Safety in Numbers: Analyzing MCPS Incident Data with an Interactive Tool and Policies for the New School Year

As Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) prepares for the 2024-2025 school year, recent data and new safety measures highlight both progress and ongoing challenges in creating secure learning environments.

Be sure to go to the bottom to check out our new state of the art interactive graphic on this data.

Overview of Serious Incidents

According to the MCPS Safety and Security Update “During the 2023-2024 school year, there were a total of 4,424 incidents reported through Synergy, the student information system…. Of the reported incidents, 726 (16%) were classified as critical, having the potential to impact student safety and security. “The report further breaks down these critical incidents by school level:

• High Schools: 334 incidents (47%)
• Middle Schools: 226 incidents (32%)
• Elementary Schools: 145 incidents (20%)
• Special Schools: 7 incidents (1%)

Key Areas of Concern

01-Attach-A-Safety-and-Security-Update-240820.pdf – next two sections

The data reveals some troubling trends across different school levels:

1. Weapons: “Knives and other weapons” were among the top three incident categories for all school levels, with 57 incidents in elementary schools, 71 in middle schools, and 93 in high schools.
2. Drugs: “Drugs/controlled substances” were a significant issue in secondary schools, with 72 incidents in middle schools and 113 in high schools.
3. Fighting: “Fighting/attack on others” was prominent in secondary schools, with 44 incidents in middle schools and 77 in high schools.
4. False Alarms/Bomb Threats: These were particularly notable in elementary schools, with 31 incidents reported.

Additionally, some interesting outliers from the data include:

5. Hate-bias incidents: These were surprisingly prevalent across all school levels. The report shows “160 hate-bias incidents in elementary schools, 160 in middle schools, and 96 in high schools.”
6. Sexual misconduct: This was a significant concern, particularly in middle and high schools. The data shows “81 incidents of sexual misconduct in middle schools and 53 in high schools.”
7. Medical assistance: This was the most frequently reported incident type across all levels, with “365 incidents in elementary schools, 194 in middle schools, and 282 in high schools.”

New Safety Measures

00-Safety-and-Security-Update-240820.pdf – rest of quotes

Superintendent Thomas W. Taylor outlined several new initiatives for the 2024-2025 school year:

1. Student Expectations: “Secondary students will complete a Student Expectations Module to accompany the Student Culture of Respect Module.”
2. Social Media Restrictions: “To maintain a focus on the educational environment and limit distractions students will not be able to access social media sites, including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, on the MCPS network.”
3. Cell Phone Policy Evaluation: “MCPS will be evaluating its current MCPS Regulation COG-RA Personal Mobile Devices. … several schools are piloting an Away All-Day Cell Phone Policy this year.”
4. Student Identification Program: “This school year, the student identification program will be implemented in all high schools by the end of November 2024.”
5. Vape Sensors: “Once approved by the Board and County Council, these funds will be used for vape sensors that will be installed in all restrooms at the high school level.”

Emergency Preparedness

The report emphasizes the importance of emergency planning “Schools collaborate with the Office of Systemwide Safety and Emergency Management (OSSEM) to create and/or update their School Emergency Plans annually… Throughout the year, schools will participate in emergency drills including shelter-in-place, lockdown, fire, weather, and parent child reunification.”

Looking Ahead

Superintendent Taylor concludes “It is important that we consistently are discussing our efforts as a district to create a school environment that is conducive to learning. I firmly believe these conversations will increase confidence and trust from our stakeholders about MCPS’ commitment to addressing safety and security needs in the district. “As MCPS implements these new measures, ongoing evaluation and adaptation will be crucial to ensure the safety and well-being of all students and staff.

Interactive Data Tool

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