming and planning while also helping the Center for Safer Schools make strategic decisions about allocation of safety resources and trainings.
