A new national survey found that while 77 percent of K-12 educators and administrators believe that school safety significantly impacts staff retention and recruitment, only 33 percent feel that their school or district highly prioritizes staff safety.

Findings from the 2024 National Educator Survey Report are said to highlight the importance of creating safe school environments that empower staff to be part of initiating a safety response protocol for any and all emergency situations.

Among key findings of the report:

School safety directly impacts student achievement and well-being

• 84 percent affirm that school safety directly impacts student achievement
• 83 percent report that students have some level of concern for their safety while at school
• 56 percent report that they lose two or more hours of instructional time each week — the equivalent of nine or more school days annually — to address emergency or safety incidents

School safety is a key factor in educator retention and recruitment

• 77 percent believe school safety significantly impacts staff retention and recruitment
• 45 percent have considered leaving or have left their job due to feeling unsafe
• 57 percent know of a colleague who has left their job due to feeling unsafe

Personal safety and emergency preparedness are top-of-mind for educators

• 80 percent regularly think of their own physical safety when at work
• Only 33 percent perceive high prioritization of staff safety by schools
• 74 percent don't feel fully supported by their employer to handle emergency incidents

The survey also provided insight into the many resources educators use to handle emergency situations. The most prominent was cell phones with nearly 40 percent reported to use these to initiate requests for help. In many cases when under duress, operating a cell phone can create issues and underscore barriers, according to the report. The best outcomes occur when personnel are notified immediately and able to respond quickly.

The survey results revealed large and inconsistent gaps in notification and response time, with an average of 3-11 minutes to notify emergency personnel (43 percent) and 6-11 minutes to receive a response (44 percent).

The survey was conducted by CENTEGIX, a wearable safety technology provider for K-12 education, in February. It included 530 U.S. K-12 educators, school administrators and district administrators. The data was collected using SurveyMonkey Audience.