ALBANY- Bullying and drug-related incidents in New York’s public schools are increasing and have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to a new report released by State Comptroller Tom DiNapoli. At the same time, serious violent and disruptive incidents remain near-zero statewide.
The report analyzed seven years of data from the State Education Department’s School Safety and Educational Climate reports, which track incidents in public and charter schools. Bullying was the most frequently reported issue in the 2023–24 school year, accounting for nearly 62 percent of all reported incidents. Statewide, schools reported more than 29,700 bullying incidents, or 12.4 incidents per 1,000 students.
Reported bullying rates rose sharply after students returned to in-person learning following the pandemic, particularly in New York City. Cyberbullying incidents remained relatively low statewide, though the comptroller noted such incidents may be underreported because they can be difficult to detect.
The report also found that drug-related incidents in secondary schools increased after in-person instruction resumed, reaching 6.5 incidents per 1,000 students in 2023–24, up from 4.2 in 2017–18. Rates were highest in upstate districts, while alcohol-related incidents stayed at or below one per 1,000 students statewide.
In contrast, incidents involving assault, sexual offenses and weapons possession declined significantly and remained low after the pandemic. DiNapoli attributed part of that decline to changes in state reporting definitions that took effect in the 2021–22 school year.
DiNapoli said the findings highlight the need for continued attention to school climate and student safety. While many schools reported no incidents, the report cautioned that some events may still be recorded locally even if they do not meet state reporting thresholds.