NCVS SCS Attachments

2019 NCVS SCS Attachments C_final.pdf

2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey

NCVS SCS Attachments

OMB: 1121-0184

⚠️ Notice: This form may be outdated. More recent filings and information on OMB 1121-0184 can be found here:

2021-09-10 - Revision of a currently approved collection

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Supporting Statement Attachments – 2019 National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) School Crime
Supplement (SCS)

Attachment 1:

BJS Authorizing Statute; Title 34, United States Code, Section 10132………………...2

Attachment 2:

2019 SCS questionnaire………………………………………………………………………………..…..15

Attachment 3:

2017 SCS questionnaire………………………………………………………………………………..…..36

Attachment 4:

2019 SCS item description and rationale………………………………………………….…..…..50

Attachment 5:

Nonfederal publications citing data from the NCVS SCS…………………………………….70

Attachment 6:

Incoming introductory letter from Census (NCVS-572(L))……………………………..…..78

Attachment 7:

Continuing household introductory letter from Census (NCVS-573(L))………….…..81

Attachment 8:

SCS brochure for parents in English……………………………………………………………...…..84

Attachment 9:

SCS brochure for students in English………………………………………………………….…..…87

Attachment 10:

SCS brochure for parents in Spanish………………………………………………………………….90

Attachment 11:

SCS brochure for students in Spanish…………………………………………………………...…..93

Attachment 12:

Cognitive Pretesting of the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime
Victimization Survey: Final Report…………………………………………………………………….96

Attachment 13:

Cognitive Pretesting of the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime
Victimization Survey: Final Report – Protocols……………………………………………….…157

Attachment 14:

Cognitive Pretesting of the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime
Victimization Survey: Final Report – Supplemental Materials…………………………..252

Attachment 1:
BJS authorizing statute; Title 34, United States Code, Section 10132

34 USC 10132: Bureau of Justice Statistics
Text contains those laws in effect on August 6, 2018
From Title 34-CRIME CONTROL AND LAW ENFORCEMENT
Subtitle I-Comprehensive Acts
CHAPTER 101-JUSTICE SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTSUBCHAPTER III-BUREAU OF JUSTICE STATISTICS
§10132. Bureau of Justice Statistics
(a) Establishment
There is established within the Department of Justice, under the general authority of the Attorney General, a Bureau of
Justice Statistics (hereinafter referred to in this subchapter as "Bureau").

(b) Appointment of Director; experience; authority; restrictions
The Bureau shall be headed by a Director appointed by the President. The Director shall have had experience in
statistical programs. The Director shall have final authority for all grants, cooperative agreements, and contracts
awarded by the Bureau. The Director shall be responsible for the integrity of data and statistics and shall protect against
improper or illegal use or disclosure. The Director shall report to the Attorney General through the Assistant Attorney
General. The Director shall not engage in any other employment than that of serving as Director; nor shall the Director
hold any office in, or act in any capacity for, any organization, agency, or institution with which the Bureau makes any
contract or other arrangement under this Act.

(1) make grants to, or enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with public agencies, institutions of higher
education, private organizations, or private individuals for purposes related to this subchapter; grants shall be made
subject to continuing compliance with standards for gathering justice statistics set forth in rules and regulations
promulgated by the Director;

(2) collect and analyze information concerning criminal victimization, including crimes against the elderly, and civil
disputes;

(3) collect and analyze data that will serve as a continuous and comparable national social indication of the prevalence,
incidence, rates, extent, distribution, and attributes of crime, juvenile delinquency, civil disputes, and other statistical
factors related to crime, civil disputes, and juvenile delinquency, in support of national, State, tribal, and local justice
policy and decisionmaking;

(4) collect and analyze statistical information, concerning the operations of the criminal justice system at the Federal,
State, tribal, and local levels;

(5) collect and analyze statistical information concerning the prevalence, incidence, rates, extent, distribution, and
attributes of crime, and juvenile delinquency, at the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels;

(6) analyze the correlates of crime, civil disputes and juvenile delinquency, by the use of statistical information, about
criminal and civil justice systems at the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels, and about the extent, distribution and
attributes of crime, and juvenile delinquency, in the Nation and at the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels;

(7) compile, collate, analyze, publish, and disseminate uniform national statistics concerning all aspects of criminal
justice and related aspects of civil justice, crime, including crimes against the elderly, juvenile delinquency, criminal
offenders, juvenile delinquents, and civil disputes in the various States and in Indian country;

(8) recommend national standards for justice statistics and for insuring the reliability and validity of justice statistics
supplied pursuant to this chapter;

(9) maintain liaison with the judicial branches of the Federal Government and State and tribal governments in matters
relating to justice statistics, and cooperate with the judicial branch in assuring as much uniformity as feasible in
statistical systems of the executive and judicial branches;

(10) provide information to the President, the Congress, the judiciary, State, tribal, and local governments, and the
general public on justice statistics;

(11) establish or assist in the establishment of a system to provide State, tribal, and local governments with access to
Federal informational resources useful in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs under this Act;

(12) conduct or support research relating to methods of gathering or analyzing justice statistics;

(13) provide for the development of justice information systems programs and assistance to the States, Indian tribes,
and units of local government relating to collection, analysis, or dissemination of justice statistics;

(14) develop and maintain a data processing capability to support the collection, aggregation, analysis and dissemination
of information on the incidence of crime and the operation of the criminal justice system;

(15) collect, analyze and disseminate comprehensive Federal justice transaction statistics (including statistics on issues of
Federal justice interest such as public fraud and high technology crime) and to provide technical assistance to and work
jointly with other Federal agencies to improve the availability and quality of Federal justice data;

(16) provide for the collection, compilation, analysis, publication and dissemination of information and statistics about
the prevalence, incidence, rates, extent, distribution and attributes of drug offenses, drug related offenses and drug
dependent offenders and further provide for the establishment of a national clearinghouse to maintain and update a
comprehensive and timely data base on all criminal justice aspects of the drug crisis and to disseminate such
information;

(17) provide for the collection, analysis, dissemination and publication of statistics on the condition and progress of drug
control activities at the Federal, State, tribal, and local levels with particular attention to programs and intervention
efforts demonstrated to be of value in the overall national anti-drug strategy and to provide for the establishment of a
national clearinghouse for the gathering of data generated by Federal, State, tribal, and local criminal justice agencies on
their drug enforcement activities;

(18) provide for the development and enhancement of State, tribal, and local criminal justice information systems, and
the standardization of data reporting relating to the collection, analysis or dissemination of data and statistics about
drug offenses, drug related offenses, or drug dependent offenders;

(19) provide for improvements in the accuracy, quality, timeliness, immediate accessibility, and integration of State and
tribal criminal history and related records, support the development and enhancement of national systems of criminal
history and related records including the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, the National IncidentBased Reporting System, and the records of the National Crime Information Center, facilitate State and tribal
participation in national records and information systems, and support statistical research for critical analysis of the
improvement and utilization of criminal history records;

(20) maintain liaison with State, tribal, and local governments and governments of other nations concerning justice
statistics;

(21) cooperate in and participate with national and international organizations in the development of uniform justice
statistics;

(22) ensure conformance with security and privacy requirement of section 10231 of this title and identify, analyze, and
participate in the development and implementation of privacy, security and information policies which impact on
Federal, tribal, and State criminal justice operations and related statistical activities; and

(23) exercise the powers and functions set out in subchapter VII.

(d) Justice statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination
(1) In general
To ensure that all justice statistical collection, analysis, and dissemination is carried out in a coordinated manner, the
Director is authorized to-

(A) utilize, with their consent, the services, equipment, records, personnel, information, and facilities of other Federal,
State, local, and private agencies and instrumentalities with or without reimbursement therefor, and to enter into
agreements with such agencies and instrumentalities for purposes of data collection and analysis;

(B) confer and cooperate with State, municipal, and other local agencies;

(C) request such information, data, and reports from any Federal agency as may be required to carry out the purposes of
this chapter;

(D) seek the cooperation of the judicial branch of the Federal Government in gathering data from criminal justice
records;

(E) encourage replication, coordination and sharing among justice agencies regarding information systems, information
policy, and data; and

(F) confer and cooperate with Federal statistical agencies as needed to carry out the purposes of this subchapter,
including by entering into cooperative data sharing agreements in conformity with all laws and regulations applicable to
the disclosure and use of data.

(2) Consultation with Indian tribes
The Director, acting jointly with the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs (acting through the Office of Justice Services)
and the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, shall work with Indian tribes and tribal law enforcement
agencies to establish and implement such tribal data collection systems as the Director determines to be necessary to
achieve the purposes of this section.

(e) Furnishing of information, data, or reports by Federal agencies
Federal agencies requested to furnish information, data, or reports pursuant to subsection (d)(1)(C) shall provide such
information to the Bureau as is required to carry out the purposes of this section.

(f) Consultation with representatives of State, tribal, and local government and judiciary
In recommending standards for gathering justice statistics under this section, the Director shall consult with
representatives of State, tribal, and local government, including, where appropriate, representatives of the judiciary.

(g) Reports
Not later than 1 year after July 29, 2010, and annually thereafter, the Director shall submit to Congress a report
describing the data collected and analyzed under this section relating to crimes in Indian country.

(Pub. L. 90–351, title I, §302, as added Pub. L. 96–157, §2, Dec. 27, 1979, 93 Stat. 1176 ; amended Pub. L. 98–473, title II,
§605(b), Oct. 12, 1984, 98 Stat. 2079 ; Pub. L. 100–690, title VI, §6092(a), Nov. 18, 1988, 102 Stat. 4339 ; Pub. L. 103–
322, title XXXIII, §330001(h)(2), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2139 ; Pub. L. 109–162, title XI, §1115(a), Jan. 5, 2006, 119 Stat.
3103 ; Pub. L. 111–211, title II, §251(b), July 29, 2010, 124 Stat. 2297 ; Pub. L. 112–166, §2(h)(1), Aug. 10, 2012, 126 Stat.
1285 .)

References in Text
This Act, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c)(11), is Pub. L. 90–351, June 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 197 , known as the Omnibus
Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 1968
Act note set out under section 10101 of this title and Tables.

Codification
Section was formerly classified to section 3732 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare, prior to editorial
reclassification and renumbering as this section.

Prior Provisions
A prior section 302 of Pub. L. 90–351, title I, June 19, 1968, 82 Stat. 200 ; Pub. L. 93–83, §2, Aug. 6, 1973, 87 Stat. 201 ;
Pub. L. 94–503, title I, §110, Oct. 15, 1976, 90 Stat. 2412 , related to establishment of State planning agencies to develop
comprehensive State plans for grants for law enforcement and criminal justice purposes, prior to the general
amendment of this chapter by Pub. L. 96–157.

Amendments
2012-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 112–166 struck out ", by and with the advice and consent of the Senate" before period at end
of first sentence.

2010-Subsec. (c)(3) to (6). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(A), inserted "tribal," after "State," wherever appearing.

Subsec. (c)(7). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(B), inserted "and in Indian country" after "States".

Subsec. (c)(9). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(C), substituted "Federal Government and State and tribal governments" for
"Federal and State Governments".

Subsec. (c)(10), (11). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(D), inserted ", tribal," after "State".

Subsec. (c)(13). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(E), inserted ", Indian tribes," after "States".

Subsec. (c)(17). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(F), substituted "activities at the Federal, State, tribal, and local" for
"activities at the Federal, State and local" and "generated by Federal, State, tribal, and local" for "generated by Federal,
State, and local".

Subsec. (c)(18). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(G), substituted "State, tribal, and local" for "State and local".

Subsec. (c)(19). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(H), inserted "and tribal" after "State" in two places.

Subsec. (c)(20). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(I), inserted ", tribal," after "State".

Subsec. (c)(22). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(1)(J), inserted ", tribal," after "Federal".

Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(2), designated existing provisions as par. (1), inserted par. (1) heading, substituted
"To ensure" for "To insure", redesignated former pars. (1) to (6) as subpars. (A) to (F), respectively, of par. (1), realigned
margins, and added par. (2).

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(3), substituted "subsection (d)(1)(C)" for "subsection (d)(3)".

Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(4)(B), inserted ", tribal," after "State".

Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(4)(A), which directed insertion of ", tribal," after "State" in heading, was executed editorially
but could not be executed in original because heading had been editorially supplied.

Subsec. (g). Pub. L. 111–211, §251(b)(5), added subsec. (g).

2006-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 109–162, §1115(a)(1), inserted after third sentence "The Director shall be responsible for the
integrity of data and statistics and shall protect against improper or illegal use or disclosure."

Subsec. (c)(19). Pub. L. 109–162, §1115(a)(2), amended par. (19) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (19) read as
follows: "provide for research and improvements in the accuracy, completeness, and inclusiveness of criminal history
record information, information systems, arrest warrant, and stolen vehicle record information and information systems
and support research concerning the accuracy, completeness, and inclusiveness of other criminal justice record
information;".

Subsec. (d)(6). Pub. L. 109–162, §1115(a)(3), added par. (6).

1994-Subsec. (c)(19). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted a semicolon for period at end.

1988-Subsec. (c)(16) to (23). Pub. L. 100–690 added pars. (16) to (19) and redesignated former pars. (16) to (19) as (20)
to (23), respectively.

1984-Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(1), inserted provision requiring Director to report to Attorney General through
Assistant Attorney General.

Subsec. (c)(13). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(2)(A), (C), added par. (13) and struck out former par. (13) relating to provision of
financial and technical assistance to States and units of local government relating to collection, analysis, or
dissemination of justice statistics.

Subsec. (c)(14), (15). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(2)(C), added pars. (14) and (15). Former pars. (14) and (15) redesignated
(16) and (17), respectively.

Subsec. (c)(16). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(2)(A), (B), redesignated par. (14) as (16) and struck out former par. (16) relating
to insuring conformance with security and privacy regulations issued under section 10231 of this title.

Subsec. (c)(17). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(2)(B), redesignated par. (15) as (17). Former par. (17) redesignated (19).

Subsec. (c)(18). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(2)(D), added par. (18).

Subsec. (c)(19). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(2)(B), redesignated former par. (17) as (19).

Subsec. (d)(1). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(3)(A), inserted ", and to enter into agreements with such agencies and
instrumentalities for purposes of data collection and analysis".

Subsec. (d)(5). Pub. L. 98–473, §605(b)(3)(B)–(D), added par. (5).

Effective Date of 2012 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 112–166 effective 60 days after Aug. 10, 2012, and applicable to appointments made on and
after that effective date, including any nomination pending in the Senate on that date, see section 6(a) of Pub. L. 112–
166, set out as a note under section 113 of Title 6, Domestic Security.

Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–473 effective Oct. 12, 1984, see section 609AA(a) of Pub. L. 98–473, set out as an Effective
Date note under section 10101 of this title.

Construction of 2010 Amendment
Pub. L. 111–211, title II, §251(c), July 29, 2010, 124 Stat. 2298 , provided that: "Nothing in this section [amending this
section and section 41507 of this title] or any amendment made by this section-

"(1) allows the grant to be made to, or used by, an entity for law enforcement activities that the entity lacks jurisdiction
to perform; or

"(2) has any effect other than to authorize, award, or deny a grant of funds to a federally recognized Indian tribe for the
purposes described in the relevant grant program."

[For definition of "Indian tribe" as used in section 251(c) of Pub. L. 111–211, set out above, see section 203(a) of Pub. L.
111–211, set out as a note under section 2801 of Title 25, Indians.]

Inclusion of Honor Violence in National Crime Victimization Survey
Pub. L. 113–235, div. B, title II, Dec. 16, 2014, 128 Stat. 2191 , provided in part: "That beginning not later than 2 years
after the date of enactment of this Act [div. B of Pub. L. 113–235, Dec. 16, 2014], as part of each National Crime
Victimization Survey, the Attorney General shall include statistics relating to honor violence".

Study of Crimes Against Seniors
Pub. L. 106–534, §5, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2557 , provided that:

"(a) In General.-The Attorney General shall conduct a study relating to crimes against seniors, in order to assist in
developing new strategies to prevent and otherwise reduce the incidence of those crimes.

"(b) Issues Addressed.-The study conducted under this section shall include an analysis of-

"(1) the nature and type of crimes perpetrated against seniors, with special focus on-

"(A) the most common types of crimes that affect seniors;

"(B) the nature and extent of telemarketing, sweepstakes, and repair fraud against seniors; and

"(C) the nature and extent of financial and material fraud targeted at seniors;

"(2) the risk factors associated with seniors who have been victimized;

"(3) the manner in which the Federal and State criminal justice systems respond to crimes against seniors;

"(4) the feasibility of States establishing and maintaining a centralized computer database on the incidence of crimes
against seniors that will promote the uniform identification and reporting of such crimes;

"(5) the effectiveness of damage awards in court actions and other means by which seniors receive reimbursement and
other damages after fraud has been established; and

"(6) other effective ways to prevent or reduce the occurrence of crimes against seniors."

Inclusion of Seniors in National Crime Victimization Survey
Pub. L. 106–534, §6, Nov. 22, 2000, 114 Stat. 2557 , provided that: "Beginning not later than 2 years after the date of
enactment of this Act [Nov. 22, 2000], as part of each National Crime Victimization Survey, the Attorney General shall
include statistics relating to-

"(1) crimes targeting or disproportionately affecting seniors;

"(2) crime risk factors for seniors, including the times and locations at which crimes victimizing seniors are most likely to
occur; and

"(3) specific characteristics of the victims of crimes who are seniors, including age, gender, race or ethnicity, and
socioeconomic status."

Crime Victims With Disabilities Awareness
Pub. L. 105–301, Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2838 , as amended by Pub. L. 106–402, title IV, §401(b)(10), Oct. 30, 2000, 114
Stat. 1739 , provided that:

"SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

"This Act may be cited as the 'Crime Victims With Disabilities Awareness Act'.

"SEC. 2. FINDINGS; PURPOSES.
"(a) Findings.-Congress finds that-

"(1) although research conducted abroad demonstrates that individuals with developmental disabilities are at a 4 to 10
times higher risk of becoming crime victims than those without disabilities, there have been no significant studies on this
subject conducted in the United States;

"(2) in fact, the National Crime Victim's Survey, conducted annually by the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the Department
of Justice, does not specifically collect data relating to crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities;

"(3) studies in Canada, Australia, and Great Britain consistently show that victims with developmental disabilities suffer
repeated victimization because so few of the crimes against them are reported, and even when they are, there is
sometimes a reluctance by police, prosecutors, and judges to rely on the testimony of a disabled individual, making
individuals with developmental disabilities a target for criminal predators;

"(4) research in the United States needs to be done to-

"(A) understand the nature and extent of crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities;

"(B) describe the manner in which the justice system responds to crimes against individuals with developmental
disabilities; and

"(C) identify programs, policies, or laws that hold promises for making the justice system more responsive to crimes
against individuals with developmental disabilities; and

"(5) the National Academy of Science Committee on Law and Justice of the National Research Council is a premier
research institution with unique experience in developing seminal, multidisciplinary studies to establish a strong
research base from which to make public policy.

"(b) Purposes.-The purposes of this Act are-

"(1) to increase public awareness of the plight of victims of crime who are individuals with developmental disabilities;

"(2) to collect data to measure the extent of the problem of crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities;
and

"(3) to develop a basis to find new strategies to address the safety and justice needs of victims of crime who are
individuals with developmental disabilities.

"SEC. 3. DEFINITION OF DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITY.
"In this Act, the term 'developmental disability' has the meaning given the term in section 102 of the Developmental
Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000 [42 U.S.C. 15002].

"SEC. 4. STUDY.
"(a) In General.-The Attorney General shall conduct a study to increase knowledge and information about crimes against
individuals with developmental disabilities that will be useful in developing new strategies to reduce the incidence of
crimes against those individuals.

"(b) Issues Addressed.-The study conducted under this section shall address such issues as-

"(1) the nature and extent of crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities;

"(2) the risk factors associated with victimization of individuals with developmental disabilities;

"(3) the manner in which the justice system responds to crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities; and

"(4) the means by which States may establish and maintain a centralized computer database on the incidence of crimes
against individuals with disabilities within a State.

"(c) National Academy of Sciences.-In carrying out this section, the Attorney General shall consider contracting with the
Committee on Law and Justice of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences to provide research
for the study conducted under this section.

"(d) Report.-Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of this Act [Oct. 27, 1998], the Attorney General shall
submit to the Committees on the Judiciary of the Senate and the House of Representatives a report describing the
results of the study conducted under this section.

"SEC. 5. NATIONAL CRIME VICTIM'S SURVEY.

"Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, as part of each National Crime Victim's Survey, the
Attorney General shall include statistics relating to-

"(1) the nature of crimes against individuals with developmental disabilities; and

"(2) the specific characteristics of the victims of those crimes."

Attachment 2:
2019 SCS questionnaire

2019 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
INTRO_1 -

Now, I would like to ask some questions about your experiences at school. We estimate the survey
will take 3 to 15 minutes depending on your circumstances. The law authorizes the collection of this
data and requires us not to share your responses with your school or family.
SCREEN QUESTIONS FOR SUPPLEMENT

E_ATTENDSCHOOL
1a.
Did you attend school at any time this school year?
_________________________________________
E_HOMESCHOOL
1b.
During that time, were you ever homeschooled?
That is, did you receive ANY of that schooling at
home, rather than in a public or private school?
_________________________________________
E_ALLHOMESCHOOL
1c.
Was all of your schooling this school year
homeschooling?
___________________________________________
E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED
1d.
How many different schools have you
attended this school year?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to END
_____________________________________________
1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED
_____________________________________________
1  Yes - SKIP to END
2  No
_____________________________________________
1  One school
2  Two schools
3  Three or more schools

Include your homeschooling as one school.
(only asked if student answered “yes” to being
homeschooled)
CHECK ITEM A: if student was not homeschooled (E_HOMESCHOOL = “No”) Skip to E_WHATGRADE. If student was
partially homeschooled (E_ALLHOMESCHOOL = “No”) continue with E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE.
E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE
2a.
During the time you were homeschooled this school
year, what grade would you have been in if you
were in a public or private school?

E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE_OTHER
E_WHATGRADE
2b.
What grade are you in?

E_WHATGRADE_OTHER

Page 1

0  Fifth or under - SKIP to END
1  Sixth
2  Seventh
3  Eighth
4  Ninth
SKIP to INTRO_ 2
5  Tenth
6  Eleventh
7  Twelfth
8  Other - Specify
9  College/GED/Post-graduate/
Other noneligible – SKIP to END
Specify
0  Fifth or under - SKIP to END
1  Sixth
2  Seventh
3  Eighth
4  Ninth
SKIP to E_WHATMONTH
5  Tenth
6  Eleventh
7  Twelfth
8  Other - Specify
9  College/GED/Post-graduate/
Other noneligible - SKIP to END
Specify

6/28/2018

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - Read introduction only if any of the boxes 1-8 are marked in item E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE.
INTRO_2 -The following questions pertain only to your attendance at a public or private school and not to being
homeschooled.
E_WHATMONTH
3.
In what month did your current school year begin?

1  August
SKIP to F_SCHOOLSTATE
2  September
3  Other – ASK E_WHATMONTHOTHER

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 

E_WHATMONTHOTHER

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
October
November
December

ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
4b.
F_SCHOOLSTATE
In what state is your school located?
F_SCHOOLCOUNTY
In what county is your school located?
F_SCHOOLCITY
In what city is your school located?
F_NAMEOFSCHOOL
What is the complete name of your school?
F_PUBLICORPRIVATE
5a.
Is your school public or private?
____________________________________________
F_REGULARSCHOOL
5b.
Is this the regular school that most of the students in
your neighborhood attend?
____________________________________________
F_CHURCHRELATED
5c.
Is your school affiliated with a religion?

Page 2

State
County
City
School Name

1  Public – ASK F_REGULARSCHOOL
2  Private - SKIP to F_CHURCHRELATED
______________________________________________
1  Yes
2  No
SKIP to F_GRADES_LOW
_________________________________________
1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

6/28/2018

F_GRADES_LOW
6a.
What is the lowest grade taught in your school?

F_GRADES_HIGH
6b.
What is the highest grade taught in your school?

F_GETTOSCHOOL
7.
How do you get to school most of the time this
school year?
FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.
F_GETTOSCHOOL_SPECIFY

Page 3

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

Pre-Kindergarten or Kindergarten
1st grade
2nd grade
3rd grade
4th grade
5th grade
6th grade
7th grade
8th grade
9th grade
10th grade
11th grade
H.S. Senior
Post-graduate
All ungraded
All special education

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way – Specify

Specify

6/28/2018

F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL
8.
How do you get home from school most of the time
this school year?
FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.

F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL_SPECIFY

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way –Specify

Specify

BEGIN SPLIT – The questions about school sponsored activities have two alternate forms, designed for split-sample
administration. Version 1 (F_ACTIVITIES_SPORTS—F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY) reflects the wording used in the 2017
SCS, and Version 2 (F_ACTIVITY_SPIRIT—F_ACTIVITY_OTHER_SPECIFY) reflects updated wording for the 2019 SCS.

VERSION 1
9v1. During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

Yes

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPORTS
a. Athletic teams at school?

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPIRIT
b. Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ ARTS
c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ ACADEMIC
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor
Society, Spanish Club, or Math Club?

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ GOVT
e. Student government?

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ SERVICE
f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Volunteer or community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club, or
Recycling Club?

1

2

[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Volunteer or
community service clubs sponsored by your school,
for example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club, Key
Club, or Interact? Do not include community
service hours required for graduation.
F_ACTIVITIES_ OTHER
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY
What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?

Page 4

1
Specify



2
SKIP to F_SAFETY_POLICE

6/28/2018

VERSION 2
9v2. During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

Yes

F_ACTIVITY_ SPIRIT
a. Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

1

2

F_ACTIVITY_ SPORTS
b. Athletic teams at school?

1

2

F_ACTIVITY_ ARTS
c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

1

2

F_ACTIVITY_ ACADEMIC
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor
Society, Spanish Club, Math Club, or Computer
Club?

1

2

F_ACTIVITY_ GOVT
e. Class council or student government, also known
as SGA?

1

2

1

2

1


2

F_ACTIVITY_ SERVICE
f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Volunteer or community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Environmental Club, or
Recycling Club?
[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Volunteer or
community service clubs sponsored by your school,
for example, Peer Mediators, Environmental Club,
Key Club, or Interact? Do not include community
service hours required for graduation.
F_ACTIVITY_ OTHER
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
F_ACTIVITY_OTHER_SPECIFY
What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?

Specify

SKIP to F_SAFETY_POLICE

END SPLIT – Both Version 1 and Version 2 respondents go to F_SAFETY_POLICE

Page 5

6/28/2018

10. The next questions are about security measures that
some schools take.
Does your school have:
F_SAFETY_POLICE
a. Security guards or assigned police officers?
F_SAFETY HALLSTAFF
b. Other adults supervising the hallway, such as
teachers, administrators, or parent volunteers?
F_SAFETY_ METAL_DETECTORS
c. Metal detectors, including wands?
(The definition for the term ‘metal detector’ is a device used to
check for weapons students might be trying to bring onto school
property. The metal detector may be in a form of a doorframe,
which you are asked to walk through. It may also be in the form of
a hand-held metal detector that looks like a wand or paddle, which
is moved around your body.)
F_SAFETY_DOORS_LOCKED
d. Locked entrance or exit doors during the day?
F_SAFETY_SIGN_IN
e. A requirement that visitors sign in AND wear
visitor badges or stickers?
F_SAFETY_LOCKER_CHECKS
f. Locker checks?
F_SAFETY_STUDENT_ID
g. A requirement that students wear badges or
picture identification?
F_SAFETY_CAMERAS
h. One or more security cameras to monitor
the school?
F_SAFETY_CODE_OF_CONDUCT
i.
A code of student conduct, that is, a set of
written rules or guidelines that the school
provides you?
F_REPORT
11.
If you hear about a threat to school or student safety,
do you have a way to report it without having to give
your name?
F_DISTRACTED
12.
In your classes, how often are you distracted from
doing your schoolwork because other students are
misbehaving, for example, talking or fighting?
Read answer categories.

Page 6

Yes

Don’t know School does not
have lockers

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

Yes

Don’t know

1

2

3

1
2
3
4

4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

6/28/2018

13.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

F_PUNISHMENT_KNOWN
d. If a school rule is broken, students know what
kind of punishment will follow.

1

2

3

4

F_TEACHERS_RESPECT
e. Teachers treat students with respect.

1

2

3

4

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

F_RULES_FAIR
a. The school rules are fair.
F_PUNISHMENT_SAME
b. The punishment for breaking school rules is the
same no matter who you are.
F_RULES_ENFORCED
c. The school rules are strictly enforced.
(Strictly enforced rules means that the school
consistently carries out disciplinary actions against
any students who break school rules.)

14.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

There is a TEACHER or other ADULT at school who…
F_ADULT_REALLYCARES
a.
Really cares about you.
F_ADULT_LISTENS
b. Listens to you when you have something to
say.
F_ADULT_GOOD_JOB
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

There is a STUDENT at school who…
F_STUDENT_REALLYCARES
a. Really cares about you.
F_STUDENT_LISTENS
b. Listens to you when you have something to say.
F_STUDENT_SUCCESS
c. Believes that you will be a success.
16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOU LIVE,
would you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD
There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU LIVE.
17.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOUR
SCHOOL is located, would you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with the following...

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD_SCHOOL
There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU go to SCHOOL.

Page 7

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

1

2

3

4

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

3

4

Strongly
Agree
1

Agree
2

6/28/2018

18.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

F_SAFE_IN_SCHOOL
You feel safe in your school.

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

1

2

3

4

SCS_INTRO 3 Now I have some questions about things that happen at school. For this survey, “at school” includes
the school building, on school property, on a school bus, or going to and from school. [IF
E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED= 2 or 3: For the remainder of this survey, think about both/all schools you attended
this school year]. Your answers will not be shared with anyone at your school or home.
BEGIN SPLIT – The questions about drug availability have two alternate forms, designed for split-sample administration.
Version 1 (F_ALCOHOL—F_OTHER_ILLEGAL) reflects the wording used in the 2017 SCS, and Version 2
(F_NEW_ALCOHOL—F_NEW_OTHER_ILLEGAL) reflects updated wording for the 2019 SCS.

VERSION 1
19v1. The following question refers to the availability of
drugs and alcohol at your school.
Is it possible for students at your school to get…
F_ALCOHOL
a. Alcoholic beverages?
F_MARIJUANA
b. Marijuana, also known as pot, weed or mary jane?
F_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS
c. Prescription drugs illegally obtained without a
prescription, such as Oxycontin, Ritalin, or
Adderall?
F_OTHER_ILLEGAL
d. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or heroin?

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

SKIP to F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

VERSION 2
Yes

F_NEW_ALCOHOL
a. Alcoholic beverages?

1

2

F_NEW_MARIJUANA
b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?

1

2

1

2

F_NEW_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS
d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained
without a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or
Adderall?

1

2

F_NEW_OTHER_ILLEGAL
e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or crystal meth?

1

2

19v2. Is it possible for students to get any of the following
while at school…

F_NEW_OPIOIDS
c. Heroin or prescription painkillers illegally
obtained without a prescription, such as
Codeine, Percocet, or fentanyl? These are also
known as opioids.

Page 8

ASK F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

6/28/2018

END SPLIT – Both Version 1 and Version 2 respondents go to F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL.
F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL
20.
During this school year, did you see another
student who was under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol while they were at school?

1  Yes
2  No

FIGHTING, BULLYING AND HATE BEHAVIORS
G_FIGHT_AT_SCHOOL
21a.
During this school year, have you been in one or
more physical fights at school?

G_FIGHT_HOW_OFTEN
21b.
During this school year, how many times have you
been in a physical fight at school?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to
G_BULLY_MADE_FUN or
G_MADE_FUN
 (Number of times)

BEGIN SPLIT – The questions about bullying have two alternate forms, designed for split-sample administration. Version 1
(G_BULLY_MADE_FUN—G_BULLYING_APPEARANCE) reflects the wording used in the 2017 SCS, and Version 2
(G_MADE_FUN—G_BULLYING) reflects updated wording for the 2019 SCS.

VERSION 1
22v1.

Now I have some questions about what students do
at school that make you feel bad or are hurtful to
you. We often refer to this as being bullied. You
may include events you told me about already.
During this school year, has any student bullied
you?
That is, has another student...

G_BULLY_MADE_FUN
a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_RUMOR
b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?
G_BULLY_THREAT
c. Threatened you with harm?
G_BULLY_CONTACT
d. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?
G_BULLY_COERCED
e. Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?
G_BULLY_EXCLUDED
f. Excluded you from activities on purpose?
G_BULLY_DESTROYED_PROP
g.
Destroyed your property on purpose?

Page 9

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2  If all categories a-g are
marked “No” SKIP to
G_HATE

6/28/2018

G_BULLY_DAY_PLUS
23av1. During this school year, how many days were you
bullied?
Read answer categories.

G_BULLY_TIMES
23bv1. In that one day, how many times would you say
other students did those things that made you feel
bad or were hurtful to you?
Read answer categories 1-4.

G_BULLY_HAPPEN_AGAIN
24v1.
Did you think the bullying would happen again?

G_BULLY_MULTI_PERS
25v1.
Thinking about the [time/times] you were bullied
this school year, did more than one person do
[this/these things] to you?

G_BULLY_HOW_ACT
26v1.
Did these people act alone, together as a team, or
both?

Page 10

1
2
3
4

One day – ASK G_BULLY_TIMES
Two days
SKIP to G_BULLY_
Three to ten days
HAPPEN_AGAIN
More than ten days

1
2
3
4
5
6

Once
Two to ten times
Eleven to fifty times
More than fifty times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

1  Yes
2  No

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to G_BULLY_STRONGER

1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

6/28/2018

27v1.

Now I have some additional questions about the
time [another student/ other students] {behavior1},
{behavior2}, and {behaviorx…}. Thinking about the
[person/ people] who did [this/these things] to you
this school year,

G_BULLY_STRONGER
a. [Was this person/ Were any of these people/ Was
anyone in the group] physically bigger or stronger
than you?

Yes

1

2

G_BULLY_POPULAR
b. [Was this person/ Were any of these people/ Was
anyone in the group] more popular than you?

1

2

G_BULLY_MONEY
c. [Did this person/ Did any of these people/ Did anyone
in the group] have more money than you?

1

2

G_BULLY_INFLUENCE
d. [Did this person/ Did any of these people/ Did anyone
in the group] have the ability to influence what other
students think of you?

1

2

G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER
e. [Did this person/ Did any of these people/ Did anyone
in the group] have more power than you in another
way?

1

2 

G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8
28v1. Still thinking about all of the times that you were
bullied, where did the bullying occur? Did it occur …
Read answer categories, Mark (X) all that apply.

G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place where bullying occurred?

G_BULLY_ADULT_TOLD
29v1.
Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about being bullied?

Page 11

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
5  Somewhere else inside the school
building? – Specify
6  Outside on school grounds?
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
8  Online or by text?
Specify

1  Yes
2  No

6/28/2018

30v1.

This school year, how much has bullying had a
NEGATIVE effect on:

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Read answer categories.
G_SCHOOL_WORK
a.
YOUR school work.
G_RELATION_FRIEND_FAMILY
b.
YOUR relationships with friends or family.
G_ABOUT_YOURSELF
c.
How you feel about YOURSELF.
G_PHYSICAL_HEALTH
d.
YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.
31v1. When you were bullied in school this year, did you ever
think it was related to...
G_BULLY_RACE
a.
YOUR race?
G_BULLY_RELIGION
b.
YOUR religion?
G_BULLY_ETHNIC_ORIGIN
c.
Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_BULLYING_DISABILITY
d.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_BULLYING_GENDER
e.
YOUR gender?
G_BULLYING_ORIENTATION
f.
YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_BULLYING_APPEARANCE
g.
YOUR physical appearance?
.

Page 12

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

SKIP to G_HATE

6/28/2018

VERSION 2
22v2.

Now I have some questions about what students do
at school that make you feel bad or are hurtful to
you. These could occur in person or using
technologies, such as a phone, the Internet, or
social media. During this school year, has any
student from your school…

G_MADE_FUN
a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_RUMOR
b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?
G_SHARED
c. Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?
G_THREAT
d. Threatened you with harm?
Has any student from your school…
G_CONTACT
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?
G_COERCED
f. Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?
G_EXCLUDED
g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or
other communications to hurt you?
G_DESTROYED_PROP
h.
Destroyed your property on purpose?

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
G_HATE

SCS_INTRO 4
[If R said yes to only one item from G_MADE_FUN — G_DESTROYED_PROP]: When I asked you that last series of
questions, you said yes to 1 of those items. Please think about that one thing you just told me about while answering
the next few questions.

[If R said yes to two or more items from G_MADE_FUN — G_DESTROYED_PROP]: When I asked you that last series of
questions, you said yes to __ of those items. Please think about those things you just told me about while answering
the next few questions.
G_MULTI_PERS
23v2.
Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said
you experienced this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] to you?

G_HOW_ACT
24v2.
Did these students act alone, together as a team,
or both?

Page 13

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to G_DAY_PLUS

1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

6/28/2018

G_MULTI_TIMES
25v2.
You said that more than one student did [that
thing/those things] to you. Has any student done
[that thing/any of those things] to you more than
once during this school year?

G_DAY_PLUS
26av2. During this school year, how many days did you
experience (that thing/any of those things)?
Read answer categories.

G_TIMES
26bv2. In that one day, how many times would you say
[another student/other students] did [that thing/any
of those things] to you?
Read answer categories 1-2.

G_HAPPEN_AGAIN
27v2.
Did you think [that student/those students] would
do hurtful things to you again?

CHECK ITEM B:
1. Did more than one student do those things?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to G_MULTI_PERS)
No (R answered “No” to G_MULTI_PERS)

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

1
2
3
4

One day – ASK G_TIMES
Two to five days
SKIP to
Six to ten days
G_HAPPEN_AGAIN
More than ten days

One time
Two or more times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

1  Yes
2  No

 G o to CHECK ITEM B QUESTION 2 BELOW
 S kip to S CS INTRO 5b (fill for “
a nothe r s tude nt”
/“
tha t s tude nt”
)

2. Did any of those students do any of those things more than once?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to G_MULTI_TIMES)
 G o to S CS INTRO 5a (fill for “
othe r s tude nts ”/ “
thos e s tude nts ”
)
No (R answered “No” to G_MULTI_TIMES)
 S kip to S CS INTRO 5b (fill for “
othe r s tude nts ”/ “
thos e s tude nts )
SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did [that thing/those things] to you more than once this school
year. For the next questions, ONLY think about those students who did something more than once during this school
year.
SCS_INTRO 5b Still thinking about [that thing/those things] [another student/other students] did to you during this
school year…
ALL GO to G_STRONGER

Page 14

6/28/2018

28v2.
G_STRONGER
a. [Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

Yes

1

2

G_POPULAR
b. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

1

2

G_MONEY
c. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

1

2

G_INFLUENCE
d. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

1

2

G_OTHER_POWER
e. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?

1


G_OTHER_POWER_SPECIFY
In what other way [did that student/ did any of those
students] have more power than you?

2 

Specify _______________

29v2.
What was your relationship to the student when they
did [that thing/those things] to you? Were they…
G_RELAT_SIBLING
a. Your brother or sister?
G_RELAT_DATING
b. Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
G_RELAT_EX_DATING
c. Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
G_RELAT_OTH_STUDENT
d. Another student from school?

Yes
1

No
2

1

2

1

2

1

2

G_WHERE1 through G_WHERE9
30v2. Still thinking about [the time/all of the times] that
[another student/other students] did
[something/those things] to you, where did [it/they]
occur? Did [it/they] occur …

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a gymnasium or weight room at school?
5  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
6  Outside on school grounds?
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
8  Online or by text?
9  Somewhere else at school? – Specify

Read answer categories. Mark (X) all that apply.

G_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place [it/they] occurred?
G_ADULT_TOLD
31v2.
Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about [this student/these students] doing [that
thing/those things] to you?

Page 15

Specify _____________________

1  Yes
2  No

6/28/2018

32v2.

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

Read answer categories.
G_NEW_SCHOOL_WORK
a.
YOUR school work.
G_NEW_RELATION_FRIEND_FAMILY
b.
YOUR relationships with friends or family.
G_NEW_ABOUT_YOURSELF
c.
How you feel about YOURSELF.
G_NEW_PHYSICAL_HEALTH
d.
YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.
33v2. When [another student/other students] did [that
thing/those things] to you, did you ever think it was
related to...
G_RACE
a.
YOUR race?
G_RELIGION
b.
YOUR religion?
G_ETHNIC_ORIGIN
c.
Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_DISABILITY
d.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_GENDER
e.
YOUR gender?
G_ORIENTATION
f.
YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_APPEARANCE
g.
YOUR physical appearance?

G_BULLYING
34v2 Do you consider [that thing/those things] that
[another student/other students] did to you to
be bullying?

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

ASK
G_HATE

END SPLIT – Both Version 1 and Version 2 respondents go to G_HATE.
G_HATE
35.
During this school year, has anyone called you an
insulting or bad name at school having to do with
your race, religion, ethnic background or national
origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation? We
call these hate-related words.

Page 16

1  Yes – ASK G_HATE_RACE
2  No - SKIP to G_HATE_WORDS

6/28/2018

36.
Were any of the hate-related words related to ...
G_HATE_RACE
a. Your race?

Yes

Don’t know

1

2

3

1

2

3

G_HATE_ETHNICITY
c. Your ethnic background or national origin – for
example, people of Hispanic origin?

1

2

3

G_HATE_DISABILITY
d. Any disability you may have – such as physical,
mental, or developmental disabilities?

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

G_HATE_RELIGION
b. Your religion?

G_HATE_GENDER
e. Your gender?
G_HATE_SEXUAL_ORIENTATION
f. Your sexual orientation – by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual or straight?

G_HATE_WORDS
37.
During this school year, have you seen any
hate-related words or symbols written in school
classrooms, school bathrooms, school hallways, or
on the outside of your school building?

1  Yes
2  No

AVOIDANCE
38.

During this school year, did you ever STAY AWAY
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attack or harm you there?

For example, did you ever stay away from…
H_AVOID_SHORTCUT
a. The shortest route to school, because you
thought someone might attack or harm you?
H_AVOID_ENTRANCE
b. The entrance into the school?
H_AVOID_HALLWAYS
c. Any hallways or stairs in school?
H_AVOID_CAFETERIA
d. Parts of the school cafeteria or lunchroom?
H_AVOID_RESTROOMS
e. Any school restrooms?
H_AVOID_OTHER_PLACES
f. Other places inside the school building?
H_AVOID_PARKING_LOT
g. School parking lot?
H_AVOID_OTHER_SCHOOL
h. Other places on school grounds?
H_SCHOOL_BUS_STOP
i.
School bus or bus stop?

H_AVOID_ACTIVITIES
39a.
Did you AVOID any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?

Page 17

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1  Yes
2  No

6/28/2018

H_AVOID_CLASSES
39b.
Did you AVOID any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?
H_STAY_HOME
39c.
Did you stay home from school because you
thought someone might attack or harm you in the
school building, on school property, on a school
bus, or going to or from school?

1  Yes
2  No

FEAR
I_INTRO_FEAR: Sometimes, even if you can’t avoid a place, you may still be afraid of what might happen there.
I_AFRAID
40a.
How often are you afraid that someone will attack or
harm you in the school building or on school
property?

1
2
3
4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

1
2
3
4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

1
2
3
4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

Read answer categories.
I_AFRAID_ON_BUS
40b. How often are you afraid that someone will attack or
harm you on a school bus or on the way to and from
school?
Read answer categories.
I_AFRAID_NONSCHOOL
40c.
Besides the times you are in the school building, on
school property, on a school bus, or going to or from
school, how often are you afraid that someone will
attack or harm you?
Read answer categories.
WEAPONS
J_INTRO_WEAPON
In the next series of questions we are going to ask you about weapons at your school. Your answers will not be
shared with anyone at your school or home.
41.

Some people bring guns, knives, or objects that can
be used as weapons to school for protection. During
this school year, did you ever bring the following to
school or onto school grounds?

J_WEAPONS_GUN
a. A gun?
J_WEAPONS_KNIFE
b. A knife brought as a weapon?
J_WEAPONS_OTHER
c. Some other weapon?

J_GUN_OTHERS
42a.
Do you know of any other students who have brought
a gun to your school during this school year?

Page 18

Yes

1

2

1

2

1

2

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to J_GET_GUN

6/28/2018

J_SEE_GUN
42b. Have you actually seen another student with a gun at
school during this school year?

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

J_GET_GUN
43.
During this school year, could you have gotten a
loaded gun without adult permission, either at school
or away from school?

1  Yes
2  No

GANGS
BEGIN SPLIT – The introduction to the questions about gangs has two alternate forms, designed for split-sample
administration. Version 1 (K_INTRO_GANG) reflects the wording used in the 2017 SCS, and Version 2
(K_NEW_INTRO_GANG) reflects updated wording for the 2019 SCS.

VERSION 1
K_INTRO_GANG
Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs,
crews, or something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey, we are
interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity. Your answers will not be
shared with anyone at your school or home.
SKIP to K_GANGS

VERSION 2
K_NEW_INTRO_GANG
Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs, or
something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. Your answers will not be shared
with anyone at your school or home.
ASK K_GANGS
END SPLIT – Both Version 1 and Version 2 respondents go to K_GANGS.
K_GANGS
44a. Are there any gangs at your school?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to L_GRADES
3  Don't know - SKIP to L_GRADES

K_GANG_FIGHTS
44b. During this school year, how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or other violence at your
school?
Read answer categories.
K_GANG_DRUGS
44c.
Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?

1
2
3
4
5

Never
Once or twice this school year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week, or
Almost every day

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don't know

STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
L_GRADES
45.
During this school year, across all subjects have you
gotten mostly Read answer categories 1—5.

Page 19

1
2
3
4
5
6

A's
B's
C's
D's
F's
School does not give grades/no alphabetic
grade equivalent

6/28/2018

L_SKIP_CLASSES
46a. During the last 4 weeks of school, did you skip any
classes? Again, we would like to remind you that
none of your responses will be shared with anyone at
your school or home.

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
3  Don't know - SKIP to
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL

L_SKIP_CLASS_DAYS
46b. During the last 4 weeks of school, on how many
days did you skip at least one class?

 (Number of days)

47.
Thinking about the future, do you think you will ...
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
a. Attend school after high school, such as a college
or technical school?

Yes

1

2  -- END

3

1

2

3

L_GRADUATE_4YR
b. Graduate from a 4-year college?

Page 20

Don't know

6/28/2018

Attachment 3:
2017 SCS questionnaire

2017 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
INTRO_1 -

Now, I would like to ask some questions about your experiences at school. We estimate the survey
will take about 10 minutes. The law authorizes the collection of this data and requires us to keep all
information about you and your household strictly confidential.
SCREEN QUESTIONS FOR SUPPLEMENT

E_ATTENDSCHOOL

1a.

Did you attend school at any time this school year?
_________________________________________

E_HOMESCHOOL

1b.

During that time, were you ever homeschooled?
That is, did you receive ANY of that schooling at
home, rather than in a public or private school?
_________________________________________

E_ALLHOMESCHOOL

1c.

Was all of your schooling this school year
homeschooling?
___________________________________________

E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

1d.

How many different schools have you
attended this school year?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to END
_____________________________________________
006

092

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

_____________________________________________
1  Yes - SKIP to END
2  No
_____________________________________________
007

185SCS 1  One school
2  Two schools
3  Three or more schools

Include your homeschooling as one school.
(only asked if student answered “yes” to being
homeschooled)
Check Item: if student was not homeschooled (1b, E_HOMESCHOOL = “No”) Skip to 2b, WHATGRADE. If student was
partially homeschooled (1c, E_ALLHOMESCHOOL = “No”) continue with 2a, E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE.
E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE

2a.

During the time you were homeschooled this school
year, what grade would you have been in if you
were in a public or private school?

093

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE_OTHER

What grade are you in?

E_WHATGRADEOTHER

Sixth
Seventh
Eighth
Ninth
Tenth
Eleventh
Twelfth
Other - Specify

SKIP to INTRO_ 2

9  College/GED/Post-graduate/
Other noneligible – SKIP to END

E_WHATGRADE

2b.

0  Fifth or under - SKIP to END

008

0  Fifth or under - SKIP to END
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Sixth
Seventh
Eighth
Ninth
Tenth
Eleventh
Twelfth
Other - Specify

SKIP to E_WHATMONTH

9  College/GED/Post-graduate/
Other noneligible - SKIP to END

Page 1

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - Read introduction only if any of the boxes 1-8 are marked in item 2a E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE.
INTRO_2 -The following questions pertain only to your attendance at a public or private school and not to being

homeschooled.
E_WHATMONTH
3.
In what month did your current school year begin?

009

E_WHATMONTHOTHER

1  August
2  September
3  Other - Specify _______________________

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
October
November
December

ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
F_SCHOOLSTATE, F_SCHOOLCOUNTY, F_SCHOOLCITY

4b.

In what State, County and City is your school
located?

F_NAMEOFSCHOOL

What is the complete name of your school?
F_PUBLICORPRIVATE

5a.

Is your school public or private?
____________________________________________
F_REGULARSCHOOL
5b.
Is this the regular school that most of the students in
your neighborhood attend?
____________________________________________
F_CHURCHRELATED
5c.
Is your school affiliated with a religion?

Page 2

015
014
013
012

State
County
City
School Name

1  Public – ASK F_REGULARSCHOOL
2  Private - SKIP to F_CHURCHRELATED
______________________________________________
016

1  Yes
2  No
SKIP to F_GRADES_LOW
_________________________________________
017

018

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

What grades are taught in your school?
Pre-K or Kindergarten

00
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
20
30

020

021

 (highest) F_GRADES_HIGH

H.S. Senior
Post-graduate
All ungraded
All Special Education
022

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way – Specify _________

024

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way - Specify ________

How do you get to school most of the time this
school year?

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used, code
the mode in which the student spends the most time.
F_GETTOSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets to school.
F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL
8.
How do you get home from school most of the time
this school year?

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.
F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets home from
school.

Page 3

 (lowest) F_GRADES_LOW
TO

F_GETTOSCHOOL

Grades:

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPORTS

a. Athletic teams at school?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPIRIT

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ARTS

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ACADEMIC

d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor
Society, Spanish Club, or Math Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ GOVT

e. Student government?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SERVICE

f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Volunteer or community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club, or
Recycling Club?

Yes

120

1

2

121

1

2

122

1

2

123

1

2

124

1

2

125

1

2

126

1

g. Other school clubs or school activities?

F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY

What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?

Page 4



2

Specify __________

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

10. The next questions are about security measures that
some schools take.
Does your school have:
F_SAFETY_POLICE
a. Security guards or assigned police officers?
F_SAFETY HALLSTAFF
b. Other adults supervising the hallway, such as
teachers, administrators, or parent volunteers?
F_SAFETY_ METAL_DETECTORS
c. Metal detectors, including wands?
(The definition for the term ‘metal detector’ is a device used to
check for weapons students might be trying to bring onto school
property. The metal detector may be in a form of a doorframe,
which you are asked to walk through. It may also be in the form
of a hand-held metal detector that looks like a wand or paddle,
which is moved around your body.)
F_SAFETY_DOORS_LOCKED
d. Locked entrance or exit doors during the day?
F_SAFETY_SIGN_IN
e. A requirement that visitors sign in AND wear
visitor badges or stickers?
F_SAFETY_LOCKER_CHECKS
f. Locker checks?
F_SAFETY_STUDENT_ID
g. A requirement that students wear badges or
picture identification?
F_SAFETY_CAMERAS
h. One or more security cameras to monitor
the school?
F_SAFETY_CODE_OF_CONDUCT
i.
A code of student conduct, that is, a set of
written rules or guidelines that the school
provides you?

Yes

If you hear about a threat to school or student safety,
do you have a way to report it without having to give
your name?

F_DISTRACTED
12.
In your classes, how often are you distracted from
doing your schoolwork because other students are
misbehaving, for example, talking or fighting?

(READ CATEGORIES.)

Page 5

Don’t know School does not
have lockers

028

1

2

3

029

1

2

3

030

1

2

3

031

1

2

3

032

1

2

3

033

1

2

3

094

1

2

3

095

1

2

3

096

1

2

3

Yes

Don’t know

167

1

2

3

156

1
2
3
4

F_REPORT

11.

4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

13.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

F_RULES_FAIR

The school rules are fair.

F_PUNISHMENT_SAME

The punishment for breaking school rules is the
same no matter who you are.

F_RULES_ENFORCED

The school rules are strictly enforced.
(Strictly enforced rules means that the school
consistently carries out disciplinary actions against
any students who break school rules.)

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

035

1

2

3

4

036

1

2

3

4

037

1

2

3

4

038

1

2

3

4

127

1

2

3

4

F_PUNISHMENT_KNOWN

d. If a school rule is broken, students know what
kind of punishment will follow.

F_TEACHERS_RESPECT

e. Teachers treat students with respect.

14.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

There is a TEACHER or other ADULT at school who…

F_ADULT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

F_ADULT_LISTENS

Listens to you when you have something to
say.
F_ADULT_GOOD_JOB
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

173SCS 1 

2

3

4

175SCS 1 

2

3

4

176SCS 1 

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Agree

There is a STUDENT at school who…

186SCS 1 

Really cares about you.

187SCS 1 

Listens to you when you have something to say.
188SCS 1 

Believes that you will be a success.

F_STUDENT_REALLYCARES

2

3

4

2

3

4

2

3

4

F_STUDENT_LISTENS

F_STUDENT_SUCCESS

16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOU LIVE,
would you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU LIVE.
17.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOUR
SCHOOL is located, would you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with the following...

Strongly
Agree
212SCS 1 

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

2

3

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree
4

Strongly
Disagree

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD_SCHOOL

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU go to SCHOOL.

Page 6

213SCS 1 

2

3

4

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

18.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

F_SAFE_IN_SCHOOL

You feel safe in your school
SCS_INTRO 3

19.

189SCS 1 

2

3

4

The following question refers to the availability of
drugs and alcohol at your school.

Yes

040

1

2

041

1

2

159

1

2

209SCS

1

2

Is it possible for students at your school to get…
F_ ALCOHOL

a. Alcoholic beverages?
F_MARIJUANA

b. Marijuana, also known as pot, weed or mary jane?
F_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS

c. Prescription drugs illegally obtained without a
prescription, such as Oxycontin, Ritalin, or
Adderall?
F_OTHER_ILLEGAL

d. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or heroin?

F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

20.

During this school year, did you see another
student who was under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol while they were at school?

210SCS

1  Yes
2  No

FIGHTING, BULLYING AND HATE BEHAVIORS
G_FIGHT_AT_SCHOOL
21a.
During this school year, have you been in one or
more physical fights at school?

G_FIGHT_HOW_OFTEN
21b.
During this school year, how many times have you
been in a physical fight at school?

Page 7

103

104

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to:
G_BULLY_MADE_FUN

 (Number of times)

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

22.

Yes

134

1

2

135

1

2

136

1

2

137

1

2

138

1

2

139

1

2

140

1

2  If all categories a-g are
marked “No” SKIP to
G_HATE

G_BULLY_MADE_FUN

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_RUMOR
b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?
G_BULLY_THREAT
c. Threatened you with harm?
G_BULLY_CONTACT
d. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?
G_BULLY_COERCED
e. Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?
G_BULLY_EXCLUDED
f. Excluded you from activities on purpose?
G_BULLY_DESTROYED_PROP

Destroyed your property on purpose?

G_BULLY_DAY_PLUS
23a.
During this school year, how many days were you
bullied?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

214SCS
1  One day – Go to G_BULLY_TIMES
2  Two days
3  Three to ten days
4  More than ten days

G_BULLY_TIMES
23b.
In that one day, how many times would you say
other students did those things that made you feel
bad or were hurtful to you?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES 1-4)

SKIP to G_BULLY_
HAPPEN_AGAIN

215SCS
1
2
3
4
5
6

Once
Two to ten times
Eleven to fifty times
More than fifty times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

G_BULLY_HAPPEN_AGAIN

24.

Did you think the bullying would happen again?

216SCS
1  Yes
2  No

Page 8

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

G_BULLY_MULTI_PERS
25.
Thinking about the [time/times] you were bullied this
school year, did more than one person do
[this/these things] to you?

G_BULLY_HOW_ACT
26.
Did these people act alone, together as a team, or
both?

27.

217SCS
1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to: G_BULLY_STRONGER

218SCS
1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

G_BULLY_STRONGER
a. [Was this person/ Were any of these people/ Was
anyone in the group] physically bigger or stronger
than you?

Yes

219SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_POPULAR
b. [Was this person/ Were any of these people/ Was
anyone in the group] more popular than you?

220SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_MONEY
c. [Did this person/ Did any of these people/ Did anyone
in the group] have more money than you?

221SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_INFLUENCE
d. [Did this person/ Did any of these people/ Did anyone
in the group] have the ability to influence what other
students think of you?

222SCS

1

2

223SCS

1

2 

G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER
e. [Did this person/ Did any of these people/ Did anyone
in the group] have more power than you in another
way?
G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8

28.

Still thinking about all of the times that you were
bullied, where did the bullying occur? Did it occur …

(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place where bullying occurred?

G_BULLY_ADULT_TOLD
29.
Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about being bullied?

Page 9

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
5  Somewhere else inside the school
building? – Specify _____________
144
6  Outside on school grounds?
145
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
211SCS 8  Online or by text?

143
168
169
173
146

147

1  Yes
2  No

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

30.

This school year, how much has bullying had a
NEGATIVE effect on:
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_SCHOOL_WORK

a.
YOUR school work.
G_RELATION_FRIEND_FAMILY
b.
YOUR relationships with friends or family.
G_ABOUT_YOURSELF
c.
How you feel about YOURSELF.
G_PHYSICAL_HEALTH
d.
YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

196SCS

1

2

3

4

197SCS

1

2

3

4

198SCS

1

2

3

4

199SCS

1

2

3

4

31. When you were bullied in school this year, did you ever
think it was related to ...
G_BULLY_RACE

Yes

YOUR race?

200SCS

1

2

YOUR religion?

201SCS

1

2

202SCS

1

2

203SCS

1

2

204SCS

1

2

205SCS

1

2

206SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_RELIGION

G_BULLY_ETHNIC_ORIGIN

Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_BULLYING_DISABILITY
d.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_BULLYING_GENDER
e.
YOUR gender?
G_BULLYING_ORIENTATION
f.
YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_BULLYING_APPEARANCE
g.
YOUR physical appearance?
.
G_HATE

32.

During this school year, has anyone called you an
insulting or bad name at school having to do with
your race, religion, ethnic background or national
origin, disability, gender, or sexual orientation? We
call these hate-related words.

Page 10

065

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to G_HATE_WORDS

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

33.
Were any of the hate-related words related to ...
G_HATE_RACE
a. Your race?

Yes

Don’t know

107SCS

1

2

3

108SCS

1

2

3

109SCS

1

2

3

110SCS

1

2

3

111SCS

1

2

3

112SCS

1

2

3

G_HATE_RELIGION

Your religion?

G_HATE_ETHNICITY

Your ethnic background or national origin- for
example, people of Hispanic origin?

G_HATE_DISABILITY

Any disability you may have – such as physical,
mental, or developmental disabilities?

G_HATE_GENDER

Your gender?

G_HATE_SEXUAL_ORIENTATION

Your sexual orientation – by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual or straight?

G_HATE_WORDS

34.

During this school year, have you seen any
hate-related words or symbols written in school
classrooms, school bathrooms, school hallways, or
on the outside of your school building?

066

1  Yes
2  No

AVOIDANCE
35.

During this school year, did you ever STAY AWAY
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attack or harm you there?
Yes

068

1

2

069

1

2

070

1

2

071

1

2

072

1

2

073

1

2

074

1

2

075

1

2

208SCS

1

2

H_AVOID_SHORTCUT

For example, did you ever stay away from the
shortest route to school, because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?
H_AVOID_ENTRANCE
b. The entrance into the school?
H_AVOID_HALLWAYS
c. Any hallways or stairs in school?
H_AVOID_CAFETERIA
d. Parts of the school cafeteria or lunchroom?
H_AVOID_RESTROOMS
e. Any school restrooms?
H_AVOID_OTHER_PLACES
f. Other places inside the school building?
H_AVOID_PARKING_LOT
g. School parking lot?
H_AVOID_OTHER_SCHOOL
h. Other places on school grounds?
H_SCHOOL_BUS_STOP
i.
School bus or bus stop?
H_AVOID_ACTIVITIES

36a.

Page 11

Did you AVOID any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?

076

1  Yes
2  No

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

H_AVOID_CLASSES

36b.

Did you AVOID any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?

H_STAY_HOME

36c.

077

1  Yes
2  No

078

1  Yes
2  No

Did you stay home from school because you
thought someone might attack or harm you in the
school building, on school property, on a school
bus, or going to or from school?
FEAR

I_INTRO_FEAR: Sometimes, even if you can’t avoid a place, you may still be afraid of what might happen there.
I_AFRAID
37a.
How often are you afraid that someone will attack or
harm you in the school building or on school
property?

079

1
2
3
4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

080

1
2
3
4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

081

1
2
3
4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES.)
I_AFRAID_ON_BUS

37b.

How often are you afraid that someone will attack or
harm you on a school bus or on the way to and from
school?

(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)
I_AFRAID_NONSCHOOL

37c.

Besides the times you are in the school building, on
school property, on a school bus, or going to or from
school, how often are you afraid that someone will
attack or harm you?

(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)
WEAPONS
J_INTRO_WEAPON

In the next series of questions we are going to ask you about weapons at your school. All your responses are strictly
confidential and will not be shared with anyone.
38.

Some people bring guns, knives, or objects that can
be used as weapons to school for protection. During
this school year, did you ever bring the following to
school or onto school grounds?
(READ CATEGORIES.)

J_WEAPONS_GUN

a. A gun?

082

1

2

b. A knife brought as a weapon?

083

1

2

c. Some other weapon?

084

1

2

085

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to J_GET_GUN

J_WEAPONS_KNIFE
J_WEAPONS_OTHER

J_GUN_OTHERS

39a.

Yes

Do you know of any other students who have brought
a gun to your school during this school year?

Page 12

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

J_SEE_GUN
39b. Have you actually seen another student with a gun at
school during this school year?

J_GET_GUN

40.

During this school year, could you have gotten a
loaded gun without adult permission, either at school
or away from school?

086

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

113

1  Yes
2  No

GANGS
K_INTRO_GANG
INTRO 4 - Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs,
crews, or something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey, we
are interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity. Your responses
are confidential.
K_GANGS
41a. Are there any gangs at your school?

K_GANG_FIGHTS
41b. During this school year, how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or other violence at your
school?

058

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to L_GRADES
3  Don't know - SKIP to L_GRADES

089

1
2
3
4
5

090

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don't know

Never
Once or twice this school year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week, or
Almost every day

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)
K_GANG_DRUGS
41c.
Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?

STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
L_GRADES
42.
During this school year, across all subjects have you
gotten mostly -

116

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)

L_SKIP_CLASSES

43a.

L_SKIP_CLASS_DAYS

43b.

114

During the last 4 weeks of school, did you skip any
classes? Again, we would like to remind you that all
your responses are strictly confidential and will not be
shared with anyone.

During the last 4 weeks of school, on how many
days did you skip at least one class?

44.
Thinking about the future, do you think you will ...
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
a. Attend school after high school, such as a college
or technical school? . . . . . . . . . .
L_GRADUATE_4YR

b. Graduate from a 4-year college? . . . . . . . . . . .

Page 13

115

1
2
3
4
5
6

A's
B's
C's
D's
F's
School does not give grades/no alphabetic
grade equivalent

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
3  Don't know - SKIP to
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL

 (Number of days)
Yes

Don't know

117

1

2  -- END

3

118

1

2

3

FORM SCS-1 (8/3/2016)

Attachment 4:
2019 SCS item description and rationale

2019 SCS ITEM DESCRIPTION AND RATIONALE
Background
The School Crime Supplement (SCS), a supplement to the annual National Crime Victimization Survey
(NCVS), is designed to obtain additional information about school-related victimizations. This
information helps policymakers; academic researchers; practitioners at the federal, state, and local levels;
and special interest groups concerned with crime in schools to make informed decisions about policies
and programs. The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), the National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES), and the U.S. Census Bureau (CB) jointly designed the survey questionnaire. The first SCS was
administered in 1989, and again in 1995, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and
2017. The 2019 SCS will be the 13th implementation of an occasional supplement to obtain specific
information about school-related victimization and disorder on a national level.
Accurate information regarding the incidence of victimization at school and the school environment is
needed to monitor changes in student experiences with victimization. The SCS presents questions related
to students’ experiences with, and perceptions of crime and safety at school. The question topics include:
awareness of preventive measures employed by schools; students’ participation in school activities;
students’ perception of school rules and enforcement of these rules; the presence of weapons, drugs,
alcohol, and gangs in school; student bullying; hate-related incidents; and attitudinal questions relating to
the fear of victimization at school. These responses supplement the NCVS survey instrument responses
for a more complete understanding of the individual student’s circumstances.
The eight sections of the questionnaire and the specific items in each section are detailed below. For the
2019 SCS, the bullying section was updated to not include any version of the word “bully” in any items.
Other minor changes were made to several items in different sections. NCES and BJS plan for a split-half
experiment to test changes to the items. Version 1 includes items included on the 2017 SCS. Version 2
includes updated items. New and revised items for 2019 are highlighted in red.
1. Screen Questions
1a.

Questions
Did you attend school at any time this
school year?

1b.

During that time were you ever home
schooled? That is, did you receive
ANY of that schooling at home,
rather than in a public or private
school?

1c.

Was all of your schooling thisschool
year home schooling?

1d.

How many different schools have you
attended since the start of this school
year?

2a.

During the time you were homeschooled this school year, what grade
would you have been in if you were in a
public or private school? OR
What grade are you in?

2b.

Rationale
These questions establish the eligibility of the
individuals interviewed. The SCS sample universe
is youth in households participating in the NCVS.
However, the SCS is completed only by those youth
ages 12–18 who were in primary or secondary
education programs leading to a high school
diploma (elementary through high school) sometime
during the 6 months prior to the interview. Students
exclusively home-schooled during the current
school year are not included in the remainder of the
survey since many questions in the SCS are not
relevant to their situation.

In what month did your current school
year begin?

2. Environmental Questions
Questions
4. In what state is your school located?
County? City?
5a.

Is your school public or private?

5b.

Is this the regular school that most of the
students in your neighborhood attend?

5c.

Is your school affiliated with a religion?

Rationale
These questions ask about school characteristics that
are used in analyzing levels of school violence.1,2,3

6a. What is the lowest grade taught in your
school?
6b. What is the highest grade taught in your
school?
7.
How do you get to school most of the
time this school year?
8.

How do you get home from school most
of the time this school year?

Version 1
9.During this school
year, have you
participated in any
of the following
activities sponsored
by yourschool:

Version 2
9.During this school
year, have you
participated in any
of the following
activities sponsored
by yourschool:

These questions establish student exposure to school
bus stops and routes, and walking routes
immediately around schools, which are considered
part of the school environment.
This question asks about students’ participation in
various types of extra-curricular school activities.

Providing opportunities for extra-curricular
activities is a strategy associated with programs
designed to reduce incidents of crime and bullying.
Research shows that high levels of involvement
within a school are correlated with increased student
a. Athletic teams at school? a. Spirit groups, for
4
b. Spirit groups, for
example, Cheerleading, connectedness to the academic environment.
example, Cheerleading,
Dance Team, or Pep
However, some studies have shown the positive
Dance Team, or Pep
Club?
effects of participation vary for different types of
Club?
b. Athletic teams at
activities and by different student characteristics5,6
c. Performing arts, for
school?
making this an area of interest for current research.
example, Band, Choir, c. Performing arts, for
Orchestra, or Drama?

d. Academic clubs, for

e.
f.

g.
h.

example, Debate Team, d.
Honor Society, Spanish
Club, or Math Club?
Student government?
[IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8
ASK] Volunteer or
e.
community service
clubs sponsored by your
school, for example,
f.
Peer Mediators,
Ecology Club, or
Recycling Club
[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11,
or 12 ASK]
Other school clubs or
school activities?
What are the other

example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?
Academic clubs, for
example, Debate Team,
Honor Society, Spanish
Club, Math Club, or
Computer Club?
Class council or student
government, also
known as SGA?
[IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8
ASK] Volunteer or
community service
clubs sponsored by your
school, for example,
Peer Mediators,
Environmental Club, or
Recycling Club
[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11,
or 12 ASK] Volunteer

During cognitive testing, interviewers received
questions asking whether to include cheerleading as
a sport. To reduce confusion, the ordering of a & b
has been switched to ask about spirit groups first
and then ask about athletic teams. Additionally, new
examples were added to help students think of
extracurricular activities they participate in.

school clubs or school
activities you
participate in?

or community service
clubs sponsored by your
school, for example,
Peer Mediation,
Environmental Club,
Key Club, or Interact?
Do not include
community service
hours required for
graduation.
Other school clubs or
school activities?

What are the other school
clubs or school activities
you participate in?

Van Dorn, R. A. (2004). Correlates of violent and nonviolent victimization in a sample of public high school students. Violence & Victims,
19(3), 303-320.
2
Lab, S. P., & Whitehead, J. T. (1992). School Environment & School Crime: Causes & Consequences; Summary Report.
3
Kuck, D., & Popp, A. (2005). Characteristics of students and schools as predictors of being a victim of bullying: An Opportunity Theory
Analysis. Conference Papers -- American Society of Criminology, N.PAG.
4
DeVoe, J. (2009). Social bonding and school victimization: The ties that bind. Conference Papers. American Society of Criminology, 1.
5
Peguero, A (2008). Bullying Victimization and Extracurricular Activity Journal of School Violence, 7(3), 71-85.
6
Jiang, X. & Peterson, R. (2012). Beyond Participation: The Association Between School Extracurricular Activities and Involvement in Violence
Across Generations of Immigration Journal of Youth & Adolescence, 41(3), 362-378.

10.

Questions
The next questions are about security
measures that some schools take.

Rationale
This series of questions establishes student
awareness of various security measures in their
school.

Does your school have:
a. Security guards or assigned
police officers?
b. Other adults supervising the
hallway, such as teachers,
administrators, or parent
volunteers?
c. Metal detectors, including
wands?
d. Locked entrance or exit doors
during the day?
e. A requirement that visitors sign
in AND wear visitor badges or
stickers?
f. Locker checks?
g. A requirement that students
wear badges or picture
identification?
h. One or more security cameras to
monitor the school?
i. A code of student conduct, that
is, a set of written rules or
guidelines that the school
provides you?

Between 2000 and 2010, public schools reported
increased use of various safety and security
measures and procedures.7 Question 10 differs from
similar questions about school procedures in other
school surveys such as SSOCS because it focuses on
student awareness of these procedures. This
awareness is relevant to researchers investigating
whether the environment created by security
measures in schools increases students’ feelings of
security and decreases incidents of school crime, or
creates an atmosphere that is detrimental to learning
and has little effect on school crime.8,9,10

7
Robers, S., Kemp, J. & Truman, J. (2013). Indicators of School Crime and Safety:2012 (NCES 2013-036/NCJ 241446) National Center for
Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, and Bureau of Justice Statistics, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
Washingon, DC.
8
Blosnich, J., & Bossarte, R. (2011). Low-level violence in schools: Is there an association between school safety measures and peer
victimization? The Journal Of School Health, 81(2), 107-113.
9
For an extensive survey of current studies on this topic, see Nance, J. (2013) Students, Security and Race. Emory Law Journal. 63(1), 1-57.
10
Addington, L., & Yablon, Y. (2011). How Safe Do Students Feel at School and While Travelling to School? A Comparative Look at Israel
and the United States. American Journal of Education, 117(4); 465-493.

Questions
If you hear about a threat to school or
student safety, do you have a way to
report it without having to give your
name?

Rationale
This question indicates if students know their school
has a secure procedure for reporting potential school
crime. Organizations such as US Department of
Health and Human Services11 and the National
Crime Prevention Council 12 recommend
establishing anonymous hotlines or websites for
students to anonymously report.

12.

In your classes, how often are you
distracted from doing your schoolwork
because other students are misbehaving,
for example, talking or fighting?

These questions help define the environment in
which crime and bullying incidents occur,13,14
including determining the general level of disruption
and the general level of crime students encounter in
their school and home neighborhoods.15,16

13.

Thinking about your school, would you
strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following:

11.

14.

a. The school rules are fair.
b. The punishment for breaking
school rules is the same no
matter who you are.
c. The school rules are strictly
enforced.
d. If a school rule is broken,
students know what kind of
punishment will follow.
e. Teachers treat students with
respect
Still thinking about your school, would
you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…
There is a TEACHER or other ADULT
at school who…

These questions ask about relationships in school.
The presence of caring relationships has been found
to be a key protective factor in multiple surveys of
student experiences. Asking these questions on the
SCS allows direct comparison of these factors with
a wide range of potential negative school
experiences such as crime, bullying, and drug
availability.17
Question 14 is adapted from the California Healthy
Kids Survey—one of the most widely quoted
surveys measuring student protective factors. It
consolidates two series of questions on relationships
with adults and teachers from previous versions of
the SCS. The consolidated question is designed to
reduce burden without losing predictive validity.

a. Really cares about you.
b. Listens to you when you have
something to say.
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would
you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…
There is a STUDENT at school who…

Question 15 asks about peer relationships in school.
Research indicates that the quality of friendship is
related to protective factors.18,19 This item was
developed and tested during the cognitive lab study
to be an indicator of reciprocal, supportive school
friendships.

a. Really cares about you.
b. Listens to you when you have something
to say.
6

c. Believes that you will be a success.

16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where
YOU LIVE, would you strongly agree,
agree, disagree, or strongly disagree
with the following:

These question are designed to collect data for
analysis of the relationship between level of school
crime, presence of security measures in school, and
student perceptions of safety.

There is a lot of crime in the
neighborhood where you live
17.

Thinking about the neighborhood
where YOUR SCHOOL IS
LOCATED, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly
disagree with the following:
There is a lot of crime in the
neighborhood where YOU go to
SCHOOL.

18.

Thinking about your school, would you
strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following:
You feel safe at your school.

http://www.stopbullying.gov/prevention/at-school/rules/index.html
http://www.ncpc.org/topics/school-safety/strategies/strategy-school-crime-reporting-hotline
13
Mayer, M. J., & Leone, P. E. (1999). A structural analysis of school violence and disruption: Implications for creating safer schools. Education
& Treatment Of Children, 22(3), 333.
14
Collins, J. J., Messerschmidt, P. P., Ringwalt, C. C., & Research Triangle, I. (1992). Relationship Between School Disruption & School Social
Control Activities: Summary Of Findings,
15
Smith, B. E., & Elstein, S. G. (1993). Effective ways to reduce school victimization: practical and legal concerns. Children's Legal Rights
Journal, 14(1-2), 22-38.
16
Clay-Warner, J., Bunch, J., & James, K. (2009). Procedural Justice and School Crime. Conference Papers -- American Society of Criminology,
1.
12

DeVoe, J. (2009). Pg. 2
Espelage, D., Green Jr., H., & Wasserman, S. (2007). Statistical analysis of friendship patterns and bullying behaviors among youth. New
Directions for Child & Adolescent Development, 2007(118), 61-75.
19
Boulton, M.J., Trueman, M., Chau, C., Whitehand, C., & Amatya, K. (1999). Concurrent and longitudinal links between friendship and peer
victimization: Implications for befriending interventions. Journal of Adolescence, 22, 461–466.
18

Questions

Rationale
The availability of illegal substances is correlated
with the general level of school crime and the
The following question refers The following question refers
likelihood that students who use these substances
to the availability of drugs
to the availability of drugs
may be involved in crimes.20
and alcohol at your school. and alcohol at your school.
Version 1

Is it possible for students at
your school to get…
a.

Alcoholic
beverages?

Marijuana, also
known as pot, weed
or mary jane?

Prescription drugs
illegally obtained
without a
prescription, such
as Oxycontin,
Ritalin, or
Adderall?

Version 2

Is it possible for students to
get any of the following
while at school…
a.

Alcoholic
beverages?

Marijuana, also
known as pot or
weed?

Heroin or
prescription
painkillers illegally
obtained without a
prescription, such
as Codeine,
Percocet, or
fentanyl? These are
also known as
opioids.

Other prescription
drugs illegally
obtained without a
prescription, such
as Xanax, Ritalin,
or Adderall?
Other illegal
drugs, such as
cocaine, uppers, or
crystal meth?

Other illegal drugs,
such as cocaine,
uppers, or heroin?

NCES received a request from the Department of
Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students
(OSHS) to collect data on the availability of opioids
at school. This request to collect information on
opioid availability is part the Department of
Education’s response to the President’s Commission
on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid
Crisis.

Elliott, E., & Rayne, K. (2008). Victimization rates and drug use among high school and college students. Conference Papers -- American
Society of Criminology, 1.

20.

Questions
During this school year, did you see
another student who was under the
influence of illegal drugs or alcohol
while they were at school?

Rationale

4. Fighting, Bullying, and Hate Behaviors
This section is the main focus of the SCS: the type and extent of victimization students experience in
school. This information is a key addition to the data on victimization collected by the NCVS. Using
weighting factors provided by the CB, these data can be used to estimate the extent of fighting, bullying,
and hate crime victimization in schools nationally. This information is crucial to educators and
policymakers in prioritizing funding and program development for school systems across the country.
Since 2014, NCES, BJS, and the CB have been continuously working on the comprehension and
accuracy of the bullying items on the SCS. Specifically, the SCS items needed to be updated to collect
information on the two integral components that make up the CDC uniform definition: repetition and
power imbalance. While the 2017 items seem to be performing well, there is concern about the
current use of the word “bully” and how it is defined in the stem of the first item of the bullying
section. Furthermore, research suggests adolescents define “bullying” differently than the CDC
uniform definition. Thus, including the term in the item is likely resulting in increased measurement
error since adolescents have their own preconceived definitions. To address this, the entire bullying
section was updated to not include any form of the word “bully” in the items and new items were
added to more accurately collect information on repetition and power imbalance. This will essentially
reduce potential measurement error by not including the term “bully” and will continue to collect
information on all components of the CDC uniform definition. All updated items will be included in
version 2.
Questions
21a. During this school year, have you been in
one or more physical fights at school?

Rationale
Determine exposure to physical violence in school
as separate from bullying.21

21b. During this school year, how many
times have you been in a physical fight
at school?

Noe, K., & Petras, H. (2009). Peer victimization in middle and high school: An application of latent class analysis. Conference Papers -American Society of Criminology, 1.

Questions
Version 1
Now I have some questions about
what students do at school that
makes you feel bad or is hurtful to
you. We often refer to this as being
bullied. You may include events
you told me about already. During
this school year, has any student
bullied you? That is, has another
student…

a. Made fun of you, called
you names, or insulted
you in a hurtful way?

b. Spread rumors about
you or tried to make
other dislike you?

c. Threatened you with
harm?

d. Pushed you, shoved
you, tripped you, or
spit on you?

e. Tried to make you do
things you did not want
to do, for example, give
them money or other
things?

Version 2
Now I have some questions about
what students do at school that make
you feel bad or are hurtful to you.
These could occur in person or using
technologies, such as a phone, the
Internet, or social media. During this
school year, has any student from
your school…
a.

Made fun of you, called
you names, or insulted you,
in a hurtful way?

Tried to make you do
things you did not want to
do, for example, give them
money or other things?

Excluded you from
activities, social media, or
other communications to
hurt you?
Destroyed your property on
purpose?

Version 2-this item uses the version 1 wording as
its foundation but does not include the word
“bully” and now includes text reminding the
b. Spread rumors about you
respondent to think of experiences that occurred
or tried to make others
electronically. Research indicates adolescents
dislike you?
defining bullying differently than the uniform
c. Purposely shared your
definition22. Including the word in the item stem is
private information,
likely increasing measurement error. Further,
photos, or videos in a
cognitive testing indicated respondents were not
hurtful way?
d. Threatened you with harm? thinking about bullying occurring electronically,
thus it is necessary to include a reminder in the
stem for them to think about electronic means
e. Pushed you, shoved you,
tripped you, or spit on you? (phone, internet, social media) when responding to
the subquestions.

Excluded you
from activities
on purpose?

g. Destroyed your property

Rationale
Version 1-Question 22 has students identify ways
in which they perceive they have been bullied. A
single bullying construct is created from those
answering “yes” to any of these subquestions to
indicate that the student has been a victim of
bullying. This question has been in use since 2005
and is the basis for the trend data NCES maintains
on bullying in schools.

on purpose?

Dooley, B., Byrne, H., Fitzgerald, A., & Dolphin, L. Adolescents’ definition of bullying: the contribution of age, gender, and experience of
bullying. European Journal of Psychological Education; October, 2015.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Barbara_Dooley/publication/282974802_Adolescents%27_definitions_of_bullying_the_contribution_of_ag
e_gender_and_experience_of_bullying/links/56263eaa08aeabddac92b41d/Adolescents-definitions-of-bullying-the-contribution-of-age-genderand-experience-of-bullying.pdf. Retrieved June 22, 2018.

Version 1
23a. During this school year,
how many days were
you bullied?
23b. (If 23a is “one day”) In
that one day, how
many times would you
say other students did
those things that made
you feel bad or were
hurtful to you?

24.

Did you think the
bullying would happen
again?

25. Thinking about the

26.

Version 2

Version 1-Questions 23-24 identify whether any
incidents reported for question 22 include the
Thinking about [that thing/those
things] you said you experienced element of repetition. These questions are based on
those that have been used successfully to identify
this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] the repetitive component of stalking as measured in
the NCVS Supplemental Victimization Survey. In
to you?
this version, multiple days or multiple incidents can
Did these students act alone,
be used as indicators of repetition.
together as a team, or both?
You said that more than one
student did [that thing/those
things] to you. Has any student
done [that thing/any of those
things] to you more than once
during this school year?

[time/times] you were
bullied this school year, During this school year, how
many days did you experience
did more than one
person do these things (that thing/any of those things)?
to you?
In that one day, how many times
Did these people act
would you say [another
alone, or together as a
student/other students] did [that
team?
thing/any of those things] to you?
Did you think [that student/those
students] would do hurtful things
to you again?

Version 2-NCES, BJS, and Census have continued
to fine-tune the repetition and power imbalance
items. For version 2, in addition to not using the
word “bully,” a new item asking whether one
student did hurtful things more than once was added
to help determine repetition. This is specifically for
situations where a student has experienced a hurtful
situation one time with one offender and another
time with a different offender, and the two different
offenders are not working together as a team.

Questions
Version 1
Now I have some additional
questions about the time [another
student/ other students]
{behavior1}, {behavior2}, and
{behaviorx…}. Thinking about the
[person/ people] who did these
things to you this school year,
[Was this person/ Were any of
these people/ Was anyone in
the group] physically bigger or
stronger than you?
[Was this person/ Were any of
these people/ Was anyone in
the group] more popular than
you? [Did this person/ Did any
of these people/ Did anyone in
the group] have more money
than you?
[Did this person/ Did any of
these people/ Did anyone in
the group] have the ability to
influence what other students
think of you?

Version 2
Still thinking about [that thing/those things]
[another student/other students] did to you
during this
school year…
[Was this person/ Were any of these
people/ Was anyone in the group]
physically bigger or stronger than you?
[Was this person/ Were any of these
people/ Was anyone in the group] more
popular than you? [Did this person/ Did
any of these people/ Did anyone in the
group] have more money than you?
[Did this person/ Did any of these
people/ Did anyone in the group] have
the ability to influence what other
students think of you?
[Did this person/ Did any of these people/
Did anyone in the group] have more power
than you in another way?
In what other way [did that student/ did any of
those students] have more power than you?

[Did this person/ Did any of
these people/ Did anyone in the
group] have more power than
you in another way?

Version 2 only
What was your relationship to the student when they
did [that thing/those things] to you? Were they…
a. Your brother or sister?
b. Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
c. Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
d. Another student from school?

Rationale
Version 1-Questions 25-27 identify whether
any incidents reported include the element of
power imbalance. Cognitive testing results
indicated that the examples provided in the
original power imbalance question were
excluding two types of incidents: 1) those in
which power was expressed through
influence; and
2) those in which no one person appeared to
be more powerful than the victim reporting
the incident, but multiple people working
together against one individual created a
power imbalance. Affirmative answers on
question 25 and 26 (multiple people
working together) or on one of the items
under question 27 (individuals with more
power in some area) will be used to indicate
the bullying reported includes a power
imbalance.
Version 2- An “other specify” subquestion has
been added to gather information on other
forms of power imbalance that respondents
may be considering when answering these
questions. Common themes will be considered
to be added to future data collections.

The uniform definition specifically excludes
victimization that involves siblings or a current
dating partner. The SCS items have never taken
these two exclusions into consideration.
Cognitive testing for these items indicate some
interviewees likely including sibling or dating
partners in their responses, thus the need to
collect the victim-offender relationship. Any
respondents who indicate multiple experiences
by one person who is a sibling or current dating
partner will be excluded from the estimate on
the uniform definition.

Version 1
28. During this school year,
where did the bullying
occur? Did it occur…
In a classroom at school?
In a hallway or stairwell at
school?

Version 2

Version 1-Noting where bullying occurs is
important in determining trends and to
develop strategies to monitor or prevent the
incidences of bullying in those
environments. 23 The 2011 and 2013 SCS
included separate questions about cyberIn a classroom at school?
bullying. Based on the uniform bullying
definition, cyber-bullying is a format for
In a hallway or stairwell at
school?
bullying, not a separate type of incident.
Cognitive testing results also indicated that
In a bathroom or locker
room at school?
students often experience cyber-bullying by
classmates as a continuation or precursor of
In a gymnasium or weight
in-person bullying and therefore include it
room at school?
In a cafeteria or lunch room with reports of school-based bullying. Item
H was added in 2015 to capture information
at school?
on school-related cyber-bullying24. No
Outside on school grounds?
changes were made for the 2017 instrument.

Still thinking about [the time/all of
the times] that [another student/other
students] did [something/those
things] to you, where did [it/they]
occur? Did [it/they] occur …
a.
b.

In a bathroom or locker room at
school?

In a cafeteria or lunchroom at
school?

Somewhere else inside the school
building?

Specify ______

Outside on school grounds?

On the way to or from school
such as on a school bus or at
Version 2-For the 2019 SCS, cognitive
a bus stop?

Online or by text?

On the way to or from
school such as on a
school bus or at a bus
stop?
Online or by text?

i. Somewhere else at school?
Specify
_____________________

testing indicated the need to add
“gymnasium or weight room” as these are
perceived to be different locations than a
“locker room.” Additionally, to improve the
flow of the items, the “somewhere else at
school” and “other-specify” subquestions
have been moved to the end of the list.

Ringwalt, C. C., Messerschmidt, P. P., Graham, L. L., Collins, J. J., & Research Triangle, I. (1992). Youths' Victimization Experiences, Fear of
Attack Or Harm, & School Avoidance Behaviors: Summary Of Findings

Bagwell, K. (2011). Students use cellphones more than computers to cyberbully. Education Daily, 44(189), 2.

29.

30.

Questions
Did you tell a teacher or some other
adult at school about being bullied?

This school year, how much has
bullying had a negative effect on…
a.
b.
c.
d.

31.

Your school work?
Your relationships with friends or
family?
How you feel about yourself?
Your physical health – for
example, caused injuries, gave
you headaches or stomach aches?

When you were bullied in school this
year, did you ever think it was related to:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Your race?
Your religion?
Your ethnic background or
national origin – for example,
people of Hispanic origin?
Any disability you may have –
such as physical, mental or
developmental disabilities?
Your gender?
Your sexual orientation – by this
we mean gay, lesbian, bisexual or
straight?
Your physical appearance?

Rationale
Research indicates that significant numbers of
bullying incidents go unreported. Collecting this
information in a confidential interview format can
shed light on estimates of bullying in U.S.
schools. 25,26
Additionally, collecting this information with
reports from the same students on school attachment
factors gathered in section 2 can be used to analyze
what factors may increase the likelihood of
reporting bullying.
These questions ask about the effects of bullying
experienced by students. Studies have detailed the
impacts of bullying on youth. 27,28 Bullying is
related to serious health concerns that must be
tracked and addressed by medical and mental health
providers.29

Bullying disproportionately affects various
subgroups of students including students with
disabilities30 and students identifying with nonmajority racial, religious or sexual orientation
groups. 31 The U.S. Department of Education’s
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS) and Office of Civil Rights (OCR)
have both issued guidance on providing free and
appropriate education to all students that includes
identifying and addressing issues of harassment and
victimization for all students. The data from this
question can be used to generate national estimates
on bullying based on perceived subgroup
characteristics.

Watkins, A. M., & Maume, M. O. (2011). School victims and crime reporting. Youth Violence & Juvenile Justice, 9(4), 333-351.
Watkins, A., & Maume, M. (2007). We Don't Need No Notification: The Underreporting of Victimization by Students. Conference Papers -American Society of Criminology, 1.
27
Due P, Holstein BE, Lynch J, Diderichsen F, Gabhain SN, Scheidt P, et al. (2005) Bullying and symptoms among school-aged children:
international comparative cross sectional study in 28 countries. European Journal of Public Health 15(2):128-132.
28
Beran TN, Hughes G, Lupart J. (2008) A model of achievement and bullying: Analyses of the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of
Children and Youth data. Educational Research 50(1):25-39
29
Cf. National Children’s Medical Center’ s statement on bullying health risks at
https://www.childrensnational.org/DepartmentsandPrograms/default.aspx?Id=6089&Type=Program&Name=Clinic%20for%20Health%20Proble
ms%20Related%20to%20Bullying (accessed September 9, 2013).
30
Swearer, S. M., Wang, C., Maag, J. M., Siebecker, A., B., & Frerichs, L. J. (2012). Understanding the bullying dynamic among students in
special and general education. Journal of School Psychology, 50, 503-520.
31
Hightow-Weidman, L. B., Phillips, G., Jones, K. C., Outlaw, A. Y., Fields, S. D., & Smith, f. C. (2011). Racial and Sexual Identity-Related
Maltreatment Among Minority YMSM: Prevalence, Perceptions, and the Association with Emotional Distress. AIDS Patient Care & Stds,
25S39-S45. doi:10.1089/apc.2011.9877
26

32.

Questions
During this school year, has anyone
called you an insulting or bad name at
school having to do with your race,
religion, ethnic background or national
origin, disability, gender or sexual
orientation? We call these hate-related
words.

33.

Were any of the hate related words
related to:
a.
Your race?
b.
Your religion?
c.
Your ethnic background or
national origin – for example,
people of Hispanic origin?
d.
Any disability you may have –
such as physical, mental or
developmental disabilities?
e.
Your gender?
f.
Your sexual orientation – by this
we mean gay, lesbian, bisexual or
straight?

34.

During this school year, have you seen
any hate-related words or symbols
written in school classrooms, school
bathrooms, school hallways, or on the
outside of your school building?

Rationale
Hate-related speech is not reported by adolescents
as often as bullying because students are often
embarrassed about the message conveyed or not
sure where it falls with relation to various categories
of crime/bullying that should be reported. Collecting
specific information on use of hate-related words in
this anonymous survey will provide school
personnel and policymakers information about the
extent and seriousness of the crime32 and its
relationship to other forms of victimization.

Van Dorn, R. (2002). Unrecognized warning signs. Education Week, 22(11), 41.

5. Avoidance
35.

Questions
During this school year, did you ever stay away
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attach or harm you there?
a. For example, did you ever stay away from the
shortest route to school because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?
b. The entrance into the school?
c. Any hallways or stairs in school?
d. Parts of the school cafeteria?
e. Any school restrooms?
f. Other places inside the school building?
g. School parking lot?
h. Other places on school grounds?
i. School bus or bus stop?

36a. Did you avoid any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?
36b. Did you avoid any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?

Rationale
This section asks about places and activities
students avoid because of the likelihood of
bullying, cyber-bullying, and physical
attacks. Avoidance, where warranted,
reduces the actual number of such incidents
without reducing the risk that they will
occur. Students who avoid going to classes
are negatively affected not only by the
experience of crime, but also by the loss of
instructional time33.
The information about avoidance collected
here can be used to (a) estimate overall
actual crime in schools in addition to that
experienced by the absence of direct
reporting from the individuals interviewed,
and (b) analyze the impact it has on student
behavior and academic performance
34,35,36,37,38,39 .

36c. Did you stay home from school because you thought
someone might attack or harm you in the school
building, on school property, on a school bus, or
going to or from school?

Barrett, Kimberly L.; Jennings, Wesley G.; Lynch, Michael J. (2012). The relationship between youth fear and avoidance of crime in school
and academic experiences. Journal of School Violence. Vol. 11 (1), 1-20.
Pearson, F. S., Toby, J. J., & Rutgers, U. (1992). Perceived & Actual Risks Or School-Related Victimization: Final Activities Report,
35
Randa, R. (2007). The impact of incivilities on fear and routine activities in high schools. Conference Papers -- American Society Of
Criminology, 1.
36
Lab, S. P., & Whitehead, J. T. (1994). Avoidance behavior as a response to in-school victimization. Journal of Security Administration, 17(2),
32-45.
37
Ringwalt, C. C., Messerschmidt, P. P., Graham, L. L., Collins, J. J., pg. 5
38
Randa, R., Drayer, A., & Lytle, D. (2008). Routine Activities of School Children: How Fear and Disorder Influence Avoidance of Specific
Places. Conference Papers -- American Society Of Criminology, 1.
39
Hutzell, K. (2009). The Impact of Bullying Behaviors on School Avoidance. Conference Papers -- American Society of Criminology, 1.
34

6. Fear
Questions
37a. How often are you afraid that someone will attack or
harm you in the school building or on school property?
37b. How often are you afraid that someone will attack or
harm you on a school bus or on the way to or from
school?
37c. Besides the times you are in the school building, on
school property, on a school bus, or going to or from
school, how often are you afraid that someone will
attack or harm you?

Rationale
This section adds to the information in
Section 4, Avoidance, by asking how
often students fear attack or harm.
Students may not be able to avoid school
activities even though they may fear
attending40. Fear, like avoidance, harms
adolescents beyond the harm attributed to
the actual crimes experienced41. Fear
results in stress, which negatively affects
academic performance, can lead to
inappropriate psycho-social outcomes
such as acting out, and can impact future
orientation such as plans to complete
school.42,43

7. Weapons
Questions
38.

Some people bring guns, knives, or objects
that can be used as weapons to school for
protection. During this school year, did you
ever bring the following to school or onto
school grounds:
a.
b.
c.

A gun?
A knife brought as a weapon?
Some other weapon?

39a. Do you know of any other students who have
brought a gun to your school during this
school year?

Rationale
This section asks about experiences with
weapons in school. Bringing weapons to school
for personal protection is another indicator of the
extent of the perceived level of violence in the
school. Although a student may not be directly
threatened or harmed by a weapon, knowing that
weapons are on campus can also lead to fear and
avoidance of school.44 Potential for violence
escalates when students carry weapons in school.
Negative academic and psycho-social outcomes
are correlated with fear of weapons on campus.
45,46,47

39b. Have you actually seen another student with
a gun at school during this school year?
40.

During this school year, could you have
gotten a loaded gun without adult permission,
either at school or away from
school?

Jenkins, Patricia H. (1997). School delinquency and the school social bond. Journal of Research in Crime & Delinquency. Vol. 34 (3), 337- 367.
U.S. Department of Education. (2006). Indicators of School Crime & Safety: 2006.
42
Ades, L. (2007). Horror in the Halls: Examining Adolescent Fear, Avoidance, and Academic Difficulty. Conference Papers -- American
Sociological Association, 1.
43
Randa, R., Drayer, A., & Lytle, D., pg. 6.
44
Mooij, Ton; Smeets, Ed; de Wit, Wouter. (2011). multi-level aspects of social cohesion of secondary schools and pupils' feelings of safety.
British Journal of Educational Psychology. Vol. 81(3)3.
45
Cao, L., Zhang, Y., & He, N. (2008). Carrying weapons to school for protection: An analysis of the 2001 school crime supplement data.
Journal Of Criminal Justice, 36(2), 154-164.
46
Noonan, M. (2005). Guns in schools: results from the 2003 School Crime Supplement. Conference Papers -- American Society of Criminology.
47
Hong, Jun; Eamon, Mary. (2012). Students' perceptions of unsafe schools: An ecological systems analysis. Journal of Child & Family Studies.
Vol. 21(3), p428-438.
41

8. Gangs
Questions

Rationale

This part of the survey examines the extent of gang
activity in schools. Gangs are an indicator of increased
crime in schools48 and require separate types of
Intro-Now,
we'd
like
to
know
Intro-Now, we'd like to know
about gangs at your school. You interventions to address from specific incidences of
about gangs at your school.
49
You may know these as street may know these as street gangs, crime and bullying.
gangs, fighting gangs, crews, or fighting gangs, or something
Feedback from interviewers in the field and cognitive
something else. Gangs may use else. Gangs may use common
names, signs, symbols, or colors. interviews indicate confusion on part of the definition of
common names, signs,
Your answers will not be shared gangs that says “For this survey, we are interested in all
symbols, or colors. For this
gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or
survey, we are interested in all with anyone at your school or
illegal activity.” Due to this, NCES, BJS, and Census
home.
gangs, whether or not they are
want to remove this sentence to reduce confusion and
involved in violent or illegal
improve the accuracy of this section.
activity. Your responses are

Version 1

Version 2

confidential.
41a. Are there any gangs at your
41a. Are there any gangs at your school?
school?
41b. During this school year,
41b. During this school year,
how often have gangs been
how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or
involved in fights, attacks, or
other violence at your school?
other violence at your school?
41c. Have gangs been involved
41c. Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?
school during this school year?

Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T., Goldweber, A., Johnson, S. (2013) Bullies, Gangs, Drugs and School: Understanding the Overlap and the Role of
Ethnicity and Urbanicity. Journal of Youth & Adolescence. 42(2), pp 220-234.
49
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (2010). Best Practices to Address Community Gang
Problems, OJJDP’s Comprehensive Gang Model, Second edition (NCJ 231200) Washington, DC.

9. Student Characteristics
42.

Questions
During this school year, across all
subjects, have you gotten mostly: A’s,
B’s, C’s D’s F’s or school does not give
grades/no alphabetic grade equivalents.

43a. During the last 4 weeks of school, did
you skip any classes?
43b. During the last 4 weeks of school, on
how many days did you skip at least one
class?
44.

Rationale
These questions focus specifically on student
academic characteristics. Information about
demographic characteristics is included in the main
NCVS survey. These are indicators of academic
behavior and planning, which may be analyzed with
regard to the impact of student experiences with
school violence and bullying.50,51,52,53

Thinking about the future, do you think
you will:
a. Attend school after high school,
such as a college or technical
school?
b. Graduate from a 4-year college?

Wynne, S. L., & Hee-Jong, J. (2011). Predictors of school victimization: Individual, familial, and school factors. Crime & Delinquency, 57(3),
458-488.
51
Wynne, S., & Joo, H. (2007). Predicting School Victimization: A Multi-level Approach. Conference Papers -- American Society of
Criminology, 1.
52
Kuck, D., & Popp, A., pg. 2
53
DeVoe, J.,(2009) pg. 2

Attachment 5:
Nonfederal publications citing data from the NCVS SCS

Nonfederal Publications Citing Data from the NCVS SCS
1991
Pearson, F.S., and Toby, J. (1991). Fear of School‐Related Predatory Crime. Sociology and Social
Research, 75(3): 117‐125.
1992
Collins, J.J., Messerschmidt, P.P., and Ringwalt, C.C. (1992). Relationship Between School Disruption and
School Social Control Activities: Summary of Findings. U.S. Department of Justice. Washington DC:
National Institute of Justice.
Lab, S.P., and Whitehead, J.T. (1992). School Environment and School Crime: Causes and Consequences;
Summary Report. U.S. Department of Justice. Washington DC: National Institute of Justice.
Pearson, F.S., Toby, J.J., and Rutgers, U. (1992). Perceived and Actual Risks or School‐Related
Victimization: Final Activities Report. U.S. Department of Justice. Washington DC: National Institute of
Justice.
Ringwalt, C., Messerschmidt, P., Graham, L., and Collins, J. (1992). Youth’s Victimization Experiences,
Fear of Attack or Harm, and School Avoidance Behaviors: Summary of Findings. U.S. Department of
Justice. Washington DC: National Institute of Justice.
1993
Smith, B.E., and Elstein, S.G. (1993). Effective Ways to Reduce School Victimization: Practical and Legal
Concerns. Children’s Legal Rights Journal, 14(1‐2): 22‐38.
1994
Furlong, M.M. (1994). Evaluating School Violence Trends. School Safety, 23‐27. Lab, S., and Whitehead, J.
(1994, December). Avoidance Behavior as a Response to In‐School Victimization. Journal of Security
Administration, 17(2): 32‐45.
1998
Kingery, P., Coggeshall, M., and Alford, A. (1998). Violence at School: Recent Evidence From Four
National Surveys. Psychology in the Schools, 35(3): 247‐258.
1999
Mayer, M.J., and Leone, P.E. (1999). A Structural Analysis of School Violence and Disruption: Implications
for Creating Safer Schools. Education & Treatment of Children, 22(3): 333‐56.
2002
Addington, L.A. (2002). The Columbine Effect: The Impact of Violent School Crime on Students’ Fear of
Victimization. Ph.D. dissertation, State University of New York at Albany, United States—New York.
Retrieved August 11, 2008, from Dissertations and Theses: Full Text database. (Publication No. AAT
3052923).

Van Dorn, R. (2002). Unrecognized Warning Signs. Education Week, 22(11): 41‐41.
2003
Addington, L.A. (2003). Fear After Columbine: Findings From a Randomized Experiment. Journal of
Quantitative Criminology, 19(4): 367‐387.
Planty, M. (2003, August). Telescoping Events in Student Surveys on Victimization. Paper presented at
the annual meeting of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Sheraton Music City,
Nashville, Tennessee.
Scott, L., and Ruddy, S. (2003, August). How Students Identify Gangs at School: An Analysis of Multiple
Gang Identification Questions in the 1995 SCS/NCVS. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the
American Association for Public Opinion Research, Sheraton Music City, Nashville, Tennessee.
2004
Van Dorn, R.A. (2004). Correlates of Violent and Nonviolent Victimization in a Sample of Public High
School Students. Violence and Victims, 19(3): 303‐320.
2005
Addington, L.A. (2005). Disentangling the Effects of Bounding and Mobility on Reports of Criminal
Victimization. Journal of Quantitative Criminology, 21(3): 321‐343.
Addington, L.A. (2005). Following in Her Footsteps: Revisiting the Record on Adolescents’ College Plans.
Gender Issues, 22(2): 31‐44.
DeVoe, J. F., Peter, K., Kaufman, P., Miller, A., Noonan, M., Snyder, T. D. et al. (2005). Indicators of
school crime and safety: 2004. Education Statistics Quarterly, 6.
Greene, M.B. (2005). Reducing Violence and Aggression in Schools. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 6(3):
236‐253.
Kuck, D., and Popp, A. (2005). Characteristics of Students and Schools as Predictors of Being a Victim of
Bullying: An Opportunity Theory Analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Society
of Criminology, Royal York, Toronto.
Noonan, M. (2005). Guns in Schools: Results From the 2003 School Crime Supplement. Paper presented at
the annual meeting of the American Society of Criminology, Royal York, Toronto.
2006
Adams, Jacqueline (2006). What makes a bully tick? Scientists search for answers. Science
World, 63, 10.
Amherst, P. W. (2006). School crime and safety. New York: Novinka Books.
Moore‐Polanco, R., and Raghavan, C. (2006). The Association of Social Development/Age on Juvenile
Fear of Crime Levels in New York City Public Schools. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the
American Society of Criminology (ASC), Los Angeles Convention Center, Los Angeles, California.

Myers, K. A. (2006). School violence and its effects on academic achievement among eighth graders
[Dissertation].
2007
Ades, L. (2007, August). Horror in the Halls: Examining Adolescent Fear, Avoidance, and Academic
Difficulty. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, TBA, New
York, New York City.
Randa, R. (2007, November). The Impact of Incivilities on Fear and Routine Activities in High Schools.
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American society of Criminology, Atlanta Marriott
Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia.
Watkins, A., and Maume, M. (2007, November). We Don’t Need No Notification: The Underreporting of
Victimization by Students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American society of Criminology,
Atlanta Marriott Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia.
Wynne, S., and Joo, H. (2007, November). Predicting School Victimization: A Multi‐Level Approach.
Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American society of Criminology, Atlanta Marriott
Marquis, Atlanta, Georgia.
2008
Cao, L., Zhang, Y., and He, N. (2008). Carrying Weapons to School for Protection: An Analysis of the 2001
School Crime Supplement Data. Journal of Criminal Justice, 36(2): 154‐164.
Elliott, E., and Rayne, K. (2008, November). Victimization Rates and Drug Use Among High School and
College Students. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the ASC Annual Meeting, St. Louis Adam’s
Mark, St. Louis, Missouri.
Popp, A. (2008, November). The Importance of Confidentiality and Anonymity for Victimization Surveys of
Adolescents. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the ASC Annual Meeting, St. Louis Adam’s Mark,
St. Louis, Missouri.
Randa, R., Drayer, A., and Lytle, D. (2008). Routine Activities of School Children: How Fear and Disorder
Influence Avoidance of Specific Places. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the ASC Annual
Meeting, St. Louis Adam’s Mark, St. Louis, Missouri.
Toldson, I. A. (2008). Breaking barriers plotting the path to academic success for school‐age
African‐American males. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Inc. Available
from http://www.cbcfinc.org/images/pdf/breaking_barriers.pdf.
Urbanski, J. (2008). The relationship between school connectedness and bullying victimization in
secondary students [Dissertation].
2009
Addington, L. A. (2009). Cops and cameras. Public school security as a policy response to Columbine.
American Behavioral Scientist, 52, 1426‐1446.

Clay‐Warner, J., Bunch, J., and James, K. (2009, November). Procedural Justice and School Crime. Paper
presented at the annual meeting of the ASC Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
DeVoe, J. (2009, November). Social Bonding and School Victimization: The Ties That Bind. Paper
presented at the annual meeting of the ASC Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
DeVoe, J. F. & Kaffenberger, S. (2009). Student reports of bullying: Results from the 2001 School
Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey. In D.N.Rickler (Ed.), Bullying in
schools (pp. 43‐97). New York: Nova Science Publishers.
Hutzell, K. (2009). The Impact of Bullying Behaviors on School Avoidance. Paper presented at the annual
meeting of the ASC Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Noe, K., and Petras, H. (2009). Peer Victimization in Middle and High School: An Application of Latent Class
Analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the ASC Annual Meeting, Philadelphia Marriott
Downtown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Randa, R. W. (2009). The impact of disorder and fear on the routine activities of high school
students [Dissertation].
Toldson, I. A. (2009). Editor's comment: Improving security and creating a culture of learning in
schools. The Journal of Negro Education, 78, 365‐366.
2010
Cook, P. J., Gottfredson, D. C., & Na, C. (2010). School crime control and prevention. Crime and
Justice, 39, 313‐440.
Hutzell, K. L. (2010). The impact of bullying behaviors on social and situational avoidance in
schools [Dissertation].
Mayer, J.M. (2010). Structural Analysis of 1995‐2005 School Crime Supplement Datasets: Factors
Influencing Students’ Fear, Anxiety, and Avoidant Behaviors. Journal of School Violence, 9(1): 37‐55.
Mayer, M. J. & Furlong, M. J. (2010). How safe are our schools? Educational Researcher, 39, 16
26.
Randa, R. & Wilcox, P. (2010). School disorder, victimization, and general v. place‐specific
student avoidance. Journal of Criminal Justice, 38, 854‐861.
2011
Addington, L. A. & Yablon, Y. B. (2011). A cross‐national examination of fear in disadvantaged
schools: U.S. and Israeli‐Arab student experiences. Victims & Offenders, 6, 325‐340.
Addington, L. A. & Yablon, Y. B. (2011). How safe do students feel at school and while traveling to
school? A comparative look at Israel and the United States. American Journal of Education, 117,
465‐493.

Bachman, R., Randolph, A., and Brown, B.L. (2011). Predicting Perceptions of Fear at School and Going To
and From School for African American and White Students: The Effects of School Security Measures.
Youth & Society, 43(2): 705‐726.
Bagwell, K. (2011). Students Use Cellphones More Than Computers to Cyberbully. Education Daily,
44(189): 2.
Blosnich, J., and Bossarte, R. (2011). Low‐Level Violence in Schools: Is There an Association Between
School Safety Measures and Peer Victimization? Journal of School Health, 81(2): 107‐113.
Bohn, C. M. (2011). Predicting bullying among high school students using individual and school factors:
Analysis of a national survey [Dissertation].
Rivera, L. K. (2011). Bullying of sexual minorities: How does multiple minority status affect the likelihood of
being victimized [Dissertation].
Toldson, I. A. (2011). Breaking barriers 2: Plotting the path away from juvenile detention and toward
academic success for school‐age African American males. Washington, D.C.: Congressional Black Caucus
Foundation, Inc. Available from http://cbcfinc.org/oUploadedFiles/BreakingBarriers2.pdf.
Watkins, A.M., and Maume, M.O. (2011). School Victims and Crime Reporting. Youth Violence & Juvenile
Justice, 9(4): 333‐351.
Wynne, S.L., and Joo, H. (2011). Predictors of School Victimization: Individual, Familial, and School
Factors. Crime & Delinquency, 57(3): 458‐488.
2012
Barrett, K. L., Jennings, W. G., & Lynch, M. J. (2012). The Relation between Youth Fear and Avoidance of
Crime in School and Academic Experiences. Journal of School Violence, 11(1), 1‐20.
Bouchard, M., Wang, W., & Beauregard, E. (2012). Social capital, opportunity, and school‐based
victimization. Violence and Victims, 27(5), 656‐673.
Clark, S. L. (2012). Factors related to school violence victimization: The role of extracurricular activities
[Dissertation].
Hutzell, K.L., and Payne, A.A. (2012). The impact of bullying victimization on school avoidance. Youth
Violence & Juvenile Justice, 10(4), 370‐385.
Oblad, T. P. (2012). Understanding cyberbullying in the net generation: A meta‐analytic review
[Dissertation].
Popp, A. M. (2012). The difficulty in measuring suitable targets when modeling victimization. Violence
and Victims, 27, 689‐709.
Popp, A. M. (2012). The effects of exposure, proximity, and capable guardians on the risk of bullying
victimization. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 10, 315‐332.

Randa, W. & Wilcox, P. (2012). Avoidance at school: Further specifying the influence of disorder,
victimization, and fear. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice, 10, 190-204.
Voelkl, K. E. (2012). School identification. In S.L. Christenson, A. L. Reschly, & C. Wylie (Eds.), Handbook of
Research on Student Engagement (pp. 193‐218). New York: Springer.
2013
Addington, L. (2013). Reporting and clearance of cyberbullying incidents: Applying ‘offline’ theories to
online victims. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 29(4), 454‐474.
Jeong, S., Kwak, D., Moon, B., & San Miguel, C. (2013). Predicting school bullying victimization: Focusing
on individual and school environmental/security factors. Journal of Criminology, vol. 2013, Article ID
401301, 13 pages.
2014
Cooc, N., & Gee, K. (2014). National trends in school victimization among Asian American adolescents.
Journal Of Adolescence, 37(6), 839-849.
Randa, R., & Reyns, B. W. (2014). Cyberbullying victimization and adaptive avoidance behaviors at school.
Victims and Offenders. 9, (3), 255-275.
2015
Barboza, G. E. (2015). The association between school exclusion, delinquency and subtypes of cyber- and
F2F-victimizations: Identifying and predicting risk profiles and subtypes using latent class analysis. Child
Abuse & Neglect, 39, 109-122.
Earl, Kevin J. (2015). Diagnosis of Cyber and Nonphysical Bullying Victimization: A Routine Activities
Approach to Constructing Effective Preventive Measures. Thesis, Bridgewater State University
James, K., Clay-Warner, J., & Bunch, J. (2015). Perceived injustice and school violence: An application of
General Strain Theory. Youth Violence and Juvenile Justice. 13, (2), 169-189.
PROFILES: Bully Prospects. (2015). American School & University, 87(10), 34.
Randa, R., Nobles, M.R., & Reyns, B.W. (2015). Is Cyberbullying a Stand Alone Construct? Using
Quantitative Analysis to Evaluate a 21st Century Social Question. Societies 5, 171-186.
Watkins, Nichole J. (2015). Situation Crime Prevention in Schools: Implications for Victimization,
Delinquency, and Avoidance Behaviors. Thesis, George Mason University.
2016
Fisher, B. W., & Tanner-Smith, E. E. (2016). Examining school security measures as moderators of the
association between homophobic victimization and school avoidance. Journal Of School Violence, 15(2),
234-257.
Greenwood, Ian D. (2016). Cyber-Victimization and Delinquency: A General Strain Perspective. Thesis,
University of Montana

Mindrila, D., Moore, L., & Davis, P. (2016) Cyber-victimization and Its Psychosocial Consequences:
Relationships with Behavior Management and Traditional Bullying. Journal of Research in Education, 25(2),
53-67.
Tanner-Smith, E., & Fisher, B. (2016). Visible school security measures and student academic performance,
attendance, and postsecondary aspirations. Journal Of Youth & Adolescence, 45(1), 195-210.
2017
Baek, H., Andreescu, V., & Rolfe, S.M. (2017).
Brewer, Jr. S.L., Meckley-Brewer, H., & Stinson, P.M. (2017). Fearful and distracted in school: predicting
bullying among youths. Children & Schools, 39(4): 219-226.
Hutzell, K.L., & Payne, A.A. (2017). The Relationship Between Bullying Victimization and School Avoidance:
An Examination of Direct Associations, Protective Influences, and Aggravating Factors. Journal of School
Violence, 17(2): 210-226.
Simckes, M.S., Simonetti, J.A., Moreno, M.A., Rivara, F.P., Oudekerk, B.A., & Rowhani-Rahbar, A. (2017).
Access to a loaded gun without adult permission and school-based bullying. Journal of Adolescent Health,
61(3): 329-334.
2018
Addington, L. (2018). What is the Effect of Being Bullied?: Comparing Direct Harms of Bullying Experienced
by LGB and Non-LGB Students. American University School of Public Affairs Research Paper No. 3151151.
Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3151151 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3151151
Cho, S., & Wooldredge, J. (2018). Lifestyles, informal controls, and youth victimization risk in South Korea
and the United States. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 27(4): 1358-1371.
Keith, S. (2018). How do traditional bullying and cyberbullying victimization affect fear and coping among
students? An application of general strain theory. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 43(1): 67-84.
Warner-Czyz, A.D., Loy, B., Pourchot, H., White, T., & Cokely, E. (2018). Effect of Hearing Loss on Peer
Victimization in School-Age Children. Exceptional Children, 84(3): 280-297.

Attachment 6:
Incoming introductory letter from Census (NCVS-572(L))

NCVS-572(L) LOS ANGELES
(12-2017)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

A Message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau...
Dear Resident:
Your address has been selected to participate in the National Crime Victimization Survey.
The survey collects information about the type and amount of crime committed against people
in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts this survey on behalf of the U.S.
Department of Justice.
Since many crimes are never reported to the police, information from this survey is used to get a
more complete picture of crime occurring in our country. The information you provide will give a
better understanding of crime and its impact on victims. The survey results are used to develop
programs to aid crime victims and prevent crime.
The success of this survey depends on your participation. We cannot substitute
another address for yours. Your address is part of a scientifically selected sample of addresses
chosen throughout the country. Your answers represent hundreds of other households like yours.
Your participation is important even if you have not experienced any crime. By law, the Census
Bureau can only use your responses to produce statistics. No information about you or your
household can be identified from these statistics.
Answers to frequently asked questions are on the back of this letter. If you would like further
information, contact your Census Bureau Regional Office at 1–800–992–3530.
You do not need to take any action at this time. A Census Bureau representative will contact you
soon to ask your household to complete the survey.
Thank you for your participation.

census.gov

What is the National Crime Victimization Survey?
This survey collects data about experiences with crime, both reported and not reported to the
police. Periodically, the survey includes additional topics such as crime in schools, contacts with
law enforcement, and identity theft.
How was I selected for this survey?
The U.S. Census Bureau chose your address, not you personally, to participate in this survey.
We randomly selected a sample of addresses across the country to represent the entire
population. We need a response from all persons 12 or older in sampled homes to get a
complete picture of the types and amount of crime happening in the United States.
Will information I provide be confidential? Is this survey required by law?
The Census Bureau is required by law to protect your information. The Census Bureau
is not permitted to publicly release your responses in a way that could identify you or your
household. We are conducting this survey for the Bureau of Justice Statistics of the U.S.
Department of Justice under the authority of law (Title 13, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section
8). The Bureau of Justice Statistics is authorized to collect this survey information by law (Title
34, U.S.C., Section 10132). Federal law protects your privacy and keeps your answers
confidential (Title 13, U.S.C., Section 9 and Title 34, U.S.C., Sections 10231 and 10134). Per
the Federal Cybersecurity Enhancement Act of 2015, your data are protected from cybersecurity
risks through screening of the systems that transmit your data. This collection has been
approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB Number: 1121-0111; Expiration Date:
08/31/2018). If this number were not displayed, we could not conduct this survey. Your voluntary
participation in this survey is important; however, you may decline to answer any or all
questions.
How are the data used?
Data from this survey provide information on many topics related to crime and victimization,
including crime in schools, trends in violent crime, costs of crime, and the response of law
enforcement to reports of victimization. Examples of reports, tables, and charts that use data
from the survey are on the Bureau of Justice Statistics’ web site at www.bjs.gov.
How long will it take?
We expect the interview to take about 25 minutes. Your interview may be somewhat shorter or
longer than this depending on your circumstances. If you have any comments about this survey
or have recommendations for reducing its length, send them to the Chief, Victimization Statistics
Branch, Bureau of Justice Statistics, Washington, DC 20531.
I thought that the Census Bureau only counts people every 10 years.
What is the Census Bureau doing now?
Besides the decennial census, we collect many different kinds of information through other
censuses and surveys. These surveys provide current information on such topics as housing,
crime, unemployment rates, health, business, economics and education.

NCVS-572(L) (12-2017)

Attachment 7:
Continuing household introductory letter from Census (NCVS-573(L))

NCVS-573(L) LOS ANGELES
(12-2017)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, DC 20233-0001
OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR

A Message from the Director, U.S. Census Bureau...
Dear Resident:
Several months ago, we contacted residents at your address to participate in the National
Crime Victimization Survey. The survey collects information about the type and amount of
crime committed against people in the United States. The U.S. Census Bureau conducts this
survey on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice. We need to interview the current residents of
this address, whether we talked with you before or you recently moved to this address.
Since many crimes are never reported to the police, information from this survey is used to get a
more complete picture of crime occurring in our country. The information you provide will give a
better understanding of crime and its impact on victims. The survey results are used to develop
programs to aid crime victims and prevent crime.
The success of this survey depends on your participation. We cannot substitute
another address for yours. Your address is part of a scientifically selected sample of addresses
chosen throughout the country. Your answers represent hundreds of other households like yours.
Your participation is important even if you have not experienced any crime. By law, the Census
Bureau can only use your responses to produce statistics. No information about you or your
household can be identified from these statistics.
Answers to frequently asked questions are on the back of this letter. If you would like further
information, contact your Census Bureau Regional Office at 1–800–992–3530.
You do not need to take any action at this time. A Census Bureau representative will contact you
soon to ask your household to complete the survey.
Thank you for your participation.

census.gov

NCVS-573(L) (12-2017)

Attachment 8:
SCS brochure for parents in English

Child’s
Some findings from the 2015 SCS
include:

Resources

• About 21 percent of students ages 12–18
reported that they were bullied at school.

• Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

• About 7 percent of students ages 12–18
reported being cyber-bullied anywhere.

• Child Help USA National Child
Abuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

• About 43 percent of students bullied at
school reported notifying an adult.

• www.StopBullying.gov

• www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crimevictims/

• About 20 percent of students who reported
bullying problems at school indicated that this
occurred at least once or twice a month.
• About 11 percent of students reported that
gangs were present at their school.
• About 3 percent of students ages 12–18
reported that they were victims of any crime
at school.

Coming soon:
Your child will be contacted to complete the survey
between January and June 2019.

• About 2 percent of students ages 12–18
reported that they were victims of theft at
school.

Your Child’s
Experiences
at School
The School Crime Supplement
(SCS) to the
National Crime Victimization
Survey for Students in
Grades 6 Through 12

Publications

The NCES publishes a wide variety of reports on
crime and safety in schools, including the Crime,
Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S. Public
Schools and Indicators of School Crime and
Safety. To learn more about these reports or the
SCS, please visit http:/nces.ed.gov/programs/
crime.
National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
550 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20202
nces.ed.gov
202-403-5551

NCES 2010-359
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
NCES 2019-024
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The School Crime Supplement (SCS) is a national survey that asks students in
grades 6 through 12 about experiences they had in school.
What is the purpose of this survey?

The survey will collect information about
school-related crimes on a national level,
including crime and safety in schools and how
it affects students.

Why is my child being asked to
complete this survey?

Your household is one of the more than
100,000 households selected to participate in
the National Crime Victimization Survey
(NCVS). All students in grades 6 through 12
in households selected for the NCVS are
asked to complete the 2019 School Crime
Supplement (SCS). Your child’s responses
will represent the opinions and experiences
of hundreds of other students who were not
selected for the SCS.

What is the benefit of my child
answering the survey?

Your child’s answers will provide valuable
information that contributes to making schools
safer around the country. It will help people
make decisions about how to prevent and
reduce crime in schools.

Who sponsors this survey?

The National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) and Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
sponsor the SCS. The U.S. Census Bureau
collects data for the SCS.

How often is this survey conducted?

The SCS is conducted every two years with the
NCVS. Your child is being asked to participate
in the 2019 SCS.

What will you ask my child?

We will ask your child questions about his or
her school, including:
• perceptions of practices that the school
uses to prevent school-related crimes;
• perceptions of rules and equity at school;
• the availability of drugs, alcohol, and
weapons at school;
• the presence of gangs at school;
• whether he or she has had negative
interactions with other students from
school; and
• participation in extracurricular activities.

Will anyone find out what my child’s
answers are?

No, federal law protects your child’s answers
and keeps them confidential. By law, the
Census Bureau, the NCES, and the BJS can
only use this survey information for statistical
research. Your child’s answers will not be
shared with their teachers or school. We
are not permitted to publicly release survey
responses in a way that could identify your
child or your household.

Does my child have to complete this
survey?
No, this survey is voluntary. There are no
penalties for not participating, but we hope
that your child will respond. Your child’s
responses will represent the opinions and
experiences of hundreds of other students
who were not selected for the SCS.

Who uses the information from
this survey?

The U.S. Department of Education and the
U.S. Department of Justice use information
from the SCS to help develop the Indicators of
School Crime and Safety. People who use this
information include legislators; policymakers;
academic researchers; and practitioners at the
federal, state, and local government levels.

Attachment 9:
SCS brochure for students in English

Publications
The NCES publishes a wide variety of
reports on crime in schools, including
Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in
U.S. Public Schools and Indicators of School
Crime and Safety. To learn more about these
reports or the SCS, please visit http://nces.
ed.gov/programs/crime.

Useful Information
•

www.StopBullying.gov

•

Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

•

Child Help USA National Child
Abuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

•

www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crimevictims/

The School Crime
Supplement (SCS) to the
National Crime Victimization
Survey for Students in
Grades 6 Through 12

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
550 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20202
nces.ed.gov
202-403-5551

NCES 2019-026
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The School Crime
Supplement (SCS) is a
national survey that asks
students in grades 6 through
12 about experiences they
have in school.

Do I have to
take the survey?
No, the survey is voluntary
and there are no penalties
for not participating, but we
hope that you will respond.

Why are my
answers to the
survey important?
Your answers will help school
administrators across the country
and others interested in school
crime make important decisions
about how to keep schools safe.

What will the
survey ask me?
We will ask you about fighting,
weapons, drugs, and gangs at your
school and other things you may
have experienced this school year.

Why am I being asked to
complete this survey?
Your household was one of more than 100,000
households selected to participate in the National
Crime Victimization Survey. We’re asking all students
in grades 6 through 12 in those households to
complete the SCS. We will collect data about crime in
schools and how it affects students.

Will anyone find
out what my
answers are?
Your answers will not be
shared with your parents,
teacher, or school. Your name
will not appear in any report.

Stay tuned!
You will be contacted to complete the survey between January and June 2019.

Attachment 10:
SCS brochure for parents in Spanish

Estos son algunos de los resultados del
SCS del 2015:
• Alrededor del 21% de los estudiantes entre las
edades de 12 y 18 años informó haber sido
objeto de acoso escolar (“bullying”).
• Alrededor del 11% de los estudiantes entre
las edades de 12 y 18 años informó haber
sido objeto de acoso a través de internet o por
mensaje de texto.

Recursos
• espanol.stopbullying.gov/
• Red de Prevención del Suicidio (Suicide
Prevention Lifeline) 1-888-628-9454
• Línea Directa Nacional de ChildHelp USA
para casos de maltrato infantile
(ChildHelp USA National Child Abuse Hotline)
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)
• www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crimevictims/

• Alrededor del 43% de los estudiantes víctimas
del acoso escolar en la escuela reportó haber
notificado a un adulto.
• Alrededor del 20% de los estudiantes que
informó sobre problemas de acoso en la
escuela indicó que estos ocurrían al menos
una o dos veces al mes.

Próximamente:
Su hijo recibirá la invitación para completar la
encuesta entre enero y junio del 2019.

• Alrededor del 11% de los estudiantes indicó la
presencia de pandillas en su escuela.
• Alrededor del 3% de los estudiantes entre las
edades de 12 y 18 años informó que fueron
víctimas de algún delito en la escuela.

El Centro Nacional para Estadísticas
de la Educación
Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación
550 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20202

• Alrededor del 2% de los estudiantes entre las
edades de 12 y 18 años informó que fueron
víctimas de robos en la escuela.

nces.ed.gov
202-403-5551

Child’s
Experiencias

de su hijo
en la escuela
Suplemento sobre Delitos Escolares de
la Encuesta Nacional de Víctimas
de Delitos para los estudiantes
de 6.º a 12.º grado

Publicaciones

El NCES publica una amplia variedad de informes
sobre criminalidad y seguridad en las escuelas,
entre los que se encuentran Delitos, violencia,
disciplina y seguridad en las escuelas públicas en
los Estados Unidos e Indicadores de criminalidad
y seguridad en las escuelas. Para conocer más
acerca de estos informes o sobre el SCS, visite
http:/nces.ed.gov/programs/crime.
NCES 2019-027
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

NCES 2010-359

El Suplemento sobre Delitos Escolares (School Crime Supplement, SCS)
es una encuesta nacional en la que se les pregunta a estudiantes de
6.º a 12.º grado sobre sus experiencias en la escuela.
¿Cuál es el propósito de esta
encuesta?

La encuesta recopilará información a nivel
nacional sobre los delitos en las escuelas,
incluyendo la criminalidad y la seguridad en
las escuelas, y cómo estas afectan a los
estudiantes.

¿Por qué se le pide a mi hijo que
conteste esta encuesta?

Su hogar es uno de los más de 100,000
hogares seleccionados para participar en la
Encuesta Nacional de Víctimas de Delitos
(National Crime Victimization Survey, NCVS).
A todos los estudiantes de los grados entre
6 y 12 provenientes de hogares seleccionados
para la NCVS se les pedirá que llenen el
Suplemento sobre Delitos Escolares de 2019
(SCS). Las respuestas de su hijo representarán
las opiniones y las experiencias de cientos de
estudiantes que no fueron seleccionados para
el SCS.

¿Cuál será el beneficio si mi hijo
contesta la encuesta?

Las respuestas de su hijo aportarán
información valiosa que contribuirá a hacer
que las escuelas sean más seguras en todo el
país. Esa información ayudará a las personas
tomar decisiones para prevenir y reducir la
criminalidad en las escuelas.

¿Quién auspicia esta encuesta?

El Centro Nacional para Estadísticas de la
Educación (NCES) y la Oficina de Estadísticas
de Justicia (BJS) auspician el SCS. La Oficina
del Censo de los EE. UU. recopila datos para el
SCS.

¿Sabrá alguien cuáles son las
respuestas de mi hijo?

El SCS se realiza cada dos años al mismo
tiempo que la NCVS. A su hijo se le pedirá que
conteste el SCS del 2019.

No, la ley federal protege las respuestas
de su hijo y las mantiene confidenciales.
Por ley, la Oficina del Censo, la NCES, y la
BJS solo pueden usar la información de la
encuesta para la investigación estadística. Las
respuestas de su hijo no serán compartidas
con sus maestros o la escuela. No se nos
permite divulgar públicamente las respuestas
de la encuesta de una manera que pueda
identificar a su hijo o a su hogar.

¿Qué tipo de preguntas le harán a
mi hijo?

¿Está mi hijo obligado a completar
la encuesta?

¿Con qué frecuencia se realiza esta
encuesta?

Se le harán preguntas sobre su escuela,
incluso aspectos tales como:
• sus percepciones sobre lo que hace su
escuela para prevenir delitos escolares;
• sus percepciones sobre las reglas y la
equidad en la escuela;
• la disponibilidad de drogas, alcohol y armas
en la escuela;
• la presencia de pandillas en la escuela;
• si él o ella ha tenido interacciones negativas
con otros estudiantes de la escuela; y
• su participación en actividades
extracurriculares.

No, esta encuesta es voluntaria. No se aplicará
ninguna sanción por no participar en ella, pero
esperamos que su hijo la complete.

¿Quién usa la información que se
recopila con esta encuesta?

El Departamento de Educación y el
Departamento de Justicia de los Estados
Unidos la usan para ayudar a producir los
Indicadores de criminalidad y seguridad en
las escuelas. Entre las personas que usan
esta información se encuentran legisladores
responsables de formular políticas,
investigadores académicos y profesionales a
nivel federal, estatal y local.

Attachment 11:
SCS brochure for students in Spanish

Publicaciones
El NCES publica una amplia variedad de
informes sobre los delitos escolares entre los
que se encuentran Delitos, violencia, disciplina
y seguridad en las escuelas públicas en los
Estados Unidos e Indicadores de criminalidad
y seguridad en las escuelas. Para conocer más
acerca de estos informes o sobre el SCS, visita
https://nces.ed.gov/programs/crime.

Información útil
• espanol.stopbullying.gov/
• Red de Prevención del Suicidio
(Suicide Prevention Lifeline)
1-888-628-9454)
• Línea Directa Nacional de ChildHelp
USA para casos de maltrato infantil
(ChildHelp USA National Child Abuse
Hotline) 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

Cuéntanos
tus

experiencias
en la

escuela
Suplemento sobre Delitos
Escolares de la Encuesta
Nacional de Víctimas de
Delitos para los estudiantes
de 6.º a 12.º grado

• www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crimevictims/

El Centro Nacional para Estadísticas
de la Educación
Instituto de Ciencias de la Educación
550 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20202
nces.ed.gov
202-403-5551

NCES 2019-028
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

El Suplemento sobre Delitos Escolares
(School Crime Supplement, SCS)
es una encuesta nacional en la que
se les pregunta a estudiantes de
6.º a 12.º grado sobre sus experiencias
en la escuela.

¿Estoy obligada a
contestar la encuesta?
No, la encuesta es voluntaria y
no se aplicará ninguna sanción
por no participar en ella, pero
esperamos que la contestes.

¿Por qué son
importantes mis
respuestas a
esta encuesta?
Sus respuestas ayudarán a los
administradores escolares por todo
el país y a otras personas
interesadas en el tema de los
delitos escolares a tomar decisiones
importantes para hacer que las
escuelas sean lugares seguros.

¿Qué preguntas
me harán en
la encuesta?
Le preguntaremos sobre peleas,
armas, drogas y pandillas en su
escuela y otras cosas que usted
puede haber experimentado este
año escolar.

¿Por qué me están
pidiendo a mí que
complete esta encuesta?
Tu hogar fue uno de los más de 100,000 hogares
seleccionados para participar en la Encuesta Nacional
de Víctimas de Delitos (National Crime Victimization
Survey). Estamos pidiendo a todos los estudiantes de
los grados entre 6 y 12 de esos hogares que contesten
el SCS. Vamos a recopilar datos sobre los delitos en
las escuelas y cómo afectan a los estudiantes.

¿Sabrá alguien
cuáles son mis
respuestas?
Tus respuestas no se
compartirán con tus padres,
con tu maestro o maestra ni
con la escuela. Tu nombre no
aparecerá en ningún informe.

¡No lo olvides!
Entre enero y junio del 2019, se comunicarán contigo
para que respondas a la encuesta.

Attachment 12:
Cognitive Pretesting of the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey:
Final Report

COGNITIVE PRETESTING OF THE
2019 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT TO THE
NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMIZATION SURVEY

Mandi Martinez
Jasmine Luck
Mary C. Davis

Final Report

Center for Survey Measurement
U.S. Census Bureau
Washington, D.C. 20233

Disclaimer: This report is released to inform interested parties of research and to encourage discussion. The views expressed are
those of the authors and not necessarily those of the U.S. Census Bureau.

Contents
1

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 1

INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................. 2

BACKGROUND .................................................................................................................... 3
3.1

LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................................................... 4
4.1

What is bullying? ............................................................................................................. 4

4.2

CDC's 2014 Uniform Definition of Bullying ................................................................... 5

4.2.1

Repetition .................................................................................................................. 5

4.2.2

Power Imbalance ....................................................................................................... 6

4.3
5

Removing the word “bullying” ........................................................................................ 6

STUDY METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................... 7
5.1

History of the School Crime Supplement ........................................................................ 3

Data Collection................................................................................................................. 7

5.1.1

Respondent Selection ................................................................................................ 7

5.1.2

Respondent Characteristics ....................................................................................... 8

5.1.3

The Cognitive Interview Protocol ........................................................................... 10

5.1.4

Interviewer Staffing and Training ........................................................................... 10

5.1.5

Interview Consent ................................................................................................... 10

COGNITIVE INTERVIEW FINDINGS .............................................................................. 11
6.1

Bullying Prevalence ....................................................................................................... 11

6.2

New Intro Text SCS_Intro 4 .......................................................................................... 15

6.3

Perpetrators of Bullying ................................................................................................. 16

6.3.1

Multiple Perpetrators (Q23) .................................................................................... 16

6.3.2

Alone, Together as a team, or both (Q24) .............................................................. 16

6.4

Repetition of Bullying .................................................................................................... 17

6.4.1

Distinguishing from a series of one-off incidents (Q25) ........................................ 17

6.4.2

Frequency of Bullying (Q26a & Q26b) .................................................................. 19

6.4.3

Potential Future Repetition of Bullying (Q27) ....................................................... 20

6.5

New Intro Text SCS_Intro 5a and 5b ............................................................................. 20

6.6

Power Imbalance (Q28) ................................................................................................. 22

6.7

Relationship to Perpetrator (Q29) .................................................................................. 24

6.8

Location of Bullying (Q30) ............................................................................................ 26

6.9

Reporting to Adults (Q31).............................................................................................. 28
i

Effects of Bullying (Q32) ........................................................................................... 29

6.11

Self-Identification of Victimization Status (Q34) ...................................................... 29

6.12

Student Feedback on Removing the Word “Bullying” .............................................. 31

6.13

Additional probed questions ....................................................................................... 34

6.10

6.13.1

School Sponsored Activities (Q9) .......................................................................... 34

6.13.2

Defining the scope of “at school” (SCS_INTRO 3) ............................................... 38

6.13.3

Availability of Drugs and Alcohol (Q19) ............................................................... 39

6.13.4

Gangs Introduction (K_INTRO_GANG) ............................................................... 45

SPANISH PRETESTING ..................................................................................................... 49
7.1

Data Collection and Respondent Recruitment ............................................................... 49

7.2

Cognitive Interviews ...................................................................................................... 49

7.3

Decision to Conduct an Expert Review ......................................................................... 50

TESTING THE SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT PARENT BROCHURE .................... 50

CONCLUSIONS................................................................................................................... 52

REFERENCES ..................................................................................................................... 54

Appendix A: 2019 SCS/NCVS Cognitive Interview Recruitment Protocol ................................ 56

1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report presents findings from the cognitive testing of the 2019 School Crime Supplement
(SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS). Researchers conducted 36 cognitive
interviews over four iterative rounds of testing between December 2017 and May 2018.
Cognitive testing focused on the section of questions about students’ experiences with bullying
in schools, as well as questions about school sponsored activities, the availability of drugs and
alcohol in schools, and the presence of gangs in schools. Respondents included 18 students who
were victims of bullying within the last school year, and 18 students who did not experience
bullying in the past school year (see Section 5.1.1 Respondent Selection for recruitment details).
For the purposes of this study, students were classified as bullying victims or non-victims based
on their discussion of their experiences during the interviews, rather than their answers to
questions about the bullying criteria or self-identification.
In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partnered with other government
agencies, including NCES, and external stakeholders to form a steering committee that examined
federal guidelines and existing research on bullying. After finding that assessment tools used to
measure bullying used inconsistent definitions and measurement strategies, the committee
created a uniform definition of bullying to be used in government surveys. According to the
uniform definition, bullying includes two components not measured prior to the 2015 SCS: the
bullying behaviors must be repeated or highly likely to be repeated, and there must be an
observed or perceived power imbalance between the perpetrator(s) and the victim.
For the 2015 SCS, extensive work was completed to evaluate the information collected on
bullying during past SCS administrations and modify the survey to better align with the CDC
definition of what constitutes bullying. This included developing two versions of CDC
definition-aligned items and cognitive testing of these items by researchers in CSM. The two
versions were collected by using a split sample design incorporated in the 2015 SCS instrument.
Based on the results of the 2015 split sample analysis, the decision was made to revert to a single
version of bullying questions in the 2017 SCS that would include the historic bullying question
series, as well as follow-up questions on power imbalance and repetition. Additional cognitive
testing was conducted prior to the 2017 fielding of the supplement to improve the bullying
questions, with a focus on the questions measuring repetition and power imbalance. The original
bullying prevalence question was left untouched at this time to preserve the trend.
Previous research has shown that self-report measures of bullying perform better when
respondents are provided with a definition of the concept and then asked about bullying
behaviors without using the label “bullying” (see section 4.3). After fielding the 2017 SCS, the
sponsors agreed to explore the possibility of removing the word “bullying” from the supplement.
A primary focus of this pretesting was to assess the performance of the revised bullying
questions after removing the word “bullying.”
Overall, the findings from this study indicate that removing “bullying” from the questions
performed well. The questions worked well to accurately categorize students as victims or nonvictims, even when their self-identification did not match their bullying status. It is important to
1

note that, when probed, the two students who met the criteria for bullying but did not selfidentify as victims said that they would not have said yes to the items in Q22 if we had referred
to the behaviors as bullying. A third student did not meet the criteria for bullying, but considered
herself bullied. She said she still would have reported the behaviors in Q22 if they were referred
to as bullying. The fact that these students were correctly categorized despite the mismatch in
self-identification further supports the decision to remove the word bullying from the
supplement.
Students’ thoughts about the removal of the word bullying from the supplement were
overwhelmingly positive. Though some students were indifferent to the approach, no student
provided a negative reaction. Some of the students who made positive remarks explained that it
does not limit the respondent’s mindset, and it does not lead students to rely on their subjective
definitions of bullying. Others noted that the approach would make it easier for students to
answer the questions when they might not want to admit that they were bullied, or when they do
not realize they were bullied. These positive student reactions offer further support that removing
the word “bullying” from the supplement will improve the performance of the questions.
We were able to update the terminology in questions about school sponsored activities, the
availability of drugs and alcohol, and the presence of gangs in schools. Some minor revisions
were made to improve the performance of the items.

2 INTRODUCTION
At the request of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and the Bureau of Justice
Statistics (BJS), the Center for Survey Measurement (CSM) conducted cognitive testing of the
School Crime Supplement (SCS) to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) between
December 2017 and May 2018. The SCS was first collected in 1989. It was collected again in
1995 and 1999, and has been collected every two years since 1999.
The supplement is used to collect data on students’ perspectives on school climate including a
variety of topics such as the availability of drugs and alcohol, fighting, bullying and hate related
behaviors, and students’ perception of how safe they feel in their school. The cognitive testing
discussed in this report focused on the section of questions about being bullied in school as well
as questions about school sponsored activities, the availability of drugs and alcohol in schools,
and the presence of gangs in schools.
Previous research has found that self-report measures of bullying perform better when
respondents are provided with a definition of bullying and asked about bullying behaviors
without using the label “bullying” (see section 4.3). A primary focus of this pretesting was to
assess the performance of the revised bullying questions after removing the word “bullying.” The
questions measure various characteristics of bullying experiences, including – but not limited to
– the prevalence of bullying behaviors against the student, the frequency of being bullied, the
location of the bullying, and whether the incident(s) was reported to an adult (see Attachment C
for full list of questions in the bullying section, as well as the finalized 2019 SCS split ballot
questionnaire).

Researchers conducted four iterative rounds of cognitive testing between December 2017 and
May 2018. The purpose of this cognitive research was to test new and revised questions for the
2019 SCS. The results of these cognitive interviews will help inform the final version of the SCS
questionnaire, which will be administered in 2019. This report presents the findings from the 36
cognitive interviews conducted across the four rounds of testing.

3 BACKGROUND
The National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) is a self-report survey collected bi-annually
by the Census Bureau on behalf of the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). Approximately 212,000
households in the United States, totaling 266,000 persons are sampled and asked about their
experiences with victimization over the past six months. The survey is completed by persons age
12 or older, and provides data on the characteristics of crime, the offender, and the victim's
experience with the criminal justice system after a crime occurs. Eligible participants are
interviewed every six months, and generally remain in the sample for three years.

3.1 History of the School Crime Supplement
The School Crime Supplement (SCS) is administered every two years between January and June
as a supplement to the NCVS to respondents ages 12 through 18 who are not exclusively
homeschooled and who had attended school at some point during the school year. The first data
collection for the SCS was in 1989, providing student level data on alcohol and drug availability,
victimization, school rules and punishment, gun and weapon carrying, as well as other topics.
Although the 1989 and 1995 instruments did not include items on bullying, they did include
victimization items that could indirectly measure bullying experiences. It was not until 1999 that
the first item was added to the questionnaire to specifically measure the prevalence of bullying in
schools. In 2005, an entire section consisting of several items devoted to questions on bullying
were added to the questionnaire for the first time. The questions in this section had a reference
period of the "last 6 months" to examine if students have been recently bullied. However, in
2007, the reference period was changed to "this school year" to stay consistent with the rest of
the items in the supplement.
With advancement in technology and its widespread use by youth, the SCS was modified to
include new items that capture cyberbullying in acknowledgement that bullying can occur not
only in a school environment, but through electronic communication like text and instant
messaging. The cyberbullying items in each of the subsequent administrations in 2009, 2011, and
2013 were updated in order to stay current with all the potential ways one could mistreat another
via electronic means. Questions continued to address behaviors around text messaging and email,
and additionally captured bullying through social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc.), online gaming
and the sharing of private information. Between the 2013 and 2015 administrations of the SCS, it
was determined that cyberbullying is a means of bullying rather than a distinct type of bullying.
As a result, the separate cyberbullying item was removed prior to the administration of the 2015
survey and a new sub-item was added to the follow-up item asking about the location of the
bullying incident. The new sub-item in this question asks if the bullying occurred “online or by
text?”

In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) created the uniform definition of
bullying, shedding light on the components of repetition and power imbalance. Taking this
definition into consideration, it was clear the SCS bullying items were out of alignment and need
to be updated.
For the 2015 SCS, extensive work was completed to evaluate the information collected on
bullying during past SCS administrations and modify the items to better align with the CDC
definition of what constitutes bullying. Based on feedback from a technical review panel of
experts, two versions of CDC definition-aligned items were developed and cognitive testing of
these items was conducted by researchers in CSM. The two versions were collected by using a
split sample design incorporated in the 2015 SCS instrument. Based on the results of the 2015
split sample analysis, the decision was made to revert to a single version of bullying questions in
the 2017 SCS that would include the historic bullying question series (later referred to as
“bullying prevalence”), as well as follow-up questions on power imbalance and repetition (see
sections 4.2.1 and 4.2.2 for further discussion of these criteria).
In 2016, CSM conducted additional cognitive testing in order to fine-tune the power imbalance
and repetition follow-up questions for the 2017 SCS. Though it was cognitively tested, the
original bullying prevalence question was not modified during this phase of testing in an effort to
preserve the trend. Before beginning the 2016 testing, the sponsors indicated that they intended
to have CSM conduct more cognitive testing in 2017, at which point they would consider making
larger changes to the supplement, including revising the bullying prevalence question, which led
to the current phase of testing. The questionnaire that resulted from the pretesting discussed in
this report will be fielded in 2019 as part of a split sample design to compare the revised
supplement’s performance with the 2017 version of the SCS.

4 LITERATURE REVIEW
4.1 What is bullying?
Highly publicized violent incidents occurring in U.S. schools, such as the Columbine school
shooting, has led to conversations around the potential impacts of bullying amongst adolescents
(Espelage & Swearer, 2011). These tragic incidents have created a call to action amongst not
only teachers and school counselors, but politicians as well. There are inconsistencies in
literature about when bullying peaks. Dr. Dan Olweus (1990) argues that bullying is more likely
to take place in primary schools than secondary schools. Alternatively, other research suggests
that after elementary school, bullying peaks during middle school, and declines during high
school (Gallo & Milsom, 2006). While both genders commit acts of bullying, females' behaviors
are more psychological, whereas males commit acts that are more physical (Olweus, 2003; Kert
et al., 2010).
At the federal level, the CDC uses a four-step public health model to address bullying. They
identify two modes of bullying: direct and indirect (Gladden, Vivolo-Kantor, Hamburger, &
Lumpkin, 2014). The direct mode of bullying includes behaviors or acts that occur in the victim's
presence, such as pushing or physically harming the victim. The indirect mode addresses indirect
communication that may be said about the victim, such as spreading untruthful rumors. The CDC
4

determined that the type of bullying can fall under four broad categories: physical, verbal,
relational, and damage to property. Physically harming someone or taking/damaging their
belongings are both direct modes of bullying. Relational bullying, for example, is intentionally
excluding someone from the group or making them feel unwelcome, and is an indirect channel of
bullying. Lastly, verbal bullying can be both direct and indirect.
Although bullying is a newly researched field, there have been several definitions developed by
researchers and practitioners. Olweus (1993, pp. 8-9) defines bullying as “aggressive behavior or
intentional ‘harm doing,’ which is carried out repeatedly and over time in an interpersonal
relationship characterized by an imbalance of power.” Though many researchers have used
Olweus’ definition to conceptualize bullying, they do not always assess all three aspects of the
definition: intentional aggression, repetition, and a power imbalance. At times, this leads to
measures of general aggression rather than bullying (Finkelhor, Turner, & Hamby, 2012; Volk et
al., 2017). Due to inconsistencies across these definitions used in the field, a uniform definition
was developed for federal agencies.

4.2 CDC's 2014 Uniform Definition of Bullying
The CDC partnered with the Department of Education, the Health Resources and Services
Administration (HRSA), and other external stakeholders to form a steering committee that
examined federal guidelines and existing research on bullying. The committee studied the
inconsistencies in existing bullying definitions and created a uniform definition to make
gathering scientific data and establishing trends over time easier. Specifically, the CDC defined
bullying as
"any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths who are not
siblings or current dating partners that involves an observed or perceived power
imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may
inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or
educational harm,” (Gladden et al., 2014, p. 7).
The uniform definition on bullying is a technical definition, which means it should not be applied
literally to questionnaires. Instead, researchers have to develop their own questions to measure
the various components of bullying. The uniform definition should make it easier to distinguish
between aggressive behaviors and bullying. It is important for new research to analyze if
students’ understanding of bullying agrees with the uniform definition. Results from the CSM’s
cognitive testing suggest that repetition and power imbalance are not necessary for a respondent
to identify themselves as being bullied.
4.2.1

Repetition

One key component of the new uniform bullying definition is repetition. The CDC defined
repetition as "multiple incidents of aggression perpetrated by a single youth (ages 5 to 18) or
group of youths over a specified time period or there is strong concern a single aggressive
behavior by a youth or group of youths has a high likelihood of being followed by more
incidents of aggression." This measure is designed to examine if an adolescent has experienced a
form of aggressive behavior by a single student multiple times, if there have been multiple
occurrences of aggressive behavior by different students which the victim feels are related, or if
5

the aggressive behavior is suspected to reoccur in the future. If a child reports experiencing onetime aggressive behavior by several people, all of which are isolated incidents, this is not
considered bullying according to the uniform definition. Although independent incidents do not
meet the uniform definition of bullying, the repetition of harmful acts is important, and youth
that experience single occurrences of aggressive behavior should not be taken lightly or have
their experience discounted as being less traumatic. In a study by Mishna, Scarcello, Pepler and
Weiner (2005), they examined teachers’ perceptions and understanding of bullying. An
important highlight of this study is that teachers did not identify repetition as a key component
for a student to have been bullied.
4.2.2

Power Imbalance

The second key component of the CDC’s definition of bullying is the requirement of a power
imbalance between the perpetrator and the victim, which would allow the perpetrator to exert
control over their victim. This characteristic could be through their physical size, age, or through
bullying someone with a disability. Farrington (2013) describes victims of bullying as being
unpopular and rejected by their peers, individuals with low school attainment, low self-esteem,
and poor social skills. Those who bully perceive youth who experience problems with
socialization as being easier to dominate and control. Farrington suggests that youth who bully
are characterized as individuals who are dominant, assertive, confident, and find pleasure in
aggression, although, this may not always be the case. This power imbalance is more likely to
take place in settings or situations where an adult is not closely monitoring the behavior of the
perpetrator, allowing those who bully to take advantage of the lack of higher authority. Power
imbalance is often found in other definitions on bullying. Dr. Dan Olweus (1993) defines
bullying as when a person is "exposed repeatedly over time to negative actions by one or more
individuals and is unable to defend him or herself, excluding cases where two children of similar
physical and psychological strength are fighting.”

4.3 Removing the word “bullying”
While the establishment of the CDC’s uniform definition of bullying increased consistency
among researchers’ definitions of bullying, adolescent conceptualizations of bullying still vary
(Byrne et al., 2016). While some criteria of the official CDC definition are present in some
students’ definitions of bullying, multiple studies have found that students rarely include the
components of repetition and power imbalance when asked to define bullying (Byrne et al.,
2016; Vaillancourt et al., 2008; Naylor et al., 2006; Frisen et al., 2008). The discrepancy between
student and researcher definitions has been found to cause lower levels of reporting when
students are provided with a definition of bullying, as opposed to using their own definition
(Byrne et al., 2016; Vaillancourt et al., 2008).
Adolescent conceptualizations of bullying also vary depending on age, gender, and extent to
which they observe or experience bullying (Byrne et al., 2016). There is variation in the
behaviors students mention when asked to define bullying (Vaillancourt et al., 2008). In
Vaillancourt’s 2008 study examining how students define bullying, they found that younger
students mentioned physically and verbally aggressive behaviors more than relationally
6

aggressive ones. Themes of relational aggression were more common with older children, and
girls mentioned relational aggression more frequently than boys.
Previous research has found that self-report measures that include the label of bullying along
with the definition may influence student responding and result in measurement error (Kert et al.,
2010; Cole et. al., 2006; Solberg & Olweus, 2003). One potential source of error is that some
students may not be comfortable admitting that they are victims of bullying (Bosworth,
Espelage, & Simon, 1999). In an experimental study assessing measures that include a definition
with and without the label of bullying, Kert and colleagues (2010) found that self-report
measures of bullying that provide a definition without repeated reference to the word bullying
are more likely to match teacher reports of bullying, and thus may produce more accurate rates
of bullying.

5 STUDY METHODOLOGY
5.1 Data Collection
From December 2017 to May 2018, 36 face-to-face cognitive interviews were conducted in the
Washington D.C. metropolitan area across four iterative rounds of cognitive testing. The
cognitive interviewing team for these interviews consisted of four CSM staff members. Results
from each round informed any changes made to questions tested in the subsequent round. The
fourth and final round of testing was then conducted to assess whether or not all revised
questions perform as expected.
5.1.1

Respondent Selection

During recruitment, we targeted respondents who represented a variety of demographic
characteristics, comprising race, gender, age, and grade level. Recruitment efforts concentrated
on finding individuals who had experienced bullying within the past school year. Recruitment
methods consisted of advertisements through Craigslist.com, flyers posted in libraries, youth
centers, local YMCAs, and housing complexes, in addition to a broadcast message sent to all
U.S. Census Bureau employees who work at the Suitland headquarters building. Some
respondents were referred by other participants, others were told about the study by individuals
who saw the advertisements and knew the student would qualify, and some were recruited using
personal contacts.
Though we needed to recruit students who had experiences they considered to be bullying, we
did not want to place emphasis on the word bullying in the advertisements. The resulting ads
listed multiple criteria to participate so that it did not appear that the only criteria of interest
related to bullying. These criteria included walking to or from school and participating in school
sports, among others.
Parents of interested students, as well as some older teenage students, called the number
provided on the flyers to answer a set of screening questions. The screener collected information
about the students’ demographics, as well as information about whether or not the student or
parent believed the student was bullied, and if so, when the most recent experience they
7

considered to be bullying occurred (see Appendix A for the screener questions). All interviews
were conducted in person in the local metropolitan area (i.e., D.C., Maryland, and Virginia).
Each respondent received $25 cash, and parents who brought respondents to the interview
received $25 cash to compensate them for their travel time.
5.1.1.1 Victims
For the purpose of this study, we use the term “victims” to refer to students whose discussion of
their experiences during the interview meet the criteria set in the CDC definition of bullying. To
meet the criteria of a bullying victim, respondents must report they experienced at least one of
nine bullying behaviors, indicate that the behavior(s) either happened repeatedly or that they
thought the behavior(s) would happen again, and indicate that the perpetrator(s) had more power
in at least one of the power dimensions we ask about. The specific behaviors and dimensions of
power included in the survey are discussed in depth in Section 6.6.
A total of 18 respondents were identified as victims of bullying in the past school year based on
their narrative surrounding hurtful incidents that emerged when answering the survey questions
and probing questions about their experiences. Of the 18 respondents who met the criteria for
bullying victimization, two did not consider their experiences to be bullying.
Throughout this report, when discussing a particular respondent, their status as a victim of
bullying is indicated with “(V)” next to their respondent id (e.g., R2(V)).
Throughout all rounds, there was only one bullied respondent who was incorrectly categorized as
non-bullied based on her survey responses, resulting in a false negative. The letters “FN” have
been added to her ID to indicate this throughout the report: (R28(V, FN)).
5.1.1.2 Non-victims
A total of 18 respondents were identified as non-victims based on their responses to questions in
the bullying section and their discussion of any hurtful incidents reported in the prevalence
question (Q22). One of the 18 non-victims self-identified as a victim of bullying during the
cognitive interviews. This case is discussed further in section 6.12.
Throughout this report, when discussing a particular respondent, their status as a non-victim is
indicated with “(NV)” next to their respondent id (e.g., R1(NV)).
One non-bullied respondent was incorrectly categorized as a victim of bullying based on her
survey responses, resulting in a false positive. The letters “FP” have been added to her ID to
indicate this throughout the report: (R23(NV, FP)).
5.1.2

Respondent Characteristics

Our goal was to recruit a diverse group of students based on school level, sex, race and ethnicity,
and socioeconomic status.
8

The sample included 16 students in middle school and 20 students in high school. We
interviewed 16 males and 20 females. For race, most of the respondents were either black or
white, with a handful of respondents identifying as Asian, American Indian, or multi-racial.
Seven of the respondents were Hispanic. Six of the seven identified as Hispanic and White, the
seventh identified as Hispanic with no other race. The socioeconomic status of respondents
skewed toward higher income, with only eight respondents’ family income at less than $50,000.
See Table 1 for a more detailed breakdown.
Table 1. Respondent Characteristics by Round
2019 SCS Respondent Characteristics by Round (English testing)

Ethnicity

Race

Sex

Family Income

Age

Grade

School Type
Bullying Screening
Outcomes

Hispanic
Non-Hispanic
White (non-Hispanic)
White (Hispanic)
Black or African American
Asian
American Indian or Alaska Native
Missing
Two or More Races
Male
Female
Less than $15,000
$15,000 to $24,999
$25,000 to $49,999
$50,000 to $100,000
More than $100,000
Refused
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
6th grade
7th grade
8th grade
9th grade
10th grade
11th grade
12th grade
Middle School
High School
Bullied, true positive
Bullied, false negative
Not Bullied, true negative
Not Bullied, false positive

Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4
1
2
2
2
9
8
7
5
5
3
2
2
1
2
2
1
3
3
4
1
1
1
1
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
2
5
5
4
2
5
5
5
5
1
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
1
1
1
2
3
3
3
5
3
5
3
0
1
0
0
2
2
2
1
2
3
0
1
2
0
2
1
4
1
2
0
0
2
2
1
0
2
0
1
0
0
1
2
1
1
0
1
2
3
2
0
2
1
1
2
1
0
1
0
4
2
3
1
0
1
1
1
0
2
1
2
5
5
3
3
5
5
6
4
5
5
3
4
0
0
1
0
5
5
4
3
0
0
1
0

Total
7
29
12
6
11
3
1
1
2
16
20
3
0
5
11
16
1
7
6
5
7
5
3
3
3
7
6
2
10
3
5
16
20
17
1
17
1

5.1.3

The Cognitive Interview Protocol

The protocols used in this study focused on respondents’ reactions to the revised questions about
bullying (see Attachment A for protocols). At the start of the interview, respondents were told
that the purpose of the study was to see if the changes made to questions made sense and were
easy to answer. Respondents were also told that information they provided would be confidential
and their anonymity would be protected. Interviewers then asked respondents to respond to the
interview as if an interviewer had come to their home. In addition to the revised questions that
were the focus of the testing, a subset of SCS questions were included in the protocol to provide
context and create a cognitive interview experience that closely resembles responding to the
actual survey. The entire SCS questionnaire was not used due to interview time constraints.
After administering the survey questions, interviewers asked respondents probing questions
designed to address specific concerns for particular questions. The specific type of cognitive
interview consisted of retrospective probing (Willis, 2015). Retrospective probes were asked
after the full bullying series of questions were administered because asking a probing question
immediately after each survey question (concurrent probing) would disrupt the flow and could
lead to bias in later questions since probing questions are asked to have a respondent elaborate on
things not included in the question text.
Interviewers made notes of any response difficulty experienced by respondents, including
question incomprehension and the inability to decide on a response. Interviewers also noted
questions that were difficult to administer, which can stem from multiple factors, including
question length and unnatural phrasing.
At the end of each interview, interviewers asked respondents a set of debriefing questions about
the respondent’s overall impressions of the interview and whether they found it easy or difficult.
Respondents were given a chance to make any other final comments about the survey, not
limited to a specific topic.
5.1.4

Interviewer Staffing and Training

All interviews were conducted by a team of four experienced interviewers from the U.S. Census
Bureau’s CSM. Interviewers were trained on the SCS protocol prior to the first round of
interviews. The team went through the protocol question by question to discuss the purpose of
the questions and probes. All interviewers conducted a practice interview to ensure interviewer
preparedness before conducting their first interview with a respondent. After changes were made
to the protocol between each round, the project lead met with interviewers to discuss all revisions
and confirm that the interviewers were prepared to administer the new version of the protocol.
5.1.5

Interview Consent

Parents of all respondents under the age of 18 were required to sign a consent form to allow their
child to be interviewed. Three respondents were 18 at the time of the interview and were able to
sign their own consent forms. The consent form provides the rights of the student as a participant
in the study and provides authorization for interviewers to audiotape the interview. The form
explains that the purpose of the audiotape is to have a complete record of all comments, that it
10

will be used to improve the questionnaire, and that only the staff directly involved in the project
will have access to the tape.
Before starting the interview, students under the age of 18 were told that their parents had signed
a consent form giving them permission to participate. We explained their rights as a participant
using language geared towards 12-17 year-olds. Interviewers made sure the students understood
their rights and asked if they were comfortable with the interview being recorded before turning
on the tape recorder and beginning the interview. All respondents who participated in the
cognitive interviews consented to be audiotaped.

6 COGNITIVE INTERVIEW FINDINGS
6.1 Bullying Prevalence
Question 22 measures the types of bullying behaviors experienced by the respondent. In the 2017
SCS, the item briefly defined bullying as things “students do at school that make you feel bad or
are hurtful to you.” When revising the item to remove the word bullying, we replaced the word
bullying with that phrasing.
Findings from the 2017 testing indicated that many students were not thinking of cyberbullying
behaviors when answering Q22, even though behaviors done via technology were within the
scope of the question. Before beginning the 2019 SCS cognitive testing, we addressed this by
adding the sentence, “These could occur in person or using technologies, such as a phone, the
Internet, or social media.” We also added text in the item about excluding the respondent from
activities that made it clear that it applies to both in person activities and interactions using
technology. Additionally, a new item, “Purposely shared your private information, photos, or
videos in a hurtful way?” was added to Q22 before testing began. Both the 2017 question
wording and 2019 question wording that was tested are provided below.
Q22: Original wording from the 2017 SCS
22.

Now I have some questions about what students do at school that make you feel bad or are hurtful to you. We often refer
to this as being bullied. You may include events you told me about already. During this school year, has any student
bullied you?
That is, has another student...
(Read each category a-g.)
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.

Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted you, in a hurtful way?
Spread rumors about you or tried to make others dislike you?
Threatened you with harm?
Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on you?
Tried to make you do things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?
Excluded you from activities on purpose?
Destroyed your property on purpose?

Q22 (new wording): Round 1 – Round 3
22.

(Read each category a-h.)

Yes

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?

1

2

b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?

1

2

c. Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?

1

2

d. Threatened you with harm?

1

2

e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?

1

2

1

2

g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or
other communications to hurt you?

1

2

h. Destroyed your property on purpose?

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
G_HATE

Has any student from your school…
f.

Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?

Round 1 – Round 3 Findings:
This version was tested in Rounds 1 through 3, yielding in 29 interviews. Twenty of the 29
respondents reported experiencing one more of the bullying behaviors asked about in Q22. All
29 respondents demonstrated that they understood what the question and items were asking. For
the twenty who said yes to any in Q22, 19 recounted experiences that aligned with the types of
bullying behaviors being asked about.
The last respondent (R23 (NV, FP)) resulted in a false positive. She said yes to item f – “tried to
make you do things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?”
When asked to describe what happened, she said that a friend of hers constantly asks her for
money to buy stuff. The interviewer asked whether the behavior was hurtful to her, and she said
that it wasn’t hurtful, just annoying. This may have been caused by the placement of the repeated
12

partial stem. When the stem is re-read before item f, it forms a complete question, and may have
the appearance of asking about a behavior that may not always be hurtful. When combined with
the stem, the item reads, “Has any student from your school tried to make you do things you did
not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?” The fact that this student had not
experienced any of the other behaviors may have further distanced the context of the stem from
item f.
The nine who said no to all items in Q22 were asked the follow up probes, “Did any of those
things happen to you but you didn’t think they would count for this question? Can you tell me
more about why you didn’t include them here?” Six respondents said no. One of those five
elaborated that they just play around sometimes and make fun of each other, but it doesn’t hurt
his feelings because he knows “they’re just jonsing,” (making fun of each other in a playful
way). The remaining three respondents said yes, and all were able to give examples of why they
did not count them here. One respondent said that her friend tried to get the respondent to get her
tea at Starbucks. Even though another student tried to make her do something she didn’t want to
do, she understood that it did not apply to what the question was asking about. One said, “It
made me feel bad, but they didn’t know it made me feel bad, it was unintentional.” And the other
said that the question emphasized a “hurtful way.” He mentioned that sometimes those behaviors
are done, but not in a hurtful way. He mentioned “playground insults” and joking threats or
tripping done by friends in a way that is not actually meant to be a threat. He also brought up the
idea of intent, saying, “I don’t count those as intentional[ly hurtful] things.”
Five of the non-bullied students reported experiencing behaviors in Q22 (R15(NV) said yes to b,
R20(NV) said yes to a, d, and e, R21(NV) said yes to a, R24(NV) said yes to g, and R26(NV)
said yes to a, b, c, and e)). All of these students were appropriately screened out when they did
not meet all of the criteria asked about in later questions.
Recommendation for change:
After Round 3, we recommended moving the repeated partial stem to before item e. This
prevents the stem from creating the appearance of a standalone question about a behavior that
might not always be harmful.

Q22 Revision 1: Round 4 and Final Recommendation
22.

(Read each category a-h.)

Yes

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?

1

2

b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?

1

2

c. Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?

1

2

d. Threatened you with harm?

1

2

1

2

1

2

140

1

2

141

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
G_HATE

Has any student from your school…
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?
Has any student from your school…
f.

Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?

g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or
other communications to hurt you?
h. Destroyed your property on purpose?

Round 4 Findings:
There were seven interviews in the final round of testing. All seven respondents reported
experiencing one or more of the bullying behaviors. All seven students demonstrated that they
understood what the question and items were asking, and all seven recounted experiences that
aligned with the types of hurtful behaviors being asked about.
In the previous round, we had one false positive (R23(NV, FP) due to the respondent saying yes
to item f. As a result, we moved the partial stem up above item e in an attempt to situate item f
between more serious behaviors that are more clearly harmful. In Round 4, one respondent made
comments that indicate that the new order does highlight the fact that item f is asking about
hurtful behaviors.

R35(NV): “For 'tried to make you do something you didn't want to do,' I feel like
that's kind of vague. When you said 'for example, give them money or other
things,' like at first, I was thinking it was implying a sexual assault kind of thing
because some of these [other items] seem kind of extreme. But then you said
someone makes you give them money, and that's not that big of a deal, so I was
confused about what you were getting at.”
Although she was suggesting that it felt too extreme, the new order did cue her to think of
hurtful behaviors, while the phrase “for example, give them money or other things,”
indicated the types of hurtful things we were asking about.
Three of the non-bullied students who reported experiencing behaviors in Q22 (R30(NV)
initially said yes to item a and item b, but then clarified that a was actually just typically playful
exchanges (R34(NV) said yes to item a and item e; R35(NV) said yes to item a and item b). All
three students were appropriately screened out when they did not meet all of the subsequent
criteria.
Final Recommendation:
Question 22 continued to perform well after the minor change after Round 3. We recommended
proceeding with the question wording used in Round 4.

6.2 New Intro Text SCS_Intro 4
SCS_INTRO 4: Round 1 – Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
SCS_INTRO 4

[If R said yes to 1 in Q22a-h]: When I asked you that last series of questions, you said yes to 1 of those items. Please
think about that one thing you just told me about while answering the next few questions.

In previous versions of the SCS, once a respondent reports one or more behaviors in Q22, all
follow up questions refer to those behaviors as bullying. With the removal of the word bullying,
a new approach was necessary to refer back to the behaviors reported in Q22. In Q22, the word
bullying was replaced with the phrase, things that “make you feel bad or are hurtful to you.”
Replacing all (or even some) instances of the word bullying with this phrase made the series of
questions very repetitive.
As a result, new introduction text was created to explain to the respondent that the follow-up
questions would be asking about the behavior(s) they just reported. This allowed for the use of
the short phrases “that thing” and “those things” in follow-up questions, depending on how many
behaviors were reported. The phrasing for the new intro was modeled after phrasing used in a
similar situation in the NCVS Supplemental Victimization Survey (SVS).

Throughout the protocol, students were asked probes about which incidents they were thinking
about when answering certain questions. This allowed us to confirm that students were able to
retain the reference to the initial behaviors reported as they answered the series of questions
about bullying. No changes were made to the introduction text throughout testing, and we
recommended proceeding with the current wording in the final instrument.

6.3 Perpetrators of Bullying
6.3.1

Multiple Perpetrators (Q23)

Q23: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
23.

Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said
you experienced this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] to you?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to: Q26a

Round 1 through Round 4 Findings:
This question is asked of respondents who report experiencing one or more behaviors in Q22. Of
the 27 respondents who heard this question, 16 of them said more than one student did the things
reported in Q22.
We probed on how respondents came to their answer, and respondents who said yes to the
question mentioned the multiple people they were thinking of. During probing, one respondent
who initially said that one student had done those things remembered a second student that
bullied her. The students’ narratives and responses to probing indicate that they clearly
understood what the question was asking.
This question performed well throughout all four rounds of testing. The final recommendation
was to proceed with the question wording used in Round 4.
6.3.2

Alone, Together as a team, or both (Q24)

Q24: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)

24.

Did these students act alone, together as a team, or
both?

1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

Round 1 through Round 4 Findings:
This question is asked of respondents who report that more than one student did the hurtful
behaviors reported in Q22. Sixteen respondents heard this question. Of those, five answered
“alone,” two answered, “together as a team,” eight answered “both,” and one said that she did
not know. R35(NV) said she was not sure what to answer for this because students were talking
in a group, but it was really only one person saying the rumors. She also said that because she
just heard about it from a friend, this added to her uncertainty.
Respondents’ narratives about their experiences confirmed that their answers aligned with the
description of how many students were involved in the negative behaviors.
We probed on the phrase “together as a team” and all respondents who were asked this probe
understood it to mean multiple people working together or knowing about each of the others
exhibiting hurtful behaviors. As one student (R22(V)) said, "They all are like together in
agreement going after one certain thing that they are trying to do. They were all going after
trying to tear me down."
The five who answered that the students acted alone were asked a follow-up probe, “Even
though these people acted alone, do you think that some of the things that different people did to
you were related in some way? Can you tell me more about that?” Four said that they did think
what each student did was related in some way – one thought it was because of who he was
dating at the time, and two thought the students just did not like him as a person or his
personality. The other respondent (R15(NV)) seemed to misinterpret the probe and said she
thought they were related because they had a choice not to do those things but they chose to do
them. This respondent was not bullied according to the CDC definition, but considered her
experiences to be bullying.
The fifth student who answered “alone” was R32(V), a student who misinterpreted several
questions throughout the survey, and provided a narrative that did not match her answer. Since
she misinterpreted questions and probes throughout the survey, it does not appear to be the result
of the question wording.
This question performed well throughout all four rounds of testing. The final recommendation
was to proceed with the question wording used in Round 4.

6.4

Repetition of Bullying

Questions measuring frequency of bullying are used to establish repetition, a key component of
the uniform definition. Establishing repetition became more complex with the removal of the
word “bullying” from the survey. The concept of bullying implies a course of conduct (though
not everyone interprets it that way). Removing the word from the survey increased the chances
of students reporting a series of one-off incidents that were hurtful or made them feel bad. In an
attempt to address this, we added a new question (Q25) intended to determine whether at least
one student repeated hurtful behaviors.
6.4.1

Distinguishing from a series of one-off incidents (Q25)

Q25: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
25.

You said that more than one student did [that
thing/those things] to you. Has any student done
[that thing/any of those things] to you more than
once during this school year?

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

Round 1 – Round 4 Findings:
Thirteen of the 16 respondents who were asked this question answered “yes.” Two of the three
who said no were correctly screened out as non-victims. The third, R28(V, FN) is discussed
below.
There were some concerns that this question would be confusing. Interviewers asked 13
respondents to tell us, in their own words, what this question was asking. All but two were easily
able to correctly explain what the question was asking. For example:
R9(V):"It's asking if other people have done it multiple times. If more than one
person has done it, and if that same person has done it multiple times to you.”
R31(V): "Have they repetitively bullied you or whatever."
R35(NV): "Like for example, if someone made fun of me or called me names, if
they did it more than once. I think it's self-explanatory."
One respondent who misinterpreted the question was incorrectly screened out as a non-victim
(R28(V, FN)), resulting in the only false negative during testing. When she was asked to tell the
interviewer what the question was asking in her own words, she said, “Do they continue to mess
with you every day at school.” When asked why she answered Q25 the way she did, she said:
R28(V, FN): "Because sometimes they don't see me or something, or I don't look
in the mood to be messed with, so they don't mess with me."
Interviewer: “Do you think of it as a repetitive thing?”
R28(V, FN): "Yeah."
Interviewer: "Did any of those students do those things like two or three times?
R28(V, FN): "Yeah."
It is unclear why this respondent interpreted the question incorrectly. This respondent was 15
years old. Students as young as 12 have given correct interpretations, so it does not appear to be
an issue of age.
The second respondent who incorrectly interpreted the question, R32(V), rephrased it as,
"How many times has that person done something to you." However, when asked why
she answered yes to the question, she said that the main person did multiple things to her,
which suggests that she answered the question properly.

Despite two students’ inaccurate rephrasing, this question performed well throughout all four
rounds of testing. Students of all ages were easily able to explain what the question was asking.
We recommended proceeding with the question wording used in Round 4.
6.4.2

Frequency of Bullying (Q26a & Q26b)

Q26a: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
26a.

During this school year, how many days did you
experience (that thing/any of those things)?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

1
2
3
4

One day – Go to Q26b
Two to five days – Skip to Q27
Six to ten days– Skip to Q27
More than ten days– Skip to Q27

Round 1 to Round 4 Findings:
Of the 27 respondents asked this question, four answered “one day,” 12 answered “2 to 5 days,”
three answered “6 to 10 days,” seven answered “more than 10 days,” and one said she was not
sure. A follow-up probe asked if it was easy or difficult for them to find a response category that
fit for them. Fourteen respondents who were asked said that it was easy.
Four respondents said that it was difficult to answer, but three of those were referring to
difficulty remembering how many times the incidents occurred. The fourth (R32(V)) said, "Hard.
I don't like talking about it that much."
R9(V): “It wasn’t difficult, but it wasn’t entirely super easy because I had to think
back to those times.” This suggests the difficulty was in remembering her
experiences, rather than not having adequate options.
R11(V):"It was kind of difficult, yeah a little bit. Like um because it didn't
happen every day I didn't have a definite answer. I didn't have a specific number
of times.” This suggests the difficulty was in remembering his experiences,
rather than not having adequate options.
R28(V, FN): "Kind of difficult, just trying to think back to when it happened.”
This question performed well throughout all four rounds of testing. Any reported difficulty was
the result of the experience, not the question wording or answer choices. Therefore, we
recommended proceeding with the question wording without making revisions.

Q26b: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
26b.

In that one day, how many times would you say
[another student/other students] did [that thing/any
of those things] to you?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES 1-4)

1
2
3
4

One time
Two or more times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

Round 1 to Round 4 Findings:
Since this question is asked only of students who answer “one day” in response to Q26a, this
question was only asked of 4 students across all for rounds of testing. Two students answered
“one time,” and two students answered “2 or more times.”
Although only four respondents were asked this question throughout all rounds, none of them
reported any actual confusion, or provided an answer that did not match their narrative. We
recommended proceeding with the question wording without making revisions.
6.4.3

Potential Future Repetition of Bullying (Q27)

Q27: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)

27.

Did you think [that student/those students] would
do hurtful things to you again?

1  Yes
2  No

Round 1 to Round 4 Findings:
Twelve respondents answered “yes” to this question, fourteen answered no, and one said that she
did not know. During probing, some respondents who answered yes were asked why they
answered the way they did. Their responses indicated that they understood what the question was
asking. There were no issues with this question through all four rounds of testing. We
recommended proceeding with the question wording without making revisions.

6.5 New Intro Text SCS_Intro 5a and 5b
In the 2017 version of the SCS, the text preceding the power imbalance questions read, “Now I
have some additional questions about the time [another student/ other students]
{behavior1}, {behavior2}, and {behaviorx…}. Thinking about the [person/ people] who did
[this/these things] to you this school year…” As discussed in section 6.4.1, Q25 was added to
screen out students who experienced a series of one-off events. Because it is possible that a
student experienced repeated bullying and one-off incidents, text was needed to instruct students
20

to focus only on the students who have done hurtful things more than once. To address this, the
text from 2017 was replaced by two versions of introduction text.
SCS_INTRO 5a is read for respondents who reported that more than one student did hurtful
things, and that at least one of those students did the behavior(s) more than once. It is intended to
increase the likelihood that respondents are only thinking about students who bullied them, not
about those involved in one-off incidents, when answering subsequent questions.
SCS_INTRO 5b is read for respondents who either reported a single offender, or reported more
than one offender, but said that none of them did hurtful things more than once. The introduction
text is intended to remind them that they should be thinking about the perpetrators of the
incidents they reported in Q22 as they answer the subsequent questions.
SCS_INTRO 5a and 5b: Round 1 - Round 2

SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did things to you more than once this school year. For the next

questions, ONLY think about those students who did something more than once during this school year.
SCS_INTRO 5b Still thinking about [that thing/those things] [another student/other students] did to you during this

school year…

Round 1 – Round 2 Findings:
Eight respondents heard SCS_INTRO 5a before Q28. When probed, seven of those respondents
reported that they were only thinking about the students who did things more than once. Upon
further probing, the interviewer learned that the eighth respondent was thinking of repeat
offenders as well as a one-off offender because all of them targeted him because of who he was
dating at the time.
Since only one student thought of one-off offenders, we decided not to make any major changes
after Round 2, and to continue probing to assess the performance of the introduction. A minor
change was made after Round 2 to add the fill “[that thing/those things]” to SCS_INTRO 5a to
improve the wording depending on how many behaviors the respondent reported in Q22.

SCS_INTRO 5a and 5b Revision 1: Round 3 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation

SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did [that thing/those things] to you more than once this school

year. For the next questions, ONLY think about those students who did something more than once during this school
year.
SCS_INTRO 5b Still thinking about [that thing/those things] [another student/other students] did to you during this

school year…

Round 3 – Round 4 Findings:
Five respondents heard SCS_INTRO 5a before Q28 in Rounds 3 and 4. We asked a series of
probes to determine which students the respondent was thinking about for the questions that
follow the introduction. Only four of the five were asked the probes, as the fifth was
uncomfortable discussing her experiences. All four respondents were only thinking about the
students who did things more than once.
SCS_INTRO 5a/5b has performed well since it was added to the supplement. The minor change
to add the fill did not appear to cause any issues. We recommended proceeding with the
introduction wording used in Rounds 3 and 4.

6.6 Power Imbalance (Q28)
Q28: Round 1
Q28

Yes

a. [Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

1

2

b. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

1

2

[Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

1

2

d. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

1

2

e. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?

1

2

Round 1 Findings:
All five students who reported experiencing hurtful behaviors said yes to at least two items in
Q28. Through probing, it was clear that all understood what the items were asking. Two
respondents said yes to Q28e – more power in another way. A follow-up probe asked what other
way they were thinking of. One said the students were more outgoing than her; another said that
the student knew many of the administrators at school. Another respondent said “don’t know” to
Q28e, and when probed, said she was mainly thinking of a mix of the other items in Q28. This
respondent said yes to all items in Q28a-Q28d.
After Round 1, we recommended adding a follow up question if respondents say yes to item e to
collect data on other types of power imbalances the respondents perceive.
Q28 Revision 1: Round 2 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation
Q28

Yes

a. [Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

1

2

b. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

1

2

[Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

1

2

d. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

1

2

e. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?

1

2 

In what other way [did that student/ did any of those
students] have more power than you?

_______________

Round 2 – Round 4 Findings:
Twenty of the 22 students who reported experiencing hurtful behaviors said yes to at least one
item in Q28. Through probing, it was clear that all students who heard these items understood
what the items were asking.
If respondents said yes to item e, a follow-up question asked what other way the students had
more power than them. The other types of power listed were: control, “more pull” with teachers
and other students, more friends or know more people, being older, or in a higher grade. The
follow-up item provided additional ways there may be a power imbalance. Therefore, it is useful
to include it in the final instrument. This question performed well throughout all four rounds of
testing. We recommended proceeding with the question wording used in Rounds 2 – 4.

6.7 Relationship to Perpetrator (Q29 1)
The official CDC definition of bullying specifically excludes hurtful behaviors done by a sibling
or current dating partner. With the removal of the word “bullying,” there was an increased
chance that students would include incidents with siblings and dating partners when reporting
experiences that were hurtful or made them feel bad. There was discussion of adding phrasing to
Q22 instructing respondents not to include such incidents, but increasing the length and
complexity of the stem could increase the cognitive burden on respondents.
In Round 1, all 10 respondents were asked if they would include behaviors in Q22 if they were
done by a sibling attending their school. Many of the respondents did not have siblings at their
school, and were asked a hypothetical question. Three respondents said yes, they would include
it if their real or hypothetical sibling did those things (one was bullied, two were not). Five
students said no, they would not include them (three were bullied, two were not). One respondent
said that was too hard to imagine since he does not have any siblings, and one was not asked this
probe.
A similar probe was asked about including behaviors done by a boyfriend or girlfriend. Nine
respondents said yes, they think they would include it. One respondent (R10(NV)) said, “No. I
wouldn’t feel it relates. These questions are about friends and other people at school, not people
you’re in a relationship with.” All respondents were answering hypothetically, as none of them
experienced behaviors from a boyfriend or girlfriend.
The hypothetical questions were not useful in determining whether asking Q22 without the word
bullying would lead students to report incidents with siblings and current dating partners. To
assess whether students include such incidents, we added a series of questions about their
relationship to the perpetrators. The series was initially asked during probing in Round 2, and
was added as a question starting in round 3. The wording for the question was modeled after a
similar relationship to perpetrator question asked in the NCVS SVS. In the final instrument, this
series will only be asked of respondents who report having a single offender. If the offender was
a sibling or current dating partner, they can be categorized as non-victims. Though this question
will only be asked of respondents with single offenders in the final instrument, all respondents
who reported experiencing hurtful behaviors were asked the series during testing. This allowed
us to collect more data on how the questions perform, since few students reported single
offenders during testing.

The numbering of some questions changed throughout cognitive interviewing as a result of adding new questions
to the instrument. The question numbers used in this report come from the final version of the questionnaire.

Q29: Asked during probing in Round 2, added as question in Round 3 and Round 4
Q29
What was your relationship to [the student/those
students] when they did [that thing/those things] to
you? Were they…
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Your brother or sister?
Your friend or ex-friend?
Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
Another student from school?

1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes

2
2
2
2
2

No
No
No
No
No

Round 2 – Round 4 Findings:
Overall, students were able to easily answer these questions. In Round 3, it worked well to
screen out a respondent who only experienced behaviors done by his current dating partner.
One other student said yes to item c in the relationship question. She was not asked follow-up
probes on this. However, she said yes to six of the eight items in Q22, reported that over 5 people
did the behaviors, and said they occurred on more than 10 days. She also mentioned thinking of
multiple people when probed on who she was thinking of when she said yes to three of the power
imbalance questions. This suggests that thinking of a current dating partner during the questions
did not result in a false positive.
Interviewers noted that it was awkward to read item e after respondents said yes to item b when
the respondent reported that only one student did the hurtful behavior. Since the question is only
intended to identify students whose single offender was a sibling or current dating partner, the
decision was made to remove item b from the series, as “another student from school?” applies
to friends or ex-friends as well. During probing, respondents made comments indicating that they
understand that item e is designed to be a catch-all for when the preceding items do not fit.
Q29 Revision 1: Final Recommendation
Q29
What was your relationship to [the student/those
students] when they did [that thing/those things] to
you? Were they…
a.
b.
b.
c.
d.

Your brother or sister?
Your friend or ex-friend?
Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
Another student from school?

1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes

2
2
2
2
2

No
No
No
No
No

6.8 Location of Bullying (Q30)
Q30: Round 1
VERSION 1 (Fill for single incidents)
30.
Still thinking about the time that [another
student/other students] did something to you, where
did it occur? Did it occur …
VERSION 2 (Fill for multiple incidents)
30.
Still thinking about all of the times that [another
student/other students] did those things to you,
where did they occur? Did they occur …
(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
5  Somewhere else inside the school
building? – Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
6  Outside on school grounds?
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
8  Online or by text?

Where is the other place they occurred?

Round 1 Findings:
Four of the five respondents who were asked this question had no trouble answering it, and said
that the list included all of the places where other students have done hurtful things to them. One
student said yes to “Somewhere else inside the school building?” When asked the follow-up to
specify, she said “social media.” Although the initial item mentioned “inside the school
building,” the specify question does not.
This student also experienced bullying in the gym, which she mentioned during probing. This
was missed since the follow-up question was only asked once. This also brought to our attention
that none of the existing categories captures bullying that occurs in the gym, since gyms tend to
be distinct from classrooms and locker rooms.
After Round 1, we recommended adding a new category for gyms, “In a gymnasium or weight
room at school?” between the items for “in a bathroom or locker room…” and “in a cafeteria…”

Q30 Revision 1: Round 2 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation

VERSION 1 (Fill for single incidents)
30.
Still thinking about the time that [another
student/other students] did something to you, where
did it occur? Did it occur …
VERSION 2 (Fill for multiple incidents)
30.
Still thinking about all of the times that [another
student/other students] did those things to you,
where did they occur? Did they occur …
(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
Where is the other place they occurred?

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a gymnasium or weight room at
school?
5  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
6  Somewhere else inside the school
building? –Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
7  Outside on school grounds?
8  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
9  Online or by text?
ALL SKIP TO Q31 ON PAGE 15

Round 2 Findings:
The seven respondents who were asked this question in Round 2 had no trouble answering it, and
said that the list included all of the places where other students have done hurtful things to them.
After Round 1, we created a new category for “gymnasium or weight room.” In Round 2, three
respondents said yes to this item. All three also said yes to the item about bathrooms or locker
rooms. The fact that three of the seven students said they experienced those behaviors in the gym
as well as the bathroom or locker room suggests that it should remain a separate category in the
supplement. In their narratives, all three students mentioned bullying happening in relation to
PE/gym class, and playing sports.
One student said yes to “Somewhere else inside the school building?” When asked the follow-up
to specify, she said “outside.” Although the initial item mentioned “inside the school building,”
the specify question does not. With the order of the items, the “somewhere else” item has the
appearance of a catch-all option, and respondents do not know that more items are coming that
include locations outside of the school building. After Round 2, the item “Somewhere else inside
the school building?” was moved to be asked as the last item in the list.

Q30 Revision 2: Round 3 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a gymnasium or weight room at
school?
5  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
6  Somewhere else inside the school
building? –Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
6  Outside on school grounds?
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
8  Online or by text?
9  Somewhere else inside the school
building? –Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
ALL SKIP TO Q31 ON PAGE 15

Round 3 – Round 4 Findings:
The 15 respondents who were asked this question had no trouble answering it, and said that the
list included all of the places where other students have done hurtful things to them. After Round
1, we created a new category for “gymnasium or weight room.” We continued to monitor items 3
and 4 to see if they caused double reporting. There did not appear to be any double reporting in
either round. In both rounds, one student said yes to item 3 but not item 4, and another student
said yes to item 4 but not item 3. Moving the item “somewhere else inside the school building?”
did not appear to cause any issues.
This question performed well throughout all four rounds of testing. We recommended
proceeding with the revised question wording that was used in Round 3 – Round 4.

6.9 Reporting to Adults (Q31)
Q31: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
31.

Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about [this student/these students] doing [that
thing/those things] to you?

1  Yes
2  No

Round 1 – Round 4 Findings:
Only some of the respondents in Rounds 1 and 2 heard this question. All of the respondents in
Rounds 3 and 4 heard this question. Across all 28 of these respondents, only 7 respondents said
“yes.” None of the respondents had any issues with answering this question, so there were no
changes made during testing. We recommended proceeding with the question wording as-is.
28

6.10 Effects of Bullying (Q32)
Q32: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
32.

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

YOUR school work.

1

2

3

4

YOUR relationships with friends or family.

1

2

3

4

How you feel about YOURSELF.

1

2

3

4

YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

1

2

3

4

Round 1 – Round 4 Findings:
Twenty-seven of the 36 respondents answered this question. One respondent answered ‘a lot’ for
all of the questions, four respondents answered ‘not at all’ for all four questions, but the rest
varied in their responses.
We probed on the phrase “had a negative effect on” and all respondents who were asked the
probe gave answers such as, causing you to be more distracted at school, affecting relationships
like causing the respondent and their family/friends to argue, and affecting self-esteem.
We also probed on what question d was asking, and respondents correctly explained that it was
asking if the person was physically hurting them, or if the hurtful behaviors have a physical
effect, like causing headaches, stomach aches, or a loss of appetite.
Respondents generally understood this question and reported no difficulties understanding or
answering it, so no changes were made.

6.11 Self-Identification of Victimization Status (Q34)
One strong reason to remove the word “bullying” from the supplement is the fact that respondent
self-identification does not always match the researcher’s definition of what it means to be a
victim of bullying. This could occur when the respondent’s definition of bullying differs from
the researcher’s, or when the respondent does not want to identify as a victim, whether that is to
themselves or to others.
In the previous phase of testing conducted in 2016, the use of the words “bullied” and “bullying”
was problematic at times. All respondents who said yes to at least one item in Q22 were asked
the series of follow-up questions that included such phrases as “when you were bullied” and “the
bullying.” Some students seemed to miss the reference to bullying in the Q22 stem and reported
29

hurtful behaviors that they did not consider bullying. When interviewers asked the follow-up
questions, these respondents clarified that they were not bullied. Interviewers had to administer
the remaining questions, to which the respondents repeatedly responded that they were not
bullied before attempting to answer the questions about the hurtful behaviors they reported.
These respondents were adamant that they were not bullied, some of them did meet the criteria
for bullying based on their narratives of their experiences.
To assess whether the questions without the word bullying work to address the potential
mismatch, a new question was added. After answering the questions and follow-up probes in the
bullying section, students who reported one or more behaviors in Q22 were asked if they
considered their experiences to be bullying. They were probed on why they answered the way
they did to better understand how students classify their experiences.
Q34: Round 1 - Round 4 and Final Recommendation (no changes made)
34.

Do you consider [that thing/those things] that [another
student/other students] did to you to be bullying?

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

Round 1 – Round 4 Findings:
Of the 27 students who experienced hurtful behaviors, 17 answered “yes” to Q34; they did
consider their experiences to be bullying.
One of these students (R15(NV)) was not bullied, according to her responses to the questions and
her discussion of her experiences. She experienced two or three one-off incidents. She said that
she considered her experiences bullying because they were hurtful to her. When asked if she
would have answered Q22 differently if the question referred to the behaviors as bullying, she
still would have said yes to the behaviors if it called them bullying. The fact that she selfidentified as a victim of bullying when she did not meet the official criteria supports our
reasoning for removing the word “bullying” from the supplement.
According to their narratives about their experiences, the other 16 respondents were bullied,
though one was the false negative.
Two students who met the bullying criteria said that they did not consider their experiences to be
bullying. One of them (R25(V)) did not want to discuss her experiences, so we cannot confirm
the classification with her narrative. However, she said yes to four items in Q22, said that more
than one student did things, they did them both alone and together as a team, and that at least one
person did things more than once. She said the behaviors occurred on 2 to 5 days, and that she
told her dad about them. This respondent seemed to perceive of bullying in a stereotypical way.
When asked the difference between being mean and being a bully, she said, "I mean, bullies….
Kinda... I'm just basing this off the movies. When they say they want your lunch money or say
they'll fight you or something. And they'll call you names, shove you, and no one does anything
about it. And then being mean… I don't really see a difference."
30

The second bullied student who did not self-identify as a victim said she did not consider her
experiences to be bullying but instead she saw them as teasing. When asked if she would have
answered Q22 differently if we referred to the behaviors as bullying, she said:
R9(V) (no to Q34): "Umm probably. I mean some of these I can see as bullying but
others I see as teasing". She could see how the rumors could be bullying but there
haven’t been any about her recently. She could also see how sharing private
information could be embarrassing to some, but it was not to her..."I don't really
like the thought that it actually is bullying and that it could have happened to me."
When asked if he considered his experiences bullying, one non-bullied student provided a
response that acknowledges the subjective nature of bullying. Even though his self-identification
matched the CDC definition, he explained that another student might consider the same
experience bullying.
R35(NV): "I feel like other people might [consider it bullying], but it's just about
your perspective on it."
Interviewer: "Why don't you consider it to be bullying?"
R35(NV): "Because I think it would have to be more dramatic and I would have
to feel the consequences of it more."
Interviewer: "And you said other people might [consider it bullying], why do
you think other people might?"
R35(NV): "Because different people are sensitive in different ways. For example,
someone gets called something hurtful and they let that stick in their head, and
think oh maybe it's true, and other stuff."
Question 34 performed well throughout all four rounds of testing. This question was only
intended to be asked during cognitive interviews so that we had a measure of their selfidentification. Before Round 1, there was some discussion with sponsors about the possibility of
keeping the question in the final instrument. Keeping the question in the instrument would
provide interesting data, and allow for further comparisons of students’ self-identification and
their categorization based on the CDC definition. After the cognitive testing concluded, the
researchers and sponsors agreed to proceed with adding the question to the final instrument.

6.12 Student Feedback on Removing the Word “Bullying”
Since removing the word “bullying” from the supplement was a primary driver of the 2017
pretesting, data was also collected on how the respondents viewed the removal of the word.
One probe that was asked was, “How did you feel about the fact that we didn’t refer to
bullying when asking all of those questions?”
Thirty-two respondents were asked this probe. Eight said that they were indifferent to it. Though
one later said that people often don’t want to admit to themselves that they are being bullied; she
pointed to herself as she said this. One bullied respondent just said that she was okay with the
fact that we did not use the word.
31

Aside from the students who were indifferent, responses to this probe were positive. The students
seemed to understand that asking the questions without the word will allow students to answer
about the behaviors rather than their preconceived notions of bullying. Some also thought
students would feel better about the questions, and be more willing to open up. Many
respondents explicitly said that the fact that we did not use the word was a positive thing. One
bullied student (R32(V)) said that it was better without the word “bullying” because it made her
less sad.
Ten respondents made positive comments about how they viewed not using “bullying” in the
questions because it does not limit the respondent’s mindset or cause them to rely on their own
conceptualization of what bullying is:
R4(V): "I felt that taking the time to ask the little itty bits was better than asking, 'Have
you ever had any bullying?’ Sometimes I just think about the question, but don't
*think* about the question. Some things wouldn't have come to my mind if you just
asked if I'd been bullied. I would have just said, "yeah." Follow up questions, would
have been very different."
Interviewer: “How so?”
R4(V): "If you referred to bullying in every sentence, like *how* were you being bullied,
or *why* were you being bullied. It would have just been better if you did it this way,
which you did."
R22(V): "I think it helps seeing exactly what they meant by bullying, because everyone
has a different perspective on what bullying is."
R35(NV): "I think it's a good thing. Because when you put a label on something,
then people already have a preconceived idea of what that looks like, so they're
going to let that get in the way of what actually happened - saying what
happened."
Five respondents said that not using the word “bullying” makes the questions easier to answer
for students who do not want to admit that they were bullied, or do not realize they were being
bullied:
R31(V): "I liked it. I think people would answer differently if they used the word
bullying."
Interviewer: "Can you say more about that?"
R31(V): "I don't know, I just… even… I know I was bullied, but even sometimes,
when people ask if I was bullied, I don't think... like my immediate response is
like, "[lightly] No, I wasn't bullied.' But then if you think about it, it's like, yeah
what they did was definitely not right. It's not normal."
Interviewer: "Do you not want to say it because- you said, the connotation that
teenagers have?" [reference to connotation in response to previous probe above]
R31(V): "Yeah, because of the connotation."

R9(V), but said no to Q34: "I feel like it made it more honest. Some people like me
don't really like to refer to it as bullying. So just having the questions as themselves, it
makes you more open to how you felt about it."
When asked how they felt about the fact that the survey did not use the word “bullying,” four
respondents made comments suggesting that they either thought we did use the word
“bullying,” or assumed that was what we were talking about:
R16(V): "I kinda thought that's what you were hinting towards. These are the type of
things you associate with bullying, so I'd expect it to that."
R17(NV): "Um…. I actually kind of thought you did at first because it just kind of
describes what bullying is. I mean, I guess you shouldn't put it out there in the open, but
no, not really."
R18(V): "You didn't? No? Really. I didn't think twice about that. I just automatically
made the assumption that you were talking about bullying. All of these are negative.
When you read these, I'm not going to think, 'oh, he's just playing around. Of course I'm
going to think of bullying."
R24(NV): “It didn’t really bother me or anything. The questions were trying to get at
bullying from the start.”

6.13 Additional probed questions
6.13.1 School Sponsored Activities (Q9)
Q9: Round 1 – Round 2
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

Yes

a. Athletic teams at school?

1

2

b. Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

1

2

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

1

2

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, or Math Club?

1

2

1

2

1

2

e. Student government or class council?
f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Ecology Club, or Recycling Club?
[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club, Key Club,
or Interact? Do not include community service
hours required for graduation.
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?

1



2

Specify __________

Round 1 – Round 2 Findings:
Q9 was probed on because it was suggested that the terminology could be updated. All but one
student was able to find a category for their activities. Five students in Rounds 1 and 2 said yes
to g (other) and specified that they were referring to: 1. Spanish Club (already on list), 2.
Robotics Club, 3. Creative Writing Club, 4. Rubik’s Cube Club and Coding Club, and 5. A
student-founded Dr. Who club.
When asked what the term “spirit groups” meant to them, eight respondents were able to
accurately describe them, one said he didn’t know what it meant until he heard the examples, and
then it was clear, and one student said there’s no spirit club at his school, he thinks it may mean
bible study.

When asked if there were any terms they did not recognize or that seemed outdated, two
respondents said, “Student government.” One said it’s now referred to as the “student
government association, or SGA.” The other referred to student council. No students reported
being involved in student government. We decided not to modify the item after Round 2, but to
continue to see if it caused issues.
Multiple students said that they did not recognize the word “ecology.” We revised item f to
replace the word “ecology” with the more commonly used word “environmental.” We also
recommended adding an example to item d that triggers respondents to think about computer
science-related clubs since they are more prevalent these days. Item d would read: Academic
clubs or honor societies, for example, Debate Team, Spanish Club, or Math Club, or Computer
Club?
Q9 Revision 1: Round 3
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

Yes

1

2

1

2

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

1

2

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, Math Club, or
Computer Club?

1

2

1

2

1

2

a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

e. Student government or class council?
f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Ecology Environmental Club, or
Recycling Club?
[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Environmental
Club, Key Club, or Interact? Do not include
community service hours required for graduation.
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
1
What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?



2

Specify __________

Round 3 Findings:
Two students said yes to g (other) and specified that they were referring to a cooking club and an
investment club and DECA, which is a marketing club. These clubs seem less common, and item
g appears to be working well to capture miscellaneous school clubs.
35

When asked if there were any activities at their school that they were not able to find on the list,
one student said SGA. The interviewer realized the item related to SGA (student government)
was accidentally skipped, and read item e to the respondent, “Student government or class
council.” The interviewer asked the respondent if she would have recognized it if she heard
“Student government or class council.” The student thought for a second, and said “No,
actually,” in a surprised tone. Since SGA has been mentioned multiple times, it may be helpful to
add the abbreviation to item e.
After Round 3, we recommended adding the abbreviation SGA and switching the order of
student government and class council so that the newly added abbreviation does not interrupt the
flow of the item.
e.
Student government or class council?
e.
Class council or student government, also known as SGA?
Q9 Revision 2: Round 4
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

Yes

a. Athletic teams at school?

1

2

1

2

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

1

2

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, Math Club, or
Computer Club?

1

2

e. Class council or student government, also known
as SGA?

1

2

f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Environmental Club, or Recycling Club?

1

2

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Environmental Club, Key
Club, or Interact? Do not include community
service hours required for graduation.
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?

1



2

Specify __________

Round 4 Findings:
Two students said yes to g (other) and specified that they were referring to Future Doctors of
America, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Best Buddies, and Praise Team. These clubs seem
less common, and item g appears to be working well to capture miscellaneous school clubs.
Students heard the new item e that mentions “SGA”, but only one student said yes to this. The
new phrasing does not seem to cause any issues.
When asked if there were any activities at their school that they were not able to find on the list,
one student said, “You said other school clubs, right? That covers everything.” One student said
that his school has toastmasters and a yearbook club. Another student said that her school has a
robotics club, and a computer programming club. She was skimming the handout as she said this,
and said, “Oh, here it is, computer club.” Computer club was a new addition during testing, and
appears to be a good addition since those types of clubs are very common these days.
Two students said that they did not recognize the term “pep club.” One student said he was able
to figure out what it was due to the context, and the other student asked the interviewer what it
was during probing. This does appear to be an outdated term that could be removed from the
item, but leaving it in does not create any issues.
One student, R30(NV), double counted cheerleading. When the interviewer read item a, she
asked if cheerleading would count. The interviewer instructed her to answer as she would in a
real interview. She said yes to item a, and then yes to item b. During probing, the interviewer
followed up asking if she said yes to item a for cheerleading. She said that she did. Many people
consider cheerleading a sport, so it makes sense that she would include it under athletic teams.
Asking item b first would decrease the likelihood of students double-counting cheerleading.
After Round 4, we recommended switching the order of items a and b to prevent the doublecounting of cheerleading.
b a.
Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?
a b.
Athletic teams at school?

Q9 Revision 3: Final recommendation
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

Yes

b a. Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

1

2

a b. Athletic teams at school?

1

2

1

2

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, Math Club, or
Computer Club?

1

2

e. Class council or student government, also known
as SGA?

1

2

f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Environmental Club, or Recycling Club?

1

2

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

1

2


Specify __________

6.13.2 Defining the scope of “at school” (SCS_INTRO 3)
SCS_INTRO 3: Round 1 – Round 3
SCS_INTRO 3

Round 1 – Round 3 Findings:
One student changed schools in the middle of the year due to bullying. In the beginning of the
interview, she asked the interviewer which school the questions were asking about. This raised
the issue that students who attended multiple schools may need to be explicitly instructed
regarding which school they should be thinking about. Some questions in the survey pertain only
to their current school. However, for sections like the bullying questions, students should be
thinking about any experiences that occurred at school during the school year, regardless of
which school it occurred at. This is especially important for students who switched schools as a
result of bullying. After round 3, SCS_INTRO 3 was modified to include new fill language for
38

students who attended multiple schools in a single school year. The fill instructing such
respondents to think about both/all schools they attended for the remainder of the school year
ensures that the frame of reference is consistent across respondents.
SCS_INTRO 3 Revision 1: Round 4 and Final Recommendation
SCS_INTRO 3

Now I have some questions about things that happen at school. For this survey, “at school”
includes the school building, on school property, on a school bus, or going to and from
school. [IF E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED= 2 or 3: For the remainder of this survey, think about both/all schools
you attended this school year]. Your answers will not be shared with anyone at your school or home.

Round 4 Findings:
One respondent in Round 4 attended two schools in the current school year, and heard the new
fill language in SCS_INTRO 3. Based on her discussion of her experiences and her responses to
probes, it was clear that she was thinking about both schools when answering questions in the
sections that follow the introduction. The new text did not appear to cause any issues or
confusion. Though it was only tested with one respondent, it does not appear to be problematic.
We recommended proceeding with the revised introduction text in the final instrument.
6.13.3 Availability of Drugs and Alcohol (Q19)
Q19: Round 1
19.

The following question refers to the availability of
drugs and alcohol at your school.

Yes

a. Alcoholic beverages?

1

2

b. Marijuana, also known as pot, weed or mary jane?

1

2

c. Prescription drugs illegally obtained without a
prescription, such as Oxycontin, Ritalin, or
Adderall?

1

2

d. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or heroin?

1

2

Is it possible for students at your school to get…

Round 1 Findings:
Question 19 was probed on to assess outdated terminology. One respondent did not know what
“mary jane” was, though he understood that it was referring to marijuana due to the rest of the
wording in the question. When asked if there are other names for marijuana that he hears more
often than the terms used, he laughed and said, “Yeah, they call it gas, reggie, kush.” Nine other

respondents answered no to that probe about more commonly used names. Although the terms in
item b are not problematic, “mary jane” is outdated, and was removed for testing in round 2.
Through an exchange related to the President’s Executive Order establishing the “President’s
Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis,” a colleague in the Office of
Safe and Healthy Students recommended strengthening data collection activities related to the
opioid crisis. They recommended a new category (item c below), which required a few other
revisions in the other items. With a new category that mentions prescription painkillers, the term
Oxycontin was replaced with Xanax in what is now item d below. Similarly, the term heroin was
removed from the “other illegal drugs” category, and replaced with crystal meth, another
commonly abused drug. Since the new item c mentions prescription painkillers, the word “other”
is added before “prescription drugs” in what is now item d. This is also useful, as multiple
respondents have pointed out that marijuana is now a prescription drug.
In Round 1, one student indicated that they were not sure what this question was asking. She
asked if the question referred to kids getting them from other kids, or kids getting them from
teachers or adults. A probe was added to the Round 2 protocol to assess how students interpreted
the overall question.
Q19 Revision 1: Round 2
19.

The following question refers to the availability of
drugs and alcohol at your school.

Yes

a. Alcoholic beverages?

1

2

b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed or mary
jane?

1

2

c. Opioids, such as prescription painkillers, heroin,
or fentanyl?

1

2

d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without
a prescription, such as Oxycontin Xanax, Ritalin,
or Adderall?

1

2

Is it possible for students at your school to get…

e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or heroin crystal meth?

1

2

Round 2 Findings:
In Round 2, we asked nine students to tell us what this question is asking in their own words (one
was not asked due to time). Eight students interpreted the question correctly. However, one of
those (R17(NV)) asked for clarification during the interview (the interviewer instructed him to
answer it as he would if he couldn’t talk it through with them). After correctly interpreting the
40

question during probing, the interviewer asked if he remembered what he was thinking when he
asked for clarification during the interview. He said, "I thought it meant like teenagers around
here, like around town, could get alcohol."
The one student (R20(NV)) who incorrectly interpreted the question said he thought if it was
asking if the school allows those things. He said he does not think any school would allow them.
The interviewer explained what the question was asking, and he changed his initial responses of
all no’s: "Alcohol, they don't get it at school but they drink it at school. Marijuana, we call it
weed, and people do it just for fun. They do get it from other people just buying it. I don't think
people use heroin and fentynal in our neighborhoods. I think people do use Xanax when it's
prescribed. I don't think people use crystal meth and cocaine and stuff like that in our school."
This suggested that the stem of the question should be revised for clarification.
Question 19 was revised to update the categories after Round 1. Since item c was newly added
we probed on the understanding of this category. We asked students what the term “opioids”
means to them in the question. Four respondents said that they did not know what the term
means.
Three of them used context clues to try to understand it:
R13(V): "I don't know."
Interviewer: “Have you heard the term before?”
R13(V): “No.”
Interviewer: “Does that question make sense even if you don’t know that word?”
R13(V): “Yeah.”
Interviewer: “What do you think item c is asking about?”
R13(V): "Maybe like a kind of painkiller or something."
R18(V): "I don't even know what opioid is. I've heard of it in the news, but I don't
even know what it is. I know heroin and painkillers. But fent…enial… I don't
even know what that is."
Interviewer: “Did you have any trouble answering the question?
R18(V): "No, I just had to think about if I've heard of it happening, and I haven't."
R20(NV): "I don't know what opioids are, but I'm guessing it's like a medical
drug. Is heroin a pain drug?"
The other respondents gave answers that suggested they got the gist of what the question was
asking, even if they didn’t know the exact definition of the term opioid.
R12(V): "Medicine? That you're not supposed to take if it's not prescribed."
R19(NV): "Ooh…. Well I mean… opioids is most of the time a prescription
medicine, but here it seems like the other side of opioids, so the illegal kind. Not
like a painkiller that somebody is prescribed and they use it correctly. This,
here, this is something that can be abused."
41

When asked if there were other drugs they had heard of students using that we did not ask about,
two respondents mentioned “lean.” Their comments suggested that they did not know exactly
what it was, but they knew students used it to get high. “Lean” is a slang term for liquid codeine,
which is an opiate, so including it as an example may trigger some respondents to recognize it,
even if they did not initially know it was an opiate.
R17(NV): "So called like "lean," like Codeine. That's a popular thing to do. Not in
our school, but other schools. It's like cough syrup."
R20(NV): "It's not like a drug, it's called Codeine. People call it lean. It's a
mixture of alcohol and prescribed cough syrup. But I think you get high off of
it. It's a liquid drug.”
When asked if they knew any names of prescription painkillers, Percocet was mentioned
twice and Oxycontin was mentioned once.
After Round 2, we recommended revising the stem to clarify the question is asking whether
students can get these drugs at school. Additionally, we revised item c to include Codeine and
Percocet as examples of prescription painkillers and changing the order of drugs already listed.
Q19 Revision 2: Round 3
19.

Is it possible for students to get any of the following
while at school…

Yes

a. Alcoholic beverages?

1

2

b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?

1

2

c. Opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, or prescription
painkillers like Codeine or Percocet?

1

2

d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without
a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or
Adderall?

1

2

e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or
crystal meth?

1

2

Round 3 Findings:
The revision performed well in Round 3. No students mentioned being unsure about what the
question was asking. Six of the nine students were asked what the question was asking, and all
gave interpretations that matched what the question is intended to measure.

Since item c was newly added in response to the President’s Executive Order establishing the
“President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis,” we continued to
probe on students’ understanding of this category.
When we asked students what the term “opioids” means to them in the question, only one of the
nine respondents knew what opioids were, and said he was familiar with the term. Two
respondents gave incorrect examples:
R24(NV): "I guess just another form of drug to get students more energy and stuff, in like
a bad way."
R27(V): "I think it's like a pill. Like a hallucinogen I think."
One respondent tried to guess, and seemed to get the gist of the question.
R26(NV): "Like pills or medicine."
Interviewer: “Are you familiar with the term?”
R26(NV): "No, can I guess what it means? I'm not really sure but maybe like… I
thought it was like some sort of drug that makes you sleep."
Interviewer: “Even though you aren’t familiar with the term, do you understand
what item c is asking with the context of the other examples?”
R26(NV): "Yeah."
When asked if there were other drugs they have heard of students using that we didn’t ask about,
one student mentioned “molly”, and one mentioned muscle relaxers. When asked if they know of
other prescription drugs that are abused, two students mentioned prescription cough syrup.
Neither could remember the name. The interviewer asked if they were thinking of “lean,” since
that has been mentioned in previous interviews, and both said that was what they were thinking
of. Including “Codeine” in the question did not seem to trigger them to think of “lean.”
Five respondents said that they did not know what “opioids” meant. Two of those five were
asked if they were able to understand what item c was asking from the context and other
examples, even if they did not know what opioids were. Both said that they were.
Since many respondents did not know the term “opioids”, item c was revised for clarification.
The term “opioids” was moved to the end of the item, so that respondents hear more common or
more familiar drug names first. Text was added to explain that the types of drugs listed in item c
are also known as opioids. If students do not know what opioids are, the new item text provides
more context, as well as some explanation of what is meant by opioids.

Q19 Revision 3: Round 4 and Final Recommendation
19.

Is it possible for students to get any of the following
while at school…

Yes

a. Alcoholic beverages?

1

2

b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?

1

2

c. Heroin or prescription painkillers illegally obtained
without a prescription, such as Codeine,
Percocet, or fentanyl? These are also known as
opioids.

1

2

d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without
a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or
Adderall?

1

2

e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or
crystal meth?

1

2

Round 4 Findings:
The revision performed well in Round 4. No student mentioned being unsure about what the
question was asking.
Since item c was newly added and some students in previous rounds did not know what opioids
were, we continued to probe on students’ understanding of this category.
When probed about item c, students interpreted it as asking if students can get “any of those
things [in item c],” “prescription stuff,” or “hardcore drugs.” Five students were asked if they
knew what opioids were. Three students indicated that they were not sure what opioids were, so
they were asked if they were able to understand what item c was asking, even if they didn’t know
all of the terms. All three said yes. Some exchanges about item c are included below.
Interviewer: "Do you know what opioids are?"
R31(V): "Opioids? Yes."
Interviewer: "Would you have known that had we not put any of the other words
in there?"
R31(V): "Yeah, I would have."
R36(V): "I have [heard the term opioids] in health."
Interviewer: "Do you remember what they are?"
R36(V): "No."
Interviewer: “Even though you don't remember exactly what they are, were you
able to understand what c is asking about?”
R36(V): "Yeah."

Interviewer: "Have you heard of opioids before?"
R35(NV): "Yeah, I learned about them in health class. I learned that they start off
as prescription…. I mean you can get an addiction starting with prescriptions. It
can also be not prescribed - I think it might be heroin that's also an opioid. Oh
yeah, it says heroin right there. I didn't see that. I think this is... I didn't even
know that some of these were opioids."
The revised question stem performed well, and the revised item c was not problematic in Round
4. Though some students did not recognize the term opioids, the final version of item c gives
multiple examples of more commonly recognized drugs, and explains that those drugs are also
known as opioids. The final recommendation was to proceed with the question wording that was
used in Round 4.
6.13.4 Gangs Introduction (K_INTRO_GANG)
In 2017, the introduction to the questions about gangs at school was worded: “Now, we'd like to
know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs,
crews, or something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this
survey, we are interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal
activity. Your responses are confidential.”
This introduction seems to contradict itself. The first half of the definition describes the type of
gang typically thought of as being involved in criminal activity, while the second half explicitly
says not to narrow it down to gangs involved in violent or illegal activity. If respondents indicate
there are gangs at their school, the two follow up questions are about violence and drugs which
does not align to the introduction “whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal
activity.”
During cognitive testing, the introduction was revised and probed on due to feedback from field
representatives (FR) who administered the supplement in the 2017 fielding. Some FRs provided
feedback that the introduction could be better worded to explain what constitutes a gang. Some
interviewers mentioned that respondents reported sports teams here, and other respondents
wanted to know the difference between a street gang and a social group. Of about 900
interviewers who responded to the debriefing survey, 38 FRs mentioned some problem with the
gang questions and 19 specifically mentioned problems understanding what constitutes a gang.

Gangs Intro: Round 1 – Round 2
INTRO 6 -

44a.

Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. Your answers will not be shared with anyone at your
school or home.

Are there any gangs at your school?

1  Yes- GO to Q44b
2  No - SKIP to Q45
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q45

Round 1 Findings:
For Round 1, the decision was made to remove the definition entirely, and simply probe on what
students think the term gang means in this introduction and the subsequent Q44a (“Are there any
gangs at your school?”). Ten students heard the introduction text and Q44a in Round 1. Nine
respondents provided examples that seem to align with what the questions are trying to get at –
groups that are involved in violent activity or drugs. The last respondent asked what we meant by
gangs when answering, and then explained that he was trying to figure out if we meant “a big
group of friends that you do things with, like in the outsiders, or a ‘bang, bang, drugggsss’ kind
of gang.”
Removing the definition from the introduction seemed to make the subsequent question about
the presence of gangs in school clearer. Not providing a definition did not create any problems in
Round 1. After Round 1, we probed on the original text as an alternate version of the gang
introduction.
Round 2 Findings:
In Rounds 1 and 2, Q44a was asked with introduction text shown above that does not provide a
definition of gangs. In Round 2, ten students heard the introduction text and Q44a. After we
finished the survey (through Q47b), we told all students that we were going to ask an additional
question, and re-asked Q44a with the original introduction text: “Now, we'd like to know about
gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs, crews, or
something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey,
we are interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity.
Your responses are confidential.”
We then ask students how they came up with their answers after hearing the second version of
the introduction, whether the second version was asking the same thing as the first version, and
what the term “gangs” means to them in the second version of the question. Seven respondents
said that the two questions asked the same thing, with two noting that the second one just goes
more in depth. Two respondents said that the questions were asking different things, because the
second describes gangs as groups of kids that do something illegal, or are involved with drugs or
fighting. One of these students asked what we meant by gangs when the interviewer first asked
Q44a during the survey. He said that it could be interpreted in different ways – either a group of
kids hanging out, or a gang involved in violent or illegal activity.
Two kids said that they think we should remove the word “crews” from the version with a
definition, because it’s a common term now, and generally means a group of friends that hang
out and do regular stuff together.
R18(V): [In response to the interviewer asking if the definition matched how he
thinks of gangs] "I would agree, except for the term crew. I would exclude that.
Depending on said crew, to take their activities to a certain extent - you were
saying fighting, violence, illegal activities of that sort. I guess you could count
that into the synonyms of gangs. Everything else, except crew. I wouldn't use
that term. If I used crew, it would be a club, or a group of people. You like to go
to the mall together. Or like cars, No Limit Crew. When you're talking about a
46

crew, this group of people, this whole squad - they go to McDonalds, they go to
the mall, go to the Regal movies. I'd count that out. It's a little different."
R19(NV): “And they're using 'crew,' that's an interesting word, because there are
a bunch of crews. I break dance, and a crew is just a group of people who
breakdance together."
For Round 3, it was recommended to revert to using the original introduction text for Q44, with
the removal of the word “crew,” while continuing to probe on the definition, and monitor to see
if we have the issues mentioned by FRs.

Gangs Intro Revision 1: Round 3 – Round 4
INTRO 6 -

Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs,
or something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey, we are
interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity. Your answers will not
be shared with anyone at your school or home.

Round 3 – Round 4 Findings:
After Round 2, we reverted to the original version of the intro text for Q44 about gangs, with the
word crews removed. Of the 16 students who heard the introduction and Q44a in Rounds 3 and
4, five mentioned some confusion about what we meant by gangs. Three of them made
unprompted comments when answering the survey question, before they got to follow-up probes.
R21(NV): "I don't really know what you mean, though, when you say gang that's
not involved in violent or illegal activity. Because to me, that's kind of the
definition. To me, the definition of a gang, at least in a school, would be drugs,
or fighting, but I just can't think of anything that would count as a gang that
doesn't count as one of those things."
R26(NV): “Do you consider a group of people that always hang out and kind of
bully people? Kind of? There's a group of kids that always try to think that
they're cool and if someone doesn't like them or talk bad about them, they go
after them and try to hurt them. On snapchat, I know they're just joking, but they
added me to a group chat called Gucci Gang.”
R30(NV): [DURING SURVEY] "Like bad people? I don't really get the
whole meaning of gangs. Like are they just a bunch of people who do
bad things?" (interviewer instructed her to answer how she would in a
survey and said they would return to the question to discuss gangs).
Interviewer: [DURING PROBING] "Let's talk about gangs. What were
you saying? You're not sure of- "
R30(NV): "We have big groups of girls that I call the drama girls."
Interviewer: "When you heard the question, what were you thinking of?"

R30(NV): "I don't know. People when they say gangs, they say like they're
doing drugs, or they're just doing illegal things."
The fourth respondent said that the phrasing in the question was vague.
R35(NV): "I was just thinking that it could mean… honestly I wasn't so sure.
Formal gangs are at least definitely included in it, and I know that there are at
least formal gangs, so it's yes either way."
Interviewer: "So you said you were not so sure. What made you unsure about
what we were including?"
R35(NV): "Because I don't know if gang can be just a group of people that hang
out together, or if it has to be something more to be called a gang."
Interviewer: "Was there anything about how we define it that made you unsure?"
[R asked to reread it]
R35(NV): "When you said, 'or something else,' that threw me off. And when you
said, 'this means all gangs...' it just makes it a lot more vague when you say
that."
The fifth student seemed to make a distinction between street gangs, and what she
thought of as gangs at her school (groups of kids who misbehave). When the interviewer
asked if the definition in the survey was clear, she said:
R28(V, FN): "I don't think so. When you said gangs, I just think of a whole bunch
of groups together, looking like thugs and stuff."
Interviewer: “Are there other types of gangs that you thought about?”
R28(V, FN): "I mean like, once I thought of gangs, I wasn't really thinking of the
ones at my school because they don't really hang around each other- they're not
in a group all the time. But when I think of gangs or street gangs, that's what I
think of."
The remaining students answered the question and follow-up probes without any
confusion regarding what we meant by gangs. One student was not asked the question or
follow-up probes.
Considering the confusion mentioned by three students in this round and the feedback from FRs
from the 2017 fielding, the final recommendation was to revert to the original 2017 version of
K_GANG_INTRO, but to remove the word “crew” and the seemingly contradictory sentence
that the survey is asking about all gangs, not just those involved in violent or illegal activity.
INTRO_6 (Gangs) Revision 2: Final recommendation
INTRO 6 -

7 SPANISH PRETESTING
7.1 Data Collection and Respondent Recruitment
From February 2018 to March 2018, the CSM Spanish language team planned to conduct one
round of Spanish cognitive interviews with six respondents. Our goal was to recruit both bullied
and non-bullied students, who were Spanish dominant. Nonetheless finding Spanish dominant
students who had been bullied during the past year was extremely difficult. We received a
limited response to our advertising and outreach to community partners. After a 3-week
recruitment period, the CSM Spanish language team conducted three face-to-face interviews in
Spanish. During recruitment, we targeted respondents who reported speaking Spanish better than
English, with a mix of grade levels, national origins, and genders. Recruitment methods
consisted of posting advertisements on Craigslist and Facebook pages targeting the local Spanish
speaking community. Flyers were also posted in community centers and libraries, and distributed
to personal contacts in community organizations.
Although we needed to recruit students who spoke Spanish better than English and who had
experienced bullying, we did not want to use the translation for bullying in the ads as the
translation was a key term for cognitive testing. Therefore, we emphasized the language and age
requirements in addition to a list of additional criteria that removed the emphasis on bullying in
the recruitment screener.
Parents of interested students called the number provided on the flyers to answer a set of
screening questions. In addition to the English screener questions, the Spanish screener also
collected information about the students’ language proficiency in Spanish and English, (see
Appendix A for the screener questions in English). The three interviews were conducted in
person in the local metropolitan area (i.e., D.C., Maryland, and Virginia). Each respondent
received $25 cash, and parents who brought respondents to the interview received $25 cash to
compensate them for their travel time.

7.2 Cognitive Interviews
We interviewed two females and one male respondent. One respondent was in middle school,
one respondent in high school, and one respondent had recently dropped out of high school. One
respondent had experienced bullying in the past year, while the other two respondents had not
experienced bullying in the past year. Although we had screened for language dominance by
asking parents a series of language preferences we found that two of the students were more
comfortable speaking in English to our interviewers or code-switched between English and
Spanish. Code-switching refers to the practice where the speaker alternates between two or more
languages in one conversation, in this case Spanish and English. We learned that although
students may communicate at home in Spanish or understand a parent who is speaking in
Spanish, they spoke about school events in English.

7.3 Decision to Conduct an Expert Review
While evaluating the recruitment process for the Spanish speaking students the CSM team
determined that, although respondents could potentially be recruited, the cost and time
limitations of the project was best served by an alternative pre-testing method. Parents were
concerned about the questions that would be asked. In response to advertisements posted in
Facebook groups, individuals shared concerns about the goal of the research; some commenters
raised concerns that this was a way to gather information about the immigration statuses of
families. As an alternative to cognitive interviews, the CSM language team suggested the use of
an expert review of the Spanish version of the questionnaire. The CSM conducted an expert
review of the full questionnaire, paying particular attention to the items that had changes in
English because of the cognitive testing.
Three CSM staff with backgrounds in questionnaire design and translation conducted the expert
review. The expert review followed a standardized format; each reviewer conducted an
independent review, followed by several consensus meetings to agree on final recommendations.
The CSM Spanish language team delivered final recommendations in a separate document from
this report.

8 TESTING THE SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT PARENT
BROCHURE
CSM offered to solicit feedback from parents on the School Crime Parent Brochure that is
included in the advanced mailing materials for the NCVS (see Attachment D for the brochure).
Parents who brought their child to the interview were asked if they would be willing to provide
feedback on the brochure while they waited for their child to complete the interview. Parents
who agreed to provide feedback were given the brochure and a feedback form with five
questions. Interviewers explained that the brochure would be sent to them if their household
were selected to participate in the actual survey. Eleven parents provided feedback on the SCS
parent brochure. Overall, reactions to the brochure were positive. Their responses to the
questions are discussed below.
1. What do you think you would do after receiving this brochure in the mail?
Six respondents said that they would read it or glance at it after receiving it. One (P8) of these six
said they would go on the website to check the legitimacy of the survey. Another (P12) said she
would look up reviews on the Department of Justice website, and see if she could find even more
information than what the brochure said. P34 said that she might discuss it with her kids. The
final two respondents said they would not read the brochure; they would just throw it away.
2. What is your first impression of the brochure?
Five respondents said that it was very informative. One of those five also said that it is very
bright and colorful, and gets your attention to even want to read it.
Others said:
P2: "I like the use of the word 'your.' It makes it appear that the survey is
important to my family."
50

P3: "Easy to read."
P10: "Low key, not pushy or demanding."
P14: "Why am I getting this? But then when I read it, I thought it was good."
P34: "The pictures of 'kids' are the wrong age, like adult actors playing high
school students."
P35: "It doesn't have African American male representation."
One respondent (P8) found two “kerning errors” [respondent’s words] - middle column on
inside, "the presence of gangs atschool" and left column on outside, "occurred at least once or
twice amonth,” (emphasis added).
3. Would you read it if you received it in the mail?
When explicitly asked, eight of the eleven said that they would read the brochure. One said
maybe, and one said no. The last respondent (P8) said that if the brochure came alone, she would
not read it. If it came with a letter that had information on who is collecting the information and
things like that, then she would.
4. Do you see anything about the brochure that might make you more likely to read it? [If
necessary] Why would that make you more likely to read it?
Eight parents were asked this question. Four said that there is nothing about it that would make
them more likely to read it. One specified that she would read it no matter what (P12).
The others said:
P1: "The questions you would ask my child."
P6: Just said the brochure is informative. Said parents wouldn't know without
getting this information.
P10: "The statistics on the flap from 2013 drew my interest because I like facts
and statistics."
P34: "The statistics look interesting."
5. Do you have any other thoughts about the brochure that you’d like to share?
Four parents had additional thoughts that they wanted to share.
P2: "The brochure is easy to read. I like the school building graphic at the front of
the brochure."
P8: She would like the back contact information to have an email, or label which
entity is being contacted for more information. "It's not really clear to me who is
conducting this survey."
P10: "I also like seeing the websites and phone numbers under "Resources" for
reference."
P14:"I like that it says… no one will, you will not release to the school. It will be
confidential. I like about "why is my child being asked to complete this survey." I
think it's good that they're finding this information. And it's conducted every two
years - I think it should be conducted every year. Especially nowadays."
P34: "I like that the brochure lists the topics of the questions."
P35: R said she wondered how often the survey is conducted.

9 CONCLUSIONS
The primary focus of this testing was to revise the series of bullying questions to remove the
word “bullying,” with additional focus on updated terminology in questions about school
sponsored activities, the availability of drugs and alcohol, and the presence of gangs in school.
We were able to update the terminology in all three questions, and made some minor revisions to
improve the performance of the items.
Overall, the findings from this study indicate that the revised section of bullying questions
performed well. The questions worked well to accurately categorize students as victims or nonvictims, even when their self-identification did not match their bullying status.
Of the 36 respondents interviewed during testing, respondents’ responses to the bullying criteria
questions resulted in only one false positive (respondent was considered to be bullied but should
not have been) and one false negative (respondent was considered to NOT be bullied but should
have been).
The false positive was the result of the respondent reporting a behavior in Q22, the main
screening question, that matched what the item was asking about, but was not hurtful to her. It
appears that this respondent lost the reference to the stem of the question that explained that the
question was asking about behaviors that “make you feel bad or are hurtful to you.” The item she
responded to appeared late in Q22 and was originally asked immediately following a partial stem
that may have seemed like a standalone question, creating the appearance that it was asking
about a non-hurtful behavior: “Has any student from your school… Tried to make you do
things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?” As a result of
this false positive, the partial stem was moved up above item e (“Pushed you, shoved you,
tripped you, or spit on you?”).
The false negative was the result of the respondent misinterpreting Q25 (“Has any student done
any of those things to you more than once during this school year?”) designed to confirm
repetition when there were multiple perpetrators. When asked what the question was asking in
her own words, she said, “Do they continue to mess with you every day at school?” During
follow up probing, she explained that she answered no to Q25 because some days they do not
mess with her. The interviewer probed on whether any of the students did the behaviors in Q22
multiple times, to which the respondent said that they did, confirming that she did meet the
criteria for repetition. There was no clear indication of why this respondent misinterpreted this
question. Other respondents of all ages were easily able to correctly interpret this question. Since
it performed well throughout testing, no revisions were made.
According to their responses to Q34(“Do you consider [that thing/those things] that [another
student/other students] did to you to be bullying?”), three students’ self-identification of bullying
status did not match the narratives they provided about their experiences. Despite this mismatch,
all three were correctly categorized based on their responses to the questions measuring the
52

bullying criteria. Two of the students met the criteria for bullying but did not consider
themselves bullied. When asked if they would have reported the behaviors they said yes to in
Q22 if the question referred to them as bullying, both respondents said they would not have
reported them. The third student did not meet the criteria for bullying, but considered herself
bullied. She said she still would have reported the behaviors in Q22 if they were referred to as
bullying. The fact that these students were correctly categorized despite the mismatch in selfidentification further supports the decision to remove the word “bullying” from the supplement.

10 REFERENCES
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Cole, J. C. M., Cornell, D. G., & Sheras, P. (2006). “Identification of school bullies by survey
methods.” Professional School Counseling, 9:305-313.
Espelage, D. L., & Swearer, S. M. (2011). "Bullying in North American Schools: A Socioecological Perspective on Prevention and Intervention". New York, NY: Routledge.
Farrington, David. (1993). "Understanding and Preventing Bullying". Crime and Justice 17(1):
381-458.
Finkelhor, D., Turner, H. A., & Hamby, S. (2012). Let's prevent peer victimization, not just
bullying. Child Abuse & Neglect, 36 (271-24).
Frisén, A., Holmqvist, K., & Oscarsson, D. (2008). 13 year-olds’ perception of bullying:
definitions, reasons for victimisation and experience of adults’ response. Educ Stud, 34,
105–117. doi:10.1080/0305569070181114919.
Gallo, Laura, L., Milsom, A. (2006). "Bullying in Middle Schools: Prevention and Intervention".
Middle School Journal 37(3): 12-19.
Gladden, R. M., Vivolo-Kantor, A. M., Hamburger, M. E., and Lumpkin, C. D. (2014). Bullying
surveillance among youth: Uniform definitions for public health and recommended data
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Department of
Education. http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/bullying-definitions-final-a.pdf.
Kert, Allison S., Codding, R. S., Tryon, G. S., and Shiyko, M. (2010). “Impact of the word
‘bully’ on the reported rate of bullying behavior.” Psychology in the Schools, 47(2):193204.
Mishna, Faye, Scarcello, I., Pepler, D., Wiener, J. (2005). "Teachers' Understanding of
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Naylor, P., Cowie, H., Cossin, F., Bettencourt, R., & Lemme, F. (2006). Teachers’ and pupils’
definitions of bullying. Br J Educ Psychol, 76(3), 553–576.
Olweus, Dan. (1990). "Bullying at School: What we Know and What we can do". Oxford, UK:
Blackwell.

Olweus, Dan. (1993). "Bullying among Schoolchildren. " Health Hazards in Adolescence, edited
by Klaus Hurrelmann and Friedrich Losel. Berlin: De Gruyter.
Olweus, Dan. (2003). “A Profile of Bullying at School.” Educational Leadership, 60:12-17.
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Olweus bully/victim questionnaire.” Aggressive Behavior, 29:239-268.
Ttofi, M., Farrington, D., Losel, F., & Loeber, R. (2011). "Do the Victims of School Bullies tend
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Vaillancourt, T., McDougall, P., Krygsman, A., Hymel, S.,Miller, J., Stiver, K., & Davis, C.
(2008). Bullying: are researchers and children/youth talking about the same thing?
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Design: Understanding Qualitative Research”. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Appendix A: 2019 SCS/NCVS Cognitive Interview Recruitment
Protocol
SCREENING QUESTIONNAIRE FOR SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
IF MORE THAN ONE CHILD: Let’s start with the oldest child first.

Child 1

Child 2

Child 3

Child 4

4. How old is that child? (Verify child is
12 -18)
5. What is that child’s name?
6. Is _____ male or female?
7. What grade is _____ in?
8. Is _____ Hispanic?
9. Please choose one or more races that
_____considers him/herself to be.
White
Black or African American
Asian
American Indian or Alaska Native
Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander
10. Does _____ speak English fluently?
11. What city or town does _____ live in?
12. Does _____ attend public school,
attend private school, or is [he/she]
homeschooled?
13. Has _____ ever been bullied in
school? (That you know of)
13b.[IF YES TO 13] When did the most
recent bullying incident occur? (their
best guess is fine)
14. Has _____ ever bullied another
student at school? (That you know of)
15. If necessary, would you be able to
bring _____to our office in Suitland, MD
to be interviewed?
IF MORE THAN ONE CHILD: Now let’s talk about the [second/third/fourth] oldest child.

16. In order to make sure that we recruit students from a variety of backgrounds, my last question
is about your household’s annual income. Is your household's annual income....
a. above $25,000?
1 [ ] Yes

2 [ ] No - skip to conclusion

b. Is it above $50,000?
1 [ ] Yes

2 [ ] No - skip to conclusion

c. Is it above $100,000?
1 [ ] Yes

2 [ ] No

17. How did you hear about the survey?
___________________________________________________________

Attachment 13:
Cognitive Pretesting of the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey:
Final Report – Protocols

2019 SCS to the NCVS
Round 1 Cognitive Interview Protocol

Cognitive Testing of NCVS SCS
PARTICIPANT ID #: _________________________

DATE: ____ / ____ / 2017

INTERVIEWER’S NAME:_________________________________________________
START TIME: ______: ______

AM / PM

Hello, my name is ______ and I work for the Census Bureau. It’s nice to meet you and thank you very much for helping us out
today.
IF NECESSARY, CREATE SMALL TALK TO BUILD RAPPORT WITH THE STUDENT BY ASKING A QUESTION, SUCH AS:
• What is your favorite subject in school? RESPOND ACCORDINGLY (e.g., if the student responds with “science,” ask them
what they are studying in their science class).
Section 1: (If applicable) Observers:
Before we get started let me mention that there are some observers watching the interview in another room. They are only
watching to get an idea of how the questions in the survey we are going to talk about are working.
Section 2: Information about today’s survey
Let me start by telling you a little bit about what we're doing here. The Census Bureau administers many surveys in addition to
the counting people in the US every 10 years. Since so many agencies rely on data from the Census Bureau, it is extremely
important that this information be as accurate as possible.
In order to help us improve our surveys, we turn to students like you to find out if our questions make sense and are easy to
understand and answer. The survey we'll talk about today is conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is
part of the U.S. Department of Education. The research we’re doing today will help us figure out if changes we have made to the
questionnaire are working for students like you, and it will help us improve the accuracy of data.
I'm going to go through the questionnaire like a real interview, but I'm mainly interested in your reactions to the questions. So
after we go through some of the questions, I'll stop and ask you some follow up questions about the survey questions you
answered. For example, I might reread a question from the survey, and ask you what certain words or phrases in the question
mean to you, or what you were thinking about when you were answering. There are no right or wrong answers, we just want to
know your thoughts and reactions to the questions to help us make them better so that other students like you can easily
understand them. The things we will talk about in the interview today will only be used in our research to help us improve the
survey. Your name will not be attached to anything you say. Direct quotes may be used in research papers and professional
presentations, but your name and any names you might mention today will never be used in our reports and presentations.

2
1/16/18

Section 3: Taping:
I'd like to ask for your permission to audio tape the session today. The main reason we tape these interviews is so that we don't
have to rely on notes or our memories later. This allows me to concentrate on what you're saying during the interview. All of the
information you provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable form for any
other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).
Do you have any questions about the recording?
AFTER ANSWERING QUESTIONS AND GIVING FURTHER EXPLANATION, CONTINUE. IF THE PARTICIPANT IS NO
LONGER INETERESTED IN PARTICIPATING, THANK THE PARTICIPANT FOR HIS/HER TIME AND END THE INTERVIEW.

Section 4: Informed Consent
[If student is under 18]:
Your parent signed a form giving you permission to participate today. I am going to tell you about what was in that document.
The document that your parent signed explains the purpose of the study and how we will protect your information. In addition to
what I have just mentioned about never sharing your name or any names you say during the interview, I would like to draw your
attention to the fact that:
•
•
•
•

Your participation is voluntary and you may stop the interview at any time
You can refuse to answer any of the questions asked or take a break at any time
All of the information you provide may be used only for statistical purposes and may not be disclosed, or used, in
identifiable form for any other purpose except as required by law (20 U.S.C. §9573 and 6 U.S.C. §151).
As stated in the form, we would like to record this interview to assist in our ability to write a report summarizing the
interview.

[If student is 18]:
Before we start, I’m going to give you a written consent form.
HAND 1 COPY OF THE INFORMED CONSENT DOCUMENT TO THE PARTICIPANT
This document explains the purpose of the study and how we will protect your information. In addition to what I have just
mentioned about never sharing your name or any names you say during the interview, I would like to draw your attention to the
fact that:
•
•
•
•

Your participation is voluntary and you may stop the interview at any time
You can refuse to answer any of the questions asked or take a break at any time
Your responses in this study may be used only for statistical purposes and will not be disclosed, or used, in identifiable
form for any other purpose, except as required by law. (ESRA 2002, U.S.C. 20 § 9573)
As stated in the form, we would like to record this interview to assist in our ability to write a report summarizing the
interview.

Thank you for signing the consent form. I will also sign this form to show that I agree to everything in the form. At the end of the
interview, I’ll be sure to give you a copy for you to take with you.
1. ASK PARTICIPANT IF (S)HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT FORM.
2. IF PARTICIPANT AGREES, OBTAIN THE RESPONDENT’S SIGNATURE TO PROCEED ON ONE COPY OF THE
FORM; INTERVIEWER SHOULD ALSO SIGN THE FORM AT THIS TIME.
3. MAKE SURE RESPONDENT TAKES ONE COPY WITH THEM WHEN THE INTERVIEW IS OVER AT THE END OF
THE INTERVIEW.

[All students]:
Are you comfortable with me recording this interview?
IF PARTICIPANT PROVIDES CONSENT TO HAVE THE SESSION AUDIO-TAPED:
I’m going to turn on the recorder now, and once it is on, I’m going to ask for your permission to record today, and then we will get
started.
TURN ON TAPE RECORDER, ASK FOR PERMISSION TO RECORD ON THE TAPE, AND BEGIN THE INTERVIEW.
OK, let’s begin.
INTERVIEWER INSTRUCTIONS:
NOTE ANY CONFUSION OR DIFFICULTIES RESPONDENTS HAVE WITH THE QUESTIONS.
RETROSPECTIVE PROBING (R=respondent):
IF YOU NOTICED R HAVING COGNITIVE DIFFICULTY ANSWERING ANY OF THE QUESTIONS YOU ARE PROBING ON,
MAKE SURE TO PROBE ON R’S DIFFICULTY WITH THE QUESTION. GO THROUGH THE SURVEY WITHOUT PROBING
UNTIL YOU GET TO QUESTION 32 ON PAGE 15. GO THROUGH THE RETROSPECTIVE PROBES WITH R. BE SURE TO
PROBE ON ANY OF THE RESPONDENT’S APPARENT DIFFICULTY OR HESITATION. AFTER ALL PROBES, CONTINUE
THE SURVEY AT QUESTION 33, ADMINISTER THE REMAINING SURVEY QUESTIONS, THEN ASK THE FINAL SET OF
PROBES, FOLLOWED BY THE DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS.

4
1/16/18

2017 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
INTRO_1 -

E_ATTENDSCHOOL

1a.

Did you attend school at any time this school year?
_________________________________________

E_HOMESCHOOL

1b.

During that time, were you ever homeschooled?
That is, did you receive ANY of that schooling at
home, rather than in a public or private school?
_________________________________________

E_ALLHOMESCHOOL

1c.

Was all of your schooling this school year
homeschooling?
___________________________________________

E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

1d.

How many different schools have you
attended this school year?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to END
_____________________________________________
006

092

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

_____________________________________________
1  Yes - SKIP to END
2  No
_____________________________________________
007

185SCS 1  One school
2  Two schools
3  Three or more schools

Include your homeschooling as one school.
(only asked if student answered “yes” to being
homeschooled)
CHECK ITEM A: if student was not homeschooled (1b, E_HOMESCHOOL = “No”) Skip to 2b, WHATGRADE. If student was
partially homeschooled (1c, E_ALLHOMESCHOOL = “No”) continue with 2a, E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE.
E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE

2a.

During the time you were homeschooled this school
year, what grade would you have been in if you
were in a public or private school?

093

008

0  Fifth or under - SKIP to END
1  Sixth
2  Seventh
3  Eighth
4  Ninth
SKIP to E_WHATMONTH
5  Tenth
6  Eleventh
7  Twelfth
8  Other - Specify
9  College/GED/Post-graduate/
Other noneligible - SKIP to END

E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE_OTHER
E_WHATGRADE

2b.

What grade are you in?

E_WHATGRADE_OTHER

homeschooled.

E_WHATMONTH
3.
In what month did your current school year begin?

009

E_WHATMONTHOTHER

1  August
2  September
3  Other

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
October
November
December

ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
F_SCHOOLSTATE, F_SCHOOLCOUNTY, F_SCHOOLCITY

4b.

In what State, County and City is your school
located?

F_NAMEOFSCHOOL

What is the complete name of your school?
F_PUBLICORPRIVATE

5a.

015
014
013
012

State
County
City
School Name

1  Public – ASK F_REGULARSCHOOL
2  Private - SKIP to F_CHURCHRELATED
______________________________________________
016

1  Yes
2  No
SKIP to F_GRADES_LOW
_________________________________________
017

018

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

6
1/16/18

F_GRADES_LOW

6a.

What is the lowest grade taught in your school?

020
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

021

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

022

1
2
3
4
5
6

F_GRADES_HIGH

6b.

What is the highest grade taught in your school?

F_GETTOSCHOOL

How do you get to school most of the time this
school year?

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used, code
the mode in which the student spends the most time.
F_GETTOSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets to school.

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way – Specify _________

F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL
8.
How do you get home from school most of the time
this school year?

024

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.
F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets home from
school.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPORTS

a. Athletic teams at school?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPIRIT

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ARTS

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ACADEMIC

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, or Math Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ GOVT

e. Student government or class council?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SERVICE

f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Ecology Club, or Recycling Club?

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way - Specify ________

Yes

120

1

2

121

1

2

122

1

2

123

1

2

124

1

2

125

1

2

126

1

[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club, Key Club,
or Interact? Do not include community service
hours required for graduation.
F_ACTIVITIES_ OTHER

g. Other school clubs or school activities?

F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY

What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?



2

Specify __________

8
1/16/18

Yes

If you hear about a threat to school or student safety,
do you have a way to report it without having to give
your name?

F_DISTRACTED
12.
In your classes, how often are you distracted from
doing your schoolwork because other students are
misbehaving, for example, talking or fighting?

(READ CATEGORIES.)

Don’t know School does not
have lockers

028

1

2

3

029

1

2

3

030

1

2

3

031

1

2

3

032

1

2

3

033

1

2

3

094

1

2

3

095

1

2

3

096

1

2

3

Yes

Don’t know

167

1

2

3

156

1
2
3
4

F_REPORT

11.

4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

13.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

F_RULES_FAIR

The school rules are fair.

F_PUNISHMENT_SAME

The punishment for breaking school rules is the
same no matter who you are.

F_RULES_ENFORCED

The school rules are strictly enforced.
(Strictly enforced rules means that the school
consistently carries out disciplinary actions against
any students who break school rules.)

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

035

1

2

3

4

036

1

2

3

4

037

1

2

3

4

038

1

2

3

4

127

1

2

3

4

F_PUNISHMENT_KNOWN

d. If a school rule is broken, students know what
kind of punishment will follow.

F_TEACHERS_RESPECT

e. Teachers treat students with respect.

14.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

There is a TEACHER or other ADULT at school who…

F_ADULT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

F_ADULT_LISTENS

Listens to you when you have something to
say.
F_ADULT_GOOD_JOB
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

173SCS 1 

2

3

4

175SCS 1 

2

3

4

176SCS 1 

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Agree

There is a STUDENT at school who…

F_STUDENT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

186SCS 1 

Listens to you when you have something to say.

187SCS 1 

Believes that you will be a success.

188SCS 1 

F_STUDENT_LISTENS

F_STUDENT_SUCCESS

16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOU LIVE,
would you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU LIVE.
17.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOUR
SCHOOL is located, would you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with the following...

Strongly
Agree
212SCS 1 

Strongly
Agree

2

3

4

2

3

4

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

2

3

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree
4

Strongly
Disagree

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD_SCHOOL

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU go to SCHOOL.

213SCS 1 

2

3

4

10
1/16/18

18.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

F_SAFE_IN_SCHOOL

You feel safe in your school
SCS_INTRO 3

19.

189SCS 1 

2

3

4

The following question refers to the availability of
drugs and alcohol at your school.

Yes

040

1

2

041

1

2

159

1

2

209SCS

1

2

Is it possible for students at your school to get…
F_ ALCOHOL

a. Alcoholic beverages?
F_MARIJUANA

b. Marijuana, also known as pot, weed or mary jane?
F_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS

c. Prescription drugs illegally obtained without a
prescription, such as Oxycontin, Ritalin, or
Adderall?
F_OTHER_ILLEGAL

d. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or heroin?

F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

20.

During this school year, did you see another
student who was under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol while they were at school?

210SCS

1  Yes
2  No

FIGHTING, BULLYING AND HATE BEHAVIORS
G_FIGHT_AT_SCHOOL
21a.
During this school year, have you been in one or
more physical fights at school?

G_FIGHT_HOW_OFTEN
21b.
During this school year, how many times have you
been in a physical fight at school?

103

104

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to:
Q22

 (Number of times)

22.

(Read each category a-h.)

G_BULLY_MADE_FUN

Yes

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_RUMOR
b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?

134

1

2

135

1

2

c. Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_THREAT
d. Threatened you with harm?
G_BULLY_CONTACT
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?

136

1

2

137

1

2

138

1

2

139

1

2

140

1

2

141

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
Probes (Q22) on page 16

Has any student from your school…

G_BULLY_COERCED

Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?
G_BULLY_EXCLUDED
g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or
other communications to hurt you?
G_BULLY_DESTROYED_PROP

Destroyed your property on purpose?

SCS_INTRO 4

[If R said yes to 2+ in Q22a-h]: When I asked you that last series of questions, you said yes to __ of those items. Please
think about those things you just told me about while answering the next few questions.
G_BULLY_MULTI_PERS
23.
Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said
you experienced this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] to you?

217SCS
1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to: Q26a

12
1/16/18

G_BULLY_HOW_ACT
24.
Did these students act alone, together as a team, or
both?

25.

You said that more than one student did [that
thing/those things] to you. Has any student done
[that thing/any of those things] to you more than
once during this school year?

G_BULLY_DAY_PLUS
26a.
During this school year, how many days did you
experience (that thing/any of those things)?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_BULLY_TIMES
26b.
In that one day, how many times would you say
[another student/other students] did [that thing/any
of those things] to you?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES 1-4)

G_BULLY_HAPPEN_AGAIN

27.

Did you think [that student/those students] would
do hurtful things to you again?

218SCS
1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

214SCS
1
2
3
4

One day – Go to Q26b
Two to five days – Skip to Q27
Six to ten days– Skip to Q27
More than ten days– Skip to Q27

215SCS
1
2
3
4

One time
Two or more times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

216SCS
1  Yes
2  No

CHECK ITEM B:
1. Did more than one student do those things?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q23)  Go to QUESTION 2 BELOW
No (R answered “No” to Q23)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14 (fill for “another student”/ “that student”)
2. Did any of those students do any of those things more than once?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q25)  Go to SCS INTRO 5a ON PAGE 14 (fill for “other students” / “those students”)
No (R answered “No” to Q25)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14(fill for “other students” / “those students)

SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did things to you more than once this school year. For the next

school year…
ALL GO TO G_BULLY_STRONGER, Q28 item a
Yes

Q28
G_BULLY_STRONGER
a. [Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

219SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_POPULAR
b. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

220SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_MONEY
c. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

221SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_INFLUENCE
d. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

222SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER
e. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?

223SCS

1

2 

CHECK ITEM C:
How many incidents did the respondent report?
One incident (Q26a = 1 AND Q26b = 1)  Go to VERSION 1 OF Q29
More than one incident (Q26a > 1 OR Q26a = 1 AND Q26b > 1)  Skip to VERSION 2 OF Q29
G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8

VERSION 1
29.
Still thinking about the time that [another
student/other students] did something to you, where
did it occur? Did it occur …
(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place it occurred?

G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8
VERSION 2
29.
Still thinking about all of the times that [another
student/other students] did those things to you,
where did they occur? Did they occur …

(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place they occurred?

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
5  Somewhere else inside the school
building? –Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
144
6  Outside on school grounds?
145
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
211SCS 8  Online or by text?
ALL SKIP TO Q30 ON PAGE 15

143
168
169
173
146

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
5  Somewhere else inside the school
building? – Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
144
6  Outside on school grounds?
145
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
211SCS 8  Online or by text?

143
168
169
173
146

14
1/16/18

G_BULLY_ADULT_TOLD
30.
Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about [this student/these students] doing [that
thing/those things] to you?

31.

147

1  Yes
2  No

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_SCHOOL_WORK

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

196SCS

1

2

3

4

197SCS

1

2

3

4

198SCS

1

2

3

4

199SCS

1

2

3

4

32. When [another student/other students] did [that
thing/those things] to you, did you ever think it was
related to...
G_BULLY_RACE

a.
YOUR race?
G_BULLY_RELIGION
b.
YOUR religion?
G_BULLY_ETHNIC_ORIGIN
c.
Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_BULLYING_DISABILITY
d.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_BULLYING_GENDER
e.
YOUR gender?
G_BULLYING_ORIENTATION
f.
YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_BULLYING_APPEARANCE
g.
YOUR physical appearance?
.

Yes

200SCS

1

2

201SCS

1

2

202SCS

1

2

203SCS

1

2

204SCS

1

2

205SCS

1

2

206SCS

1

2

Probes (Q22):
Now I have a few questions about some of the items you just answered.
Earlier I asked you these questions: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q22 TO REFERENCE, R WILL
REFERENCE THIS THROUGH THE INTERVIEW, SO DON’T TAKE IT BACK]
If any Q22 a – g = yes:
When I asked you if any student from your school had done any of those things that might make
you feel bad or are hurtful to you, you said yes to items _______ [SAY WHICH LETTERS R SAID
YES TO, DO NOT READ BEHAVIORS. Ex – “you said yes to items b and d”].
a. Can you tell me about what happened? As much as you feel comfortable talking about.

If Q22 = no to all:
When I asked you if any student from your school had done any of those things that might make
you feel bad or are hurtful to you, you said no to all items.
b. Did any of those things happen to you but you didn’t think they would count for this
question? Can you tell me more about why you didn’t include them here?
c. Did other students do any other things not included in this list that made you feel bad
or were hurtful to you? Can you tell me more about that?

All respondents:

d. Were you thinking about things that happen online or by text when I asked you the
questions shown here? [GESTURE TO PAPER]
e. What kinds of places were you thinking about where those things could have happened?
f.

Suppose you had a brother or sister who attended your school and they were doing things
to you at school that made you feel bad or were hurtful. Do you think you would say yes
to any of the questions on this paper? [GESTURE TO PAPER]

What about if a boyfriend or girlfriend was doing something hurtful that was asked
about in that question [GESTURE TO PAPER]? Would you include that here?

h. Is there anything missing from this list [GESTURE TO PAPER] that we should add?

IF R SAID NO TO ALL ITEMS IN Q22, SKIP TO: Probes (Bullying section part 1 on page 19)
Probes (Q23):
The next question I asked was, “Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said you
experienced this school year, did more than one student do [this/these things] to you?” You
answered ____.
a. How did you come up with your answer to this question?
b. [IF NOT MENTIONED IN RESPONSE TO PROBE A] What incidents were you thinking of when you
were answering this question?
IF R SAID NO TO Q23, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q26a)

16
1/16/18

Probes (Q24): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
I then asked: “Did these people act alone, together as a team, or both?” You answered ____.
All respondents:
a. Can you tell me why you answered the way you did?
b. [IF NECESSARY] How many different people did those things to you?
c. What does the phrase “together as a team” mean to you in this question?

If Q27 = Alone or Both:
d. Even though [some of] these people acted alone, do you think that some of the things
that different people did to you were related in some way? Can you tell me more about
that?

Probes (Q25): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
Another question I asked was: “You said that more than one student did [that thing/those
things] to you. Has any student done [that thing/any of those things] to you more than once
during this school year?”
All respondents:
a. Please tell me, in your own words, what this question is asking?
When I asked this question earlier, you answered ___.
b. Why did you answer the way you did?
Probes (Q26a):
Another question I asked was, “During this school year, how many days did you experience (that
thing/any of those things)?” The response options were, “One day,” “Two to five days,” “Six to
ten days,” and “More than 10 days.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
a. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
b. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?
IF R’S ANSWER = MORE THAN ONE DAY, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q27)
Probes (Q26b): [ASKED IF THINGS ONLY HAPPENED ON ONE DAY (Q26A = ONE DAY)]
The follow up question I asked was, “In that one day, how many times would you say [another
student/other students] did [that thing/any of those things] to you?” The response options
were, “One time,” and “Two or more times.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
a. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
b. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?

Probes (Q27):
The next question I asked was, “Did you think [that student/those students] would do hurtful
things to you again?”
If R ANSWERED “YES”:
a. When I first asked this question, you answered “yes.” Why did you answer the way you
did?
All respondents:
b. What hurtful things were you thinking of when answering this question?

Probes (Q28):
Next I asked you these questions: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q28 TO REFERENCE]
If R said more than one student did things and someone did things more than
once (Q23= Yes & Q25 = Yes)
a. Which students were you thinking about when answering these question?
b. [IF NECESSARY] Were you thinking about the same student(s) when answering each of the
individual questions a through e? [IF NO AND IF NECESSARY] Can you tell me more about
that?
All respondents:
Question D asks, “[Did that student/did any of those students] have the ability to influence
what other students think of you?
c. Please tell me, in your own words, what that question is asking?
If R said yes to item e (more power in some other way)
d. When I first asked you these questions, you said yes to item e, more power than you in
some other way. What other way were you thinking of when you said yes? [IF NECESSARY]
Can you tell me more about that?
Probes (Q29a/Q29b):
Next I asked you these questions: [DEPENDING ON WHICH VERSION OF THE QUESTION THEY WERE ASKED,
HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q29a OR Q29B TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
a. Does this list include all the places where other students have done hurtful things to
you? [IF NO] Where else did they occur?

Probes (31):
This is another series of questions I asked you: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q31 TO REFERENCE]
a. What does the phrase “had a negative effect on” mean to you in this question?
b. Please tell me what question D is asking, in your own words.

18
1/16/18

Probes (Bullying section part 1):
a. Thinking about all of the questions we just went through about hurtful things students
might do, what do you think the questions were trying to get at?
IF R SAID NO TO ALL IN Q22, SKIP TO: PROBES (BULLYING SECTION PART 2)
Now I’m going to ask one survey question and then some more follow up
questions.
33.

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

Do you consider [that thing/those things] that [another
student/other students] did to you to be bullying?

Probes (Q33):
a. Why did you answer the way you did?
b. [POINT TO Q22] Would you have answered those questions differently if we referred to
those behaviors as bullying? [IF YES] Please tell me more about that.
Probes (Bullying section part 2):
a. How did you feel about the fact that we didn’t refer to bullying when asking all of
those questions?
b. Please tell me, in your own words, what it means to be bullied?

Thank you for that. Now we’re going to return to the last set of actual survey
questions.
AVOIDANCE
37.

During this school year, did you ever STAY AWAY
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attack or harm you there?
Yes

068

1

2

069

1

2

070

1

2

071

1

2

072

1

2

073

1

2

074

1

2

075

1

2

208SCS

1

2

H_AVOID_SHORTCUT

H_AVOID_ACTIVITIES

38a.

Did you AVOID any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?

076

1  Yes
2  No

H_AVOID_CLASSES
38b.
Did you AVOID any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?

077

1  Yes
2  No

H_STAY_HOME

078

1  Yes
2  No

38c.

Did you stay home from school because you
thought someone might attack or harm you in the
school building, on school property, on a school
bus, or going to or from school?
GANGS

K_INTRO_GANG
INTRO 6 - Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. Your answers will not be shared with anyone at your
school or home.
K_GANGS
43a. Are there any gangs at your school?

K_GANG_FIGHTS
43b. During this school year, how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or other violence at your
school?

058

1  Yes- GO to Q43b
2  No - SKIP to Q44
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q44

089

1
2
3
4
5

090

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don't know

Never
Once or twice this school year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week, or
Almost every day

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)
K_GANG_DRUGS

43c.

Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?

STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
L_GRADES
44.
During this school year, across all subjects have you
gotten mostly -

116

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)

L_SKIP_CLASSES

45a.

During the past 4 weeks of school, did you skip any
classes? Again, we would like to remind you that
none of your responses will be shared with anyone at
your school or home.

L_SKIP_CLASS_DAYS

45b.

During the past 4 weeks of school, on how many
days did you skip at least one class?

46.
Thinking about the future, do you think you will ...
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
a. Attend school after high school, such as a college
or technical school? . . . . . . . . . .
L_GRADUATE_4YR

b. Graduate from a 4-year college? . . . . . . . . . . .

114

115

1
2
3
4
5
6

A's
B's
C's
D's
F's
School does not give grades/no alphabetic
grade equivalent

1  Yes- GO to Q45b
2  No - SKIP to Q46
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q46

 (Number of days)
Yes

Don't know

117

1

2  -- END

3

118

1

2

3

20
1/16/18

Probes (Q43):
I have some follow up questions about a few of the items you answered throughout the survey,
then we’ll wrap up.
All respondents:
I asked you, “Are there any gangs at your school?”
a. What does the term “gangs” mean to you in this question?
If R answered “yes”:
When I asked if there are gangs at your school, you answered “yes.”
b. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
c. [IF NECESSARY] What are some things about the group that makes you think of them as a
gang?

Probes (Q19):
I asked you this question towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF
Q19 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
a.

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “alcoholic beverages”?

Take a look at item b.
b. Are there other names for marijuana that you hear more often than pot, weed, and mary
jane? [IF NECESSARY] What are some of those names?

Take a look at item c.
c. Prescription drugs are legal but sometimes people get and sell them illegally, like
Oxycontin, Ritalin, and Adderall. Are there other kinds of prescription drugs you know
of that are available? Did you include them in your response?
d. Thinking about all of the drugs we just asked about in that question [POINT TO HANDOUT],
are there other drugs a student might be able to get at school that we didn’t ask about?

Probes (Q9):
This is another question I asked towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE
PAGE OF Q9 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:

a. Were there any activities that you do at your school that you were not able to find on
this list? [IF NECESSARY] What are they?
b. What does the term “spirit groups” mean to you?
c. What does the term “student government” mean to you?

Great! Now we just have a few wrap-up questions, and then we’ll end the interview.

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
a. Overall, what did you think of this survey? Was it easy or difficult?
b. Is it easy to know when something someone does is bullying? Can you tell me more
about that?
c. What is the difference between someone being mean and someone being a bully?
d. Does your school have a specific definition of bullying?
e. [IF YES] How does your school define it?
f.

[IF YES TO D] Do you think of bullying the same way the school talks about

it? [IF NECESSARY] Can you tell me more about that?
g. Did you have any other thoughts about the topics we discussed today, or the
questions on this survey?
Those are all of the questions that I had for you today. Thank you very much for your participation.
Here is an envelope containing your $25.
Here is a voucher form that verifies I gave you the money.
Please complete the information in the highlighted areas and sign and date
TURN OFF THE TAPE RECORDER.
HAND THE CASH INCENTIVE TO THE PARTICIPANT.

22
1/16/18

2019 SCS to the NCVS
Round 2 Cognitive Interview Protocol

Cognitive Testing of NCVS SCS
PARTICIPANT ID #: _________________________

DATE: ____ / ____ / 2018

INTERVIEWER’S NAME:_________________________________________________
START TIME: ______: ______

AM / PM

24
1/16/18

Thank you for signing the consent form. I will also sign this form to show that I agree to everything in the form. At the end of the
interview, I’ll be sure to give you a copy for you to take with you.
4. ASK PARTICIPANT IF (S)HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT FORM.
5. IF PARTICIPANT AGREES, OBTAIN THE RESPONDENT’S SIGNATURE TO PROCEED ON ONE COPY OF THE
FORM; INTERVIEWER SHOULD ALSO SIGN THE FORM AT THIS TIME.
6. MAKE SURE RESPONDENT TAKES ONE COPY WITH THEM WHEN THE INTERVIEW IS OVER AT THE END OF
THE INTERVIEW.

26
1/16/18

2017 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
INTRO_1 -

E_ATTENDSCHOOL

1a.

Did you attend school at any time this school year?
_________________________________________

E_HOMESCHOOL

1b.

During that time, were you ever homeschooled?
That is, did you receive ANY of that schooling at
home, rather than in a public or private school?
_________________________________________

E_ALLHOMESCHOOL

1c.

Was all of your schooling this school year
homeschooling?
___________________________________________

E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

1d.

How many different schools have you
attended this school year?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to END
_____________________________________________
006

092

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

_____________________________________________
1  Yes - SKIP to END
2  No
_____________________________________________
007

185SCS 1  One school
2  Two schools
3  Three or more schools

2a.

During the time you were homeschooled this school
year, what grade would you have been in if you
were in a public or private school?

093

008

E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE_OTHER
E_WHATGRADE

2b.

What grade are you in?

E_WHATGRADE_OTHER

homeschooled.
E_WHATMONTH
3.
In what month did your current school year begin?

009

E_WHATMONTHOTHER

1  August
2  September
3  Other

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
October
November
December

ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
F_SCHOOLSTATE, F_SCHOOLCOUNTY, F_SCHOOLCITY

4b.

In what State, County and City is your school
located?

F_NAMEOFSCHOOL

What is the complete name of your school?
F_PUBLICORPRIVATE

5a.

015
014
013
012

State
County
City
School Name

1  Public – ASK F_REGULARSCHOOL
2  Private - SKIP to F_CHURCHRELATED
______________________________________________
016

1  Yes
2  No
SKIP to F_GRADES_LOW
_________________________________________
017

018

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

28
1/16/18

F_GRADES_LOW

6a.

What is the lowest grade taught in your school?

020
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

021

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

022

1
2
3
4
5
6

F_GRADES_HIGH

6b.

What is the highest grade taught in your school?

F_GETTOSCHOOL

How do you get to school most of the time this
school year?

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used, code
the mode in which the student spends the most time.
F_GETTOSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets to school.

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way – Specify _________

F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL
8.
How do you get home from school most of the time
this school year?

024

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.
F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets home from
school.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPORTS

a. Athletic teams at school?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPIRIT

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ARTS

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ACADEMIC

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, or Math Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ GOVT

e. Student government or class council?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SERVICE

f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Ecology Club, or Recycling Club?

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way - Specify ________

Yes

120

1

2

121

1

2

122

1

2

123

1

2

124

1

2

125

1

2

126

1

g. Other school clubs or school activities?

F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY

What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?



2

Specify __________

30
1/16/18

10. The next questions are about security measures that
some schools take.
Does your school have:
F_SAFETY_POLICE
j. Security guards or assigned police officers?
F_SAFETY HALLSTAFF
k. Other adults supervising the hallway, such as
teachers, administrators, or parent volunteers?
F_SAFETY_ METAL_DETECTORS
l. Metal detectors, including wands?
(The definition for the term ‘metal detector’ is a device used to
check for weapons students might be trying to bring onto school
property. The metal detector may be in a form of a doorframe,
which you are asked to walk through. It may also be in the form of
a hand-held metal detector that looks like a wand or paddle, which
is moved around your body.)
F_SAFETY_DOORS_LOCKED
m. Locked entrance or exit doors during the day?
F_SAFETY_SIGN_IN
n. A requirement that visitors sign in AND wear
visitor badges or stickers?
F_SAFETY_LOCKER_CHECKS
o. Locker checks?
F_SAFETY_STUDENT_ID
p. A requirement that students wear badges or
picture identification?
F_SAFETY_CAMERAS
q. One or more security cameras to monitor
the school?
F_SAFETY_CODE_OF_CONDUCT
r. A code of student conduct, that is, a set of
written rules or guidelines that the school
provides you?

Yes

If you hear about a threat to school or student safety,
do you have a way to report it without having to give
your name?

F_DISTRACTED
12.
In your classes, how often are you distracted from
doing your schoolwork because other students are
misbehaving, for example, talking or fighting?

(READ CATEGORIES.)

Don’t know School does not
have lockers

028

1

2

3

029

1

2

3

030

1

2

3

031

1

2

3

032

1

2

3

033

1

2

3

094

1

2

3

095

1

2

3

096

1

2

3

Yes

Don’t know

167

1

2

3

156

1
2
3
4

F_REPORT

11.

4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

13.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

F_RULES_FAIR

The school rules are fair.

F_PUNISHMENT_SAME

The punishment for breaking school rules is the
same no matter who you are.

F_RULES_ENFORCED

The school rules are strictly enforced.
(Strictly enforced rules means that the school
consistently carries out disciplinary actions against
any students who break school rules.)

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

035

1

2

3

4

036

1

2

3

4

037

1

2

3

4

038

1

2

3

4

127

1

2

3

4

F_PUNISHMENT_KNOWN

d. If a school rule is broken, students know what
kind of punishment will follow.

F_TEACHERS_RESPECT

e. Teachers treat students with respect.

14.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

There is a TEACHER or other ADULT at school who…

F_ADULT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

F_ADULT_LISTENS

Listens to you when you have something to
say.
F_ADULT_GOOD_JOB
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

173SCS 1 

2

3

4

175SCS 1 

2

3

4

176SCS 1 

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Agree

There is a STUDENT at school who…

F_STUDENT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

186SCS 1 

Listens to you when you have something to say.

187SCS 1 

Believes that you will be a success.

188SCS 1 

F_STUDENT_LISTENS

F_STUDENT_SUCCESS

16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOU LIVE,
would you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU LIVE.

Strongly
Agree
212SCS 1 

2

3

4

2

3

4

2

3

4

Agree
2

Disagree
3

Strongly
Disagree
4

32
1/16/18

17.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOUR
SCHOOL is located, would you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with the following...

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD_SCHOOL

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU go to SCHOOL.

18.

213SCS 1 

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

2

Strongly
Agree

Agree

3

Disagree

4

Strongly
Disagree

F_SAFE_IN_SCHOOL

You feel safe in your school
SCS_INTRO 3

19.

189SCS 1 

2

3

4

The following question refers to the availability of
drugs and alcohol at your school.

Yes

040

1

2

041

1

2

159

1

2

209SCS

1

2

Is it possible for students at your school to get…
F_ ALCOHOL

a. Alcoholic beverages?
F_MARIJUANA

b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?
F_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS

c. Opioids, such as prescription painkillers, heroin,
or fentanyl?
d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without
a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or
Adderall?
F_OTHER_ILLEGAL

e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers,
or crystal meth?

F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

20.

During this school year, did you see another
student who was under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol while they were at school?

1
210SCS

2

1  Yes
2  No

FIGHTING, BULLYING AND HATE BEHAVIORS
G_FIGHT_AT_SCHOOL
21a.
During this school year, have you been in one or
more physical fights at school?

103

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to:
Q22

G_FIGHT_HOW_OFTEN
21b.
During this school year, how many times have you
been in a physical fight at school?

22.

104

 (Number of times)

(Read each category a-h.)

G_BULLY_MADE_FUN

Yes

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_RUMOR
d. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?

134

1

2

135

1

2

c. Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_THREAT
d. Threatened you with harm?
G_BULLY_CONTACT
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?

136

1

2

137

1

2

138

1

2

139

1

2

140

1

2

141

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
Probes (Q22) on page 16

Has any student from your school…

G_BULLY_COERCED

Destroyed your property on purpose?

SCS_INTRO 4

34
1/16/18

G_BULLY_MULTI_PERS
23.
Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said
you experienced this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] to you?

G_BULLY_HOW_ACT
24.
Did these students act alone, together as a team, or
both?

25.

You said that more than one student did [that
thing/those things] to you. Has any student done
[that thing/any of those things] to you more than
once during this school year?

G_BULLY_DAY_PLUS
26a.
During this school year, how many days did you
experience (that thing/any of those things)?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_BULLY_TIMES
26b.
In that one day, how many times would you say
[another student/other students] did [that thing/any
of those things] to you?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES 1-4)

G_BULLY_HAPPEN_AGAIN

27.

Did you think [that student/those students] would
do hurtful things to you again?

217SCS
1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to: Q26a

218SCS
1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

214SCS
1
2
3
4

One day – Go to Q26b
Two to five days – Skip to Q27
Six to ten days– Skip to Q27
More than ten days– Skip to Q27

215SCS
1
2
3
4

One time
Two or more times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

216SCS
1  Yes
2  No

CHECK ITEM B:
3. Did more than one student do those things?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q23)  Go to QUESTION 2 BELOW
No (R answered “No” to Q23)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14 (fill for “another student”/ “that student”)
4. Did any of those students do any of those things more than once?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q25)  Go to SCS INTRO 5a ON PAGE 14 (fill for “other students” / “those students”)
No (R answered “No” to Q25)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14(fill for “other students” / “those students)

SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did things to you more than once this school year. For the next

school year…
ALL GO TO G_BULLY_STRONGER, Q28 item a
Q28
Yes
G_BULLY_STRONGER
219SCS
1
f. [Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

No
2

G_BULLY_POPULAR
g. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

220SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_MONEY
h. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

221SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_INFLUENCE
i. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

222SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER
j. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?
G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER_SPECIFY

223SCS

1

2 

_______________

In what other way [did that student/ did any of those
students] have more power than you?

1  In a classroom at school?
2  In a hallway or stairwell at school?
3  In a bathroom or locker room at school?
4  In a gymnasium or weight room at
school?
173
5  In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
146
6  Somewhere else inside the school
building? –Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
144
7  Outside on school grounds?
145
8  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
211SCS 9  Online or by text?
ALL SKIP TO Q30 ON PAGE 15

143
168
169

36
1/16/18

G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8
VERSION 2
29.
Still thinking about all of the times that [another
student/other students] did those things to you,
where did they occur? Did they occur …

(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place they occurred?

G_BULLY_ADULT_TOLD
30.
Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about [this student/these students] doing [that
thing/those things] to you?

147

31.

143
168
169

1  Yes
2  No

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_SCHOOL_WORK

d.
YOUR school work.
G_RELATION_FRIEND_FAMILY
e.
YOUR relationships with friends or family.
G_ABOUT_YOURSELF
f.
How you feel about YOURSELF.
G_PHYSICAL_HEALTH
d.
YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

196SCS

1

2

3

4

197SCS

1

2

3

4

198SCS

1

2

3

4

199SCS

1

2

3

4

32. When [another student/other students] did [that
thing/those things] to you, did you ever think it was
related to...
G_BULLY_RACE

h.
YOUR race?
G_BULLY_RELIGION
i.
YOUR religion?
G_BULLY_ETHNIC_ORIGIN
j.
Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_BULLYING_DISABILITY
k.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_BULLYING_GENDER
l.
YOUR gender?
G_BULLYING_ORIENTATION
m. YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_BULLYING_APPEARANCE
n.
YOUR physical appearance?
.

Yes

200SCS

1

2

201SCS

1

2

202SCS

1

2

203SCS

1

2

204SCS

1

2

205SCS

1

2

206SCS

1

2

Can you tell me about what happened? As much as you feel comfortable talking about.

[IF R DID NOT SAY YES TO “ONLINE OR BY TEXT” IN Q29] Did anything happen online or by
text that you didn’t think of when you were first answering that question? [IF YES] Can
you tell me more about that?

If Q22 = no to all:
When I asked you if any student from your school had done any of those things that might make
you feel bad or are hurtful to you, you said no to all items.
k. Did any of those things happen to you but you didn’t think they would count for this
question? Can you tell me more about why you didn’t include them here?
l.

[IF ONLINE STUFF NOT MENTIONED IN PROBE C] Did any students from school do anything that
made you feel bad or was hurtful to you online or by text that you didn’t think of when
answering the question? [IF YES] Can you tell me more about that?

m. Did other students do any other things not included in this list that made you feel bad
or were hurtful to you? Can you tell me more about that?

All respondents:
n. Do you have a brother or sister who goes to the same school as you? [IF YES] Suppose
that while you were at school your brother or sister did some of those things that made
you feel bad or were hurtful to you. Do you think you would include them in your answer
to this question? [GESTURE TO PAPER] Can you tell me more about that?
o.

Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend who goes to the same school as you? [IF YES]
Suppose that while you were at school your boyfriend or girlfriend did some of those
things that made you feel bad or were hurtful to you. Do you think you would include
them in your answer to this question? [GESTURE TO PAPER] Can you tell me more about
that?

p. What does the term “dating” mean to you?
q. How do students at your school talk about what it means to be dating?
r.

Is it easy to know when something goes from talking and flirting to dating? Why/why not?

s. Is there anything missing from this list [GESTURE TO PAPER] that we should add?

IF R SAID NO TO ALL ITEMS IN Q22, SKIP TO: Probes (Bullying section part 1 on page 19)

38
1/16/18

Probes (Q23):
The next question I asked was, “Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said you
experienced this school year, did more than one student do [this/these things] to you?” You
answered ____.
c. How did you come up with your answer to this question?
d. [IF NOT MENTIONED IN RESPONSE TO PROBE A] What incidents were you thinking of when you
were answering this question?
e.

Now I have another question about the [student/students] who did those things to you.
What was your relationship to [the student/those students] when they did [that thing/those things] to you?
Were they…
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.

Your brother or sister?
Your friend or ex-friend?
Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
Another student from school?

1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes

2  No
2  No
2  No
2  No
2  No

Were you unsure of what to answer for your relationship to any of the students you were
thinking of? Can you tell me more about that?

IF R SAID NO TO Q23, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q26a)
Probes (Q24): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
I then asked: “Did these people act alone, together as a team, or both?” You answered ____.
All respondents:
e. Can you tell me why you answered the way you did?
f.

[IF NECESSARY] How many different people did those things to you?

g. What does the phrase “together as a team” mean to you in this question?

If Q27 = Alone or Both:
h. Even though [some of] these people acted alone, do you think that some of the things
that different people did to you were related in some way? Can you tell me more about
that?

Probes (Q25): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
Another question I asked was: “You said that more than one student did [that thing/those
things] to you. Has any student done [that thing/any of those things] to you more than once
during this school year?”
All respondents:
c. Please tell me, in your own words, what this question is asking?
When I asked this question earlier, you answered ___.
d. Why did you answer the way you did?
Probes (Q26a):
Another question I asked was, “During this school year, how many days did you experience (that
thing/any of those things)?” The response options were, “One day,” “Two to five days,” “Six to
ten days,” and “More than 10 days.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
c. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
d. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?
IF R’S ANSWER = MORE THAN ONE DAY, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q27)
Probes (Q26b): [ASKED IF THINGS ONLY HAPPENED ON ONE DAY (Q26A = ONE DAY)]
The follow up question I asked was, “In that one day, how many times would you say [another
student/other students] did [that thing/any of those things] to you?” The response options
were, “One time,” and “Two or more times.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
c. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
d. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?
Probes (Q27):
The next question I asked was, “Did you think [that student/those students] would do hurtful
things to you again?”
If R ANSWERED “YES”:
c. When I first asked this question, you answered “yes.” Why did you answer the way you
did?

40
1/16/18

All respondents:
Question D asks, “[Did that student/did any of those students] have the ability to influence
what other students think of you?
f. Please tell me, in your own words, what that question is asking?

Probes (31):
This is another series of questions I asked you: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q31 TO REFERENCE]
c. What does the phrase “had a negative effect on” mean to you in this question?
d. Please tell me what question D is asking, in your own words.
Probes (Bullying section part 1):
b. Thinking about all of the questions we just went through about hurtful things students
might do, what do you think the questions were trying to get at?
IF R SAID NO TO ALL IN Q22, SKIP TO: PROBES (BULLYING SECTION PART 2)
Now I’m going to ask one survey question and then some more follow up
questions.

33.

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

Do you consider [that thing/those things] that [another
student/other students] did to you to be bullying?

Probes (Q33):
c. Why did you answer the way you did?
d. [POINT TO Q22] Would you have answered those questions differently if we referred to
those behaviors as bullying? [IF YES] Please tell me more about that.
Probes (Bullying section part 2):
c. How did you feel about the fact that we didn’t refer to bullying when asking all of
those questions?
d. Please tell me, in your own words, what it means to be bullied?

Thank you for that. Now we’re going to return to the last set of actual survey
questions.
AVOIDANCE
37.

During this school year, did you ever STAY AWAY
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attack or harm you there?
Yes

068

1

2

069

1

2

070

1

2

071

1

2

072

1

2

073

1

2

074

1

2

075

1

2

208SCS

1

2

H_AVOID_SHORTCUT

38a.

Did you AVOID any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?

H_AVOID_CLASSES
38b.
Did you AVOID any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?

076

1  Yes
2  No

077

1  Yes
2  No

42
1/16/18

H_STAY_HOME

38c.

Did you stay home from school because you
thought someone might attack or harm you in the
school building, on school property, on a school
bus, or going to or from school?

078

1  Yes
2  No

GANGS
K_INTRO_GANG
INTRO 6 - Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. Your answers will not be shared with anyone at your
school or home.
K_GANGS
43a. Are there any gangs at your school?

K_GANG_FIGHTS
43b. During this school year, how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or other violence at your
school?

058

1  Yes- GO to Q43b
2  No - SKIP to Q44
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q44

089

1
2
3
4
5

090

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don't know

Never
Once or twice this school year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week, or
Almost every day

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)
K_GANG_DRUGS
43c.
Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?

STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
L_GRADES
44.
During this school year, across all subjects have you
gotten mostly -

116

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)

L_SKIP_CLASSES

45a.

During the past 4 weeks of school, did you skip any
classes? Again, we would like to remind you that
none of your responses will be shared with anyone at
your school or home.

L_SKIP_CLASS_DAYS

45b.

During the past 4 weeks of school, on how many
days did you skip at least one class?

46.
Thinking about the future, do you think you will ...
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
a. Attend school after high school, such as a college
or technical school? . . . . . . . . . .
L_GRADUATE_4YR

b. Graduate from a 4-year college? . . . . . . . . . . .

114

115

1
2
3
4
5
6

A's
B's
C's
D's
F's
School does not give grades/no alphabetic
grade equivalent

1  Yes- GO to Q45b
2  No - SKIP to Q46
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q46

 (Number of days)
Yes

Don't know

117

1

2  -- END

3

118

1

2

3

Probes (Q43):
All respondents:
I am going to ask you one more survey question, then some follow up questions about a few of
the items you answered throughout the survey, and then we’ll wrap up.
Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs,
crews, or something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey, we are
interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity. Your responses are
confidential.
Are there any gangs at your school? 1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t Know

d. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
e. Was that question asking the same thing as the question I asked about gangs earlier? Can
you tell me more about that?
f.

[IF NECESSARY] What does the term “gangs” mean to you in that new question?

Probes (Q19 – Drugs and Alcohol):
I asked you this question towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF
Q19 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
b.

Please tell me, in your own words, what this question is asking about.

Take a look at item c.
c.

What does the term “opioids” mean to you in this question?

Have you heard any names of prescriptions painkillers? What names have you heard?

Now let’s look at item d.
e.
Prescription drugs are legal but sometimes people get and sell them illegally, like
Xanax, Ritalin, and Adderall. Are there other kinds of prescription drugs you know of
that some people buy to misuse or get high? Did you include them in your response?
f.

Thinking about all of the drugs we just asked about in that question [POINT TO
HANDOUT], are there other drugs a student might be able to get at school that we
didn’t ask about?

44
1/16/18

Probes (Q9):
This is another question I asked towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE
PAGE OF Q9 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:

d. Were there any activities that you do at your school that you were not able to find on
this list? [IF NECESSARY] What are they?
e. Are there any words or phrases on this list that you don’t recognize? [IF NECESSARY]
What are they?

Great! Now we just have a few wrap-up questions, and then we’ll end the interview.
DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
h. Overall, what did you think of this survey? Was it easy or difficult?
i.

Is it easy to know when something someone does is bullying? Can you tell me more
about that?

What is the difference between someone being mean and someone being a bully?

k. Does your school have a specific definition of bullying?
l.

[IF YES] How does your school define it?

m. [IF YES TO D] Do you think of bullying the same way the school talks about

it? [IF NECESSARY] Can you tell me more about that?
n. Did you have any other thoughts about the topics we discussed today, or the
questions on this survey?
Those are all of the questions that I had for you today. Thank you very much for your participation.
Here is an envelope containing your $25.
Here is a voucher form that verifies I gave you the money.
Please complete the information in the highlighted areas and sign and date
TURN OFF THE TAPE RECORDER.
HAND THE CASH INCENTIVE TO THE PARTICIPANT.

2019 SCS to the NCVS
Round 3 Cognitive Interview Protocol

46
1/16/18

Cognitive Testing of NCVS SCS
PARTICIPANT ID #: _________________________

DATE: ____ / ____ / 2018

INTERVIEWER’S NAME:_________________________________________________
START TIME: ______: ______

AM / PM

Thank you for signing the consent form. I will also sign this form to show that I agree to everything in the form. At the end of the
interview, I’ll be sure to give you a copy for you to take with you.
7. ASK PARTICIPANT IF (S)HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT FORM.
8. IF PARTICIPANT AGREES, OBTAIN THE RESPONDENT’S SIGNATURE TO PROCEED ON ONE COPY OF THE
FORM; INTERVIEWER SHOULD ALSO SIGN THE FORM AT THIS TIME.
9. MAKE SURE RESPONDENT TAKES ONE COPY WITH THEM WHEN THE INTERVIEW IS OVER AT THE END OF
THE INTERVIEW.

48
05/07/18

2018 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
INTRO_1 -

E_ATTENDSCHOOL

1a.

Did you attend school at any time this school year?
_________________________________________

E_HOMESCHOOL

1b.

During that time, were you ever homeschooled?
That is, did you receive ANY of that schooling at
home, rather than in a public or private school?
_________________________________________

E_ALLHOMESCHOOL

1c.

Was all of your schooling this school year
homeschooling?
___________________________________________

E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

1d.

How many different schools have you
attended this school year?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to END
_____________________________________________
006

092

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

_____________________________________________
1  Yes - SKIP to END
2  No
_____________________________________________
007

185SCS 1  One school
2  Two schools
3  Three or more schools

2a.

During the time you were homeschooled this school
year, what grade would you have been in if you
were in a public or private school?

093

008

E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE_OTHER
E_WHATGRADE

2b.

What grade are you in?

E_WHATGRADE_OTHER

homeschooled.

50
05/07/18

E_WHATMONTH
3.
In what month did your current school year begin?

009

E_WHATMONTHOTHER

1  August
2  September
3  Other

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
October
November
December

ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
F_SCHOOLSTATE, F_SCHOOLCOUNTY, F_SCHOOLCITY

4b.

In what State, County and City is your school
located?

F_NAMEOFSCHOOL

What is the complete name of your school?
F_PUBLICORPRIVATE

5a.

015
014
013
012

State
County
City
School Name

1  Public – ASK F_REGULARSCHOOL
2  Private - SKIP to F_CHURCHRELATED
______________________________________________
016

1  Yes
2  No
SKIP to F_GRADES_LOW
_________________________________________
017

018

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

F_GRADES_LOW

6a.

What is the lowest grade taught in your school?

020
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

021

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

022

1
2
3
4
5
6

F_GRADES_HIGH

6b.

What is the highest grade taught in your school?

F_GETTOSCHOOL

How do you get to school most of the time this
school year?

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used, code
the mode in which the student spends the most time.
F_GETTOSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets to school.

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way – Specify _________

52
05/07/18

F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL
8.
How do you get home from school most of the time
this school year?

024

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.
F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets home from
school.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way - Specify ________

Yes

120

1

2

121

1

2

122

1

2

123

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ GOVT

124

1

2

F_ACTIVITIES_ SERVICE

125

1

2

126

1

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPORTS

a. Athletic teams at school?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPIRIT

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ARTS

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ACADEMIC

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, Math Club, or
Computer Club?

e. Student government or class council?

f. [IF GRADES 6, 7, or 8 ASK] Community service
clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer
Mediators, Environmental Club, or Recycling Club?
[IF GRADES 9, 10, 11, or 12 ASK] Community
service clubs sponsored by your school, for
example, Peer Mediators, Environmental Club, Key
Club, or Interact? Do not include community
service hours required for graduation.

F_ACTIVITIES_ OTHER

g. Other school clubs or school activities?

F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY

What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?



2

Specify __________

10. The next questions are about security measures that
some schools take.
Does your school have:
F_SAFETY_POLICE
s. Security guards or assigned police officers?
F_SAFETY HALLSTAFF
t. Other adults supervising the hallway, such as
teachers, administrators, or parent volunteers?
F_SAFETY_ METAL_DETECTORS
u. Metal detectors, including wands?
(The definition for the term ‘metal detector’ is a device used to
check for weapons students might be trying to bring onto school
property. The metal detector may be in a form of a doorframe,
which you are asked to walk through. It may also be in the form of
a hand-held metal detector that looks like a wand or paddle, which
is moved around your body.)
F_SAFETY_DOORS_LOCKED
v. Locked entrance or exit doors during the day?
F_SAFETY_SIGN_IN
w. A requirement that visitors sign in AND wear
visitor badges or stickers?
F_SAFETY_LOCKER_CHECKS
x. Locker checks?
F_SAFETY_STUDENT_ID
y. A requirement that students wear badges or
picture identification?
F_SAFETY_CAMERAS
z. One or more security cameras to monitor
the school?
F_SAFETY_CODE_OF_CONDUCT
aa. A code of student conduct, that is, a set of
written rules or guidelines that the school
provides you?

Yes

If you hear about a threat to school or student safety,
do you have a way to report it without having to give
your name?

F_DISTRACTED
12.
In your classes, how often are you distracted from
doing your schoolwork because other students are
misbehaving, for example, talking or fighting?

(READ CATEGORIES.)

Don’t know School does not
have lockers

028

1

2

3

029

1

2

3

030

1

2

3

031

1

2

3

032

1

2

3

033

1

2

3

094

1

2

3

095

1

2

3

096

1

2

3

Yes

Don’t know

167

1

2

3

156

1
2
3
4

F_REPORT

11.

4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

54
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13.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

F_RULES_FAIR

The school rules are fair.

F_PUNISHMENT_SAME

The punishment for breaking school rules is the
same no matter who you are.

F_RULES_ENFORCED

The school rules are strictly enforced.
(Strictly enforced rules means that the school
consistently carries out disciplinary actions against
any students who break school rules.)

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

035

1

2

3

4

036

1

2

3

4

037

1

2

3

4

038

1

2

3

4

127

1

2

3

4

F_PUNISHMENT_KNOWN

d. If a school rule is broken, students know what
kind of punishment will follow.

F_TEACHERS_RESPECT

e. Teachers treat students with respect.

14.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

There is a TEACHER or other ADULT at school who…

F_ADULT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

F_ADULT_LISTENS

Listens to you when you have something to
say.
F_ADULT_GOOD_JOB
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

173SCS 1 

2

3

4

175SCS 1 

2

3

4

176SCS 1 

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Agree

There is a STUDENT at school who…

F_STUDENT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

186SCS 1 

Listens to you when you have something to say.

187SCS 1 

Believes that you will be a success.

188SCS 1 

F_STUDENT_LISTENS

F_STUDENT_SUCCESS

16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOU LIVE,
would you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU LIVE.

Strongly
Agree
212SCS 1 

2

3

4

2

3

4

2

3

4

Agree
2

Disagree
3

Strongly
Disagree
4

17.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOUR
SCHOOL is located, would you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with the following...

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD_SCHOOL

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU go to SCHOOL.

18.

213SCS 1 

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

2

Strongly
Agree

Agree

3

Disagree

4

Strongly
Disagree

F_SAFE_IN_SCHOOL

You feel safe in your school
SCS_INTRO 3

19.

189SCS 1 

2

3

4

Is it possible for students to get any of the following
while at school…

F_ ALCOHOL

a. Alcoholic beverages?

Yes

040

1

2

041

1

2

159

1

2

209SCS

1

2

F_MARIJUANA

b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?
F_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS

c. Opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, or prescription
painkillers like Codeine or Percocet?
d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without
a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or
Adderall?
F_OTHER_ILLEGAL

e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or
crystal meth?

1
F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

20.

During this school year, did you see another
student who was under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol while they were at school?

210SCS

2

1  Yes
2  No

FIGHTING, BULLYING AND HATE BEHAVIORS
G_FIGHT_AT_SCHOOL
21a.
During this school year, have you been in one or
more physical fights at school?

103

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to:
Q22

56
05/07/18

G_FIGHT_HOW_OFTEN
21b.
During this school year, how many times have you
been in a physical fight at school?

22.

104

 (Number of times)

(Read each category a-h.)

G_BULLY_MADE_FUN

Yes

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_RUMOR
f. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?

134

1

2

135

1

2

c. Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?
G_BULLY_THREAT
d. Threatened you with harm?
G_BULLY_CONTACT
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?

136

1

2

137

1

2

138

1

2

139

1

2

140

1

2

141

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
Probes (Q22) on page 17

Has any student from your school…

G_BULLY_COERCED

Destroyed your property on purpose?

SCS_INTRO 4

G_BULLY_MULTI_PERS
23.
Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said
you experienced this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] to you?

G_BULLY_HOW_ACT
24.
Did these students act alone, together as a team, or
both?

25.

You said that more than one student did [that
thing/those things] to you. Has any student done
[that thing/any of those things] to you more than
once during this school year?

G_BULLY_DAY_PLUS
26a.
During this school year, how many days did you
experience (that thing/any of those things)?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_BULLY_TIMES
26b.
In that one day, how many times would you say
[another student/other students] did [that thing/any
of those things] to you?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES 1-4)

G_BULLY_HAPPEN_AGAIN

27.

Did you think [that student/those students] would
do hurtful things to you again?

217SCS
1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to: Q26a

218SCS
1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

214SCS
1
2
3
4

One day – Go to Q26b
Two to five days – Skip to Q27
Six to ten days– Skip to Q27
More than ten days– Skip to Q27

215SCS
1
2
3
4

One time
Two or more times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

216SCS
1  Yes
2  No

CHECK ITEM B:
5. Did more than one student do those things?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q23)  Go to QUESTION 2 BELOW
No (R answered “No” to Q23)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14 (fill for “another student”/ “that student”)
6. Did any of those students do any of those things more than once?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q25)  Go to SCS INTRO 5a ON PAGE 14 (fill for “other students” / “those students”)
No (R answered “No” to Q25)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14 (fill for “other students” / “those students)

58
05/07/18

SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did [that thing/those things] to you more than once this school

school year…
ALL GO TO G_BULLY_STRONGER, Q28 item a
Q28
Yes
G_BULLY_STRONGER
219SCS
1
k.[Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

No
2

G_BULLY_POPULAR
l. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

220SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_MONEY
m. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

221SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_INFLUENCE
n. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

222SCS

1

2

G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER
o. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?
G_BULLY_OTHER_POWER_SPECIFY

223SCS

1

2 

In what other way [did that student/ did any of those
students] have more power than you?

_______________

Qx
What was your relationship to [the student/those
students] when they did [that thing/those things] to
you? Were they…
f. Your brother or sister?
g. Your friend or ex-friend?
h. Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
i. Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
j. Another student from school?

1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes

2
2
2
2
2

No
No
No
No
No

G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8

VERSION 1
29.
Still thinking about the time that [another
student/other students] did something to you, where
did it occur? Did it occur …

143
168
169

173

6  Outside on school grounds?
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
211SCS 8  Online or by text?
146
9  Somewhere else at school? –Ask
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
_____________
ALL SKIP TO Q30

(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place it occurred?

144
145

G_BULLY_WHERE1 through G_BULLY_WHERE8
VERSION 2
29.
Still thinking about all of the times that [another
student/other students] did those things to you,
where did they occur? Did they occur …

143
168
169

173
(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_BULLY_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place they occurred?

144
145

G_BULLY_ADULT_TOLD
30.
Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about [this student/these students] doing [that
thing/those things] to you?

147

31.

1  Yes
2  No

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_SCHOOL_WORK

g.
YOUR school work.
G_RELATION_FRIEND_FAMILY
h.
YOUR relationships with friends or family.
G_ABOUT_YOURSELF
i.
How you feel about YOURSELF.
G_PHYSICAL_HEALTH
d.
YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

196SCS

1

2

3

4

197SCS

1

2

3

4

198SCS

1

2

3

4

199SCS

1

2

3

4

60
05/07/18

32. When [another student/other students] did [that
thing/those things] to you, did you ever think it was
related to...
G_BULLY_RACE

o.
YOUR race?
G_BULLY_RELIGION
p.
YOUR religion?
G_BULLY_ETHNIC_ORIGIN
q.
Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_BULLYING_DISABILITY
r.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_BULLYING_GENDER
s.
YOUR gender?
G_BULLYING_ORIENTATION
t.
YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_BULLYING_APPEARANCE
u.
YOUR physical appearance?
.

Yes

200SCS

1

2

201SCS

1

2

202SCS

1

2

203SCS

1

2

204SCS

1

2

205SCS

1

2

206SCS

1

2

Can you tell me about what happened? As much as you feel comfortable talking about.

u. [IF R DID NOT SAY YES TO “ONLINE OR BY TEXT” IN Q29] Did anything happen online or by
text that you didn’t think of when you were first answering that question? [IF YES] Can
you tell me more about that?
If Q22 = no to all:
When I asked you if any student from your school had done any of those things that might make
you feel bad or are hurtful to you, you said no to all items.
v. Did any of those things happen to you but you didn’t think they would count for this
question? Can you tell me more about why you didn’t include them here?
w. [IF ONLINE STUFF NOT MENTIONED IN PROBE C] Did any students from school do anything that
made you feel bad or was hurtful to you online or by text that you didn’t think of when
answering the question? [IF YES] Can you tell me more about that?
x. Did other students do any other things not included in this list that made you feel bad
or were hurtful to you? Can you tell me more about that?

All respondents:
y. Is there anything missing from this list [GESTURE TO PAPER] that we should add?

IF R SAID NO TO ALL ITEMS IN Q22, SKIP TO: Probes (Bullying section part 1 on page 20)
Probes (Q23):
The next question I asked was, “Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said you
experienced this school year, did more than one student do [this/these things] to you?” You
answered ____.
g.

[IF R ANSWERED YES] How many students did those things [POINT TO Q22] to you at school
this year?

h. What incidents were you thinking of when you were answering this question?

IF R SAID NO TO Q23, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q26a)

62
05/07/18

Probes (Q24): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
I then asked: “Did these people act alone, together as a team, or both?” You answered ____.
All respondents:
i. Can you tell me why you answered the way you did?

What does the phrase “together as a team” mean to you in this question?

If Q24 = Alone or Both:
k. Even though [some of] these people acted alone, do you think that some of the things
that different people did to you were related in some way? Can you tell me more about
that?

Probes (Q25): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
Another question I asked was: “You said that more than one student did [that thing/those
things] to you. Has any student done [that thing/any of those things] to you more than once
during this school year?”
All respondents:
e. Please tell me, in your own words, what this question is asking?
When I asked this question earlier, you answered ___.
f. Why did you answer the way you did?
Probes (Q26a):
Another question I asked was, “During this school year, how many days did you experience (that
thing/any of those things)?” The response options were, “One day,” “Two to five days,” “Six to
ten days,” and “More than 10 days.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
e. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
f. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?
IF R’S ANSWER = MORE THAN ONE DAY, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q27)
Probes (Q26b): [ASKED IF THINGS ONLY HAPPENED ON ONE DAY (Q26A = ONE DAY)]
The follow up question I asked was, “In that one day, how many times would you say [another
student/other students] did [that thing/any of those things] to you?” The response options
were, “One time,” and “Two or more times.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
e. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
f. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?

Probes (Q27):
The next question I asked was, “Did you think [that student/those students] would do hurtful
things to you again?”
If R ANSWERED “YES”:
d. When I first asked this question, you answered “yes.” Why did you answer the way you
did?

All respondents:
Question D asks, “[Did that student/did any of those students] have the ability to influence
what other students think of you?
j. Please tell me, in your own words, what that question is asking?
Question E asks “[Did this person/Did anyone in the group] have more power than you in
another way?”
k. What does the phrase “have more power than you” mean to you in this question?

64
05/07/18

Probes (Qx):
Next I asked you these questions: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Qx TO REFERENCE]
a. Were you unsure of what to answer for your relationship to any of the students you were
thinking of? Can you tell me more about that?

If R said more than one student did things and said yes to siblings or boyfriend/girlfriend
b. Which of the hurtful things in this question [POINT TO Q22] did your [sibling/boyfriend
or girlfriend] do?
c. Did any other students do the same thing(s)as your [sibling/boyfriend or girlfriend]?

Probes (Q29a/Q29b):
Next I asked you these questions: [DEPENDING ON WHICH VERSION OF THE QUESTION THEY WERE ASKED,
HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q29a OR Q29B TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
c. Does this list include all the places where other students have done hurtful things to
you? [IF NO] Where else did they occur?
If R said yes to “bathroom or locker room” AND “gymnasium or weight room”
You said yes to items 3 and 4 – were you thinking about different incidents for each category?
Can you tell me more about that?
Probes (31):
This is another series of questions I asked you: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q31 TO REFERENCE]
e. What does the phrase “had a negative effect on” mean to you in this question?
f. Please tell me what question D is asking, in your own words.
Probes (Bullying section part 1):
c. Thinking about all of the questions we just went through about hurtful things students
might do, what do you think the questions were trying to get at?
IF R SAID NO TO ALL IN Q22, SKIP TO: PROBES (BULLYING SECTION PART 2)
Now I’m going to ask one survey question and then some more follow up
questions.
33.

Do you consider [that thing/those things] that [another
student/other students] did to you to be bullying?

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

Probes (Q33):
e. Why did you answer the way you did?
f. [POINT TO Q22] Would you have answered those questions differently if we referred to
those behaviors as bullying? [IF YES] Please tell me more about that.
Probes (Bullying section part 2):
e. How did you feel about the fact that we didn’t refer to bullying when asking all of
those questions?
f. Please tell me, in your own words, how you define bullying.

Thank you for that. Now we’re going to return to the last set of actual survey
questions.

66
05/07/18

AVOIDANCE
37.

During this school year, did you ever STAY AWAY
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attack or harm you there?
Yes

068

1

2

069

1

2

070

1

2

071

1

2

072

1

2

073

1

2

074

1

2

075

1

2

208SCS

1

2

H_AVOID_SHORTCUT

38a.

Did you AVOID any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?

H_AVOID_CLASSES
38b.
Did you AVOID any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?

076

1  Yes
2  No

077

1  Yes
2  No

078

1  Yes
2  No

H_STAY_HOME

38c.

Did you stay home from school because you
thought someone might attack or harm you in the
school building, on school property, on a school
bus, or going to or from school?
GANGS

K_INTRO_GANG
INTRO 6 - Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs,
or something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey, we are
interested in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity. Your answers will not
be shared with anyone at your school or home.
K_GANGS
43a. Are there any gangs at your school?

058

1  Yes- GO to Q43b
2  No - SKIP to Q44
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q44

K_GANG_FIGHTS
43b. During this school year, how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or other violence at your
school?

089

1
2
3
4
5

090

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don't know

Never
Once or twice this school year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week, or
Almost every day

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)
K_GANG_DRUGS
43c.
Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?

STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
L_GRADES
44.
During this school year, across all subjects have you
gotten mostly -

116

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)

L_SKIP_CLASSES

45a.

During the past 4 weeks of school, did you skip any
classes? Again, we would like to remind you that
none of your responses will be shared with anyone at
your school or home.

L_SKIP_CLASS_DAYS

45b.

During the past 4 weeks of school, on how many
days did you skip at least one class?

46.
Thinking about the future, do you think you will ...
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
a. Attend school after high school, such as a college
or technical school? . . . . . . . . . .
L_GRADUATE_4YR

b. Graduate from a 4-year college? . . . . . . . . . . .

114

115

1
2
3
4
5
6

A's
B's
C's
D's
F's
School does not give grades/no alphabetic
grade equivalent

1  Yes- GO to Q45b
2  No - SKIP to Q46
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q46

 (Number of days)
Yes

Don't know

117

1

2  -- END

3

118

1

2

3

Probes (Q43):
All respondents:
I am going to ask you some follow up questions about a few of the items you answered
throughout the survey, and then we’ll wrap up. I just asked you this question:
Now, we'd like to know about gangs at your school. You may know these as street gangs, fighting gangs, or
something else. Gangs may use common names, signs, symbols, or colors. For this survey, we are interested
in all gangs, whether or not they are involved in violent or illegal activity. Your answers will not be shared with
anyone at your school or home.
Are there any gangs at your school? 1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t Know

g. How did you come up with your answer to that question?

h. What does the term “gangs” mean to you in that question?

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05/07/18

Probes (Q19 – Drugs and Alcohol):
I asked you this question towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF
Q19 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
g.

Please tell me, in your own words, what this question is asking about.

Take a look at item c.
h.

What does the term “opioids” mean to you in this question?

Have you heard any other names of prescriptions painkillers? What names have you
heard?

Now let’s look at item d.
j.
Prescription drugs are legal but sometimes people get and sell them illegally, like
Xanax, Ritalin, and Adderall. Are there other kinds of prescription drugs you know of
that some people buy to misuse or get high? Did you include them in your response?
k.

Thinking about all of the drugs we just asked about in that question [POINT TO
HANDOUT], are there other drugs a student might be able to get at school that we
didn’t ask about?

Probes (Q9):
This is another question I asked towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE
PAGE OF Q9 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:

Were there any activities that you do at your school that you were not able to find on
this list? [IF NECESSARY] What are they?

g. Are there any words or phrases on this list that you don’t recognize? [IF NECESSARY]
What are they?

Great! Now we just have a few wrap-up questions, and then we’ll end the interview.

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
o. Overall, what did you think of this survey? Was it easy or difficult?
p. Is it easy to know when something someone does is bullying? Can you tell me more
about that?
q. What is the difference between someone being mean and someone being a bully?
r.

Does your school have a specific definition of bullying?

s. [IF YES] How does your school define it?
t.

[IF YES TO D] Do you think of bullying the same way the school talks about

it? [IF NECESSARY] Can you tell me more about that?
u. Did you have any other thoughts about the topics we discussed today, or the
questions on this survey?
Those are all of the questions that I had for you today. Thank you very much for your participation.
Here is an envelope containing your $25.
Here is a voucher form that verifies I gave you the money.
Please complete the information in the highlighted areas and sign and date
TURN OFF THE TAPE RECORDER.
HAND THE CASH INCENTIVE TO THE PARTICIPANT.

70
05/07/18

2019 SCS to the NCVS
Round 4 Cognitive Interview Protocol

Cognitive Testing of NCVS SCS
PARTICIPANT ID #: _________________________

DATE: ____ / ____ / 2018

INTERVIEWER’S NAME:_________________________________________________
START TIME: ______: ______

AM / PM

72
05/07/18

Thank you for signing the consent form. I will also sign this form to show that I agree to everything in the form. At the end of the
interview, I’ll be sure to give you a copy for you to take with you.
10. ASK PARTICIPANT IF (S)HE HAS ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CONSENT FORM.
11. IF PARTICIPANT AGREES, OBTAIN THE RESPONDENT’S SIGNATURE TO PROCEED ON ONE COPY OF THE
FORM; INTERVIEWER SHOULD ALSO SIGN THE FORM AT THIS TIME.
12. MAKE SURE RESPONDENT TAKES ONE COPY WITH THEM WHEN THE INTERVIEW IS OVER AT THE END OF
THE INTERVIEW.

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05/07/18

2018 SCHOOL CRIME SUPPLEMENT
INTRO_1 -

E_ATTENDSCHOOL

1a.

Did you attend school at any time this school year?
_________________________________________

E_HOMESCHOOL

1b.

During that time, were you ever homeschooled?
That is, did you receive ANY of that schooling at
home, rather than in a public or private school?
_________________________________________

E_ALLHOMESCHOOL

1c.

Was all of your schooling this school year
homeschooling?
___________________________________________

E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

1d.

How many different schools have you
attended this school year?

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to END
_____________________________________________
006

092

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to E_DIFFSCHOOL_ATTENDED

_____________________________________________
1  Yes - SKIP to END
2  No
_____________________________________________
007

185SCS 1  One school
2  Two schools
3  Three or more schools

2a.

During the time you were homeschooled this school
year, what grade would you have been in if you
were in a public or private school?

093

008

E_HOMESCHOOLGRADE_OTHER
E_WHATGRADE

2b.

What grade are you in?

E_WHATGRADE_OTHER

homeschooled.
E_WHATMONTH
3.
In what month did your current school year begin?

009

E_WHATMONTHOTHER

1  August
2  September
3  Other

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 

January
February
March
April
May
June
July
October
November
December

ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTIONS
F_SCHOOLSTATE, F_SCHOOLCOUNTY, F_SCHOOLCITY

4b.

In what State, County and City is your school
located?

F_NAMEOFSCHOOL

What is the complete name of your school?
F_PUBLICORPRIVATE

5a.

015
014
013
012

State
County
City
School Name

1  Public – ASK F_REGULARSCHOOL
2  Private - SKIP to F_CHURCHRELATED
______________________________________________
016

1  Yes
2  No
SKIP to F_GRADES_LOW
_________________________________________
017

018

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

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05/07/18

F_GRADES_LOW

6a.

What is the lowest grade taught in your school?

020
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

021

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10 
11 
12 
13 
20 
30 

022

1
2
3
4
5
6

F_GRADES_HIGH

6b.

What is the highest grade taught in your school?

F_GETTOSCHOOL

How do you get to school most of the time this
school year?

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used, code
the mode in which the student spends the most time.
F_GETTOSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets to school.

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way – Specify _________

F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL
8.
How do you get home from school most of the time
this school year?

024

FIELD REPRESENTATIVE - If multiple modes are used,
code the mode in which the student spends the most
time.
F_HOMEFROMSCHOOL_SPECIFY
Enter the other way that the respondent gets home from
school.

During this school year, have you participated in any of
the following activities sponsored by your school:

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPORTS

a. Athletic teams at school?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SPIRIT

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance
Team, or Pep Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ARTS

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir,
Orchestra, or Drama?

F_ACTIVITIES_ ACADEMIC

d. Academic clubs or honor societies, for example,
Debate Team, Spanish Club, Math Club, or
Computer Club?

F_ACTIVITIES_ GOVT

e. Class council or student government, also known
as SGA?

F_ACTIVITIES_ SERVICE

1
2
3
4
5
6

Walk
School bus
Public bus, subway, train
Car
Bicycle, motorbike, or motorcycle
Some other way - Specify ________

Yes

120

1

2

121

1

2

122

1

2

123

1

2

124

1

2

125

1

2

126

1

F_ACTIVITIES_ OTHER

g. Other school clubs or school activities?

F_ACTIVITIES_OTHER_SPECIFY



2

Specify __________

What are the other school clubs or school activities
you participate in?

78
05/07/18

10. The next questions are about security measures that
some schools take.
Does your school have:
F_SAFETY_POLICE
bb. Security guards or assigned police officers?
F_SAFETY HALLSTAFF
cc. Other adults supervising the hallway, such as
teachers, administrators, or parent volunteers?
F_SAFETY_ METAL_DETECTORS
dd. Metal detectors, including wands?
(The definition for the term ‘metal detector’ is a device used to
check for weapons students might be trying to bring onto school
property. The metal detector may be in a form of a doorframe,
which you are asked to walk through. It may also be in the form of
a hand-held metal detector that looks like a wand or paddle, which
is moved around your body.)
F_SAFETY_DOORS_LOCKED
ee. Locked entrance or exit doors during the day?
F_SAFETY_SIGN_IN
ff. A requirement that visitors sign in AND wear
visitor badges or stickers?
F_SAFETY_LOCKER_CHECKS
gg. Locker checks?
F_SAFETY_STUDENT_ID
hh. A requirement that students wear badges or
picture identification?
F_SAFETY_CAMERAS
ii. One or more security cameras to monitor
the school?
F_SAFETY_CODE_OF_CONDUCT
jj. A code of student conduct, that is, a set of
written rules or guidelines that the school
provides you?

Yes

If you hear about a threat to school or student safety,
do you have a way to report it without having to give
your name?

F_DISTRACTED
12.
In your classes, how often are you distracted from
doing your schoolwork because other students are
misbehaving, for example, talking or fighting?

(READ CATEGORIES.)

Don’t know School does not
have lockers

028

1

2

3

029

1

2

3

030

1

2

3

031

1

2

3

032

1

2

3

033

1

2

3

094

1

2

3

095

1

2

3

096

1

2

3

Yes

Don’t know

167

1

2

3

156

1
2
3
4

F_REPORT

11.

4

Never
Almost never
Sometimes
Most of the time

13.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

F_RULES_FAIR

The school rules are fair.

F_PUNISHMENT_SAME

The punishment for breaking school rules is the
same no matter who you are.

F_RULES_ENFORCED

The school rules are strictly enforced.
(Strictly enforced rules means that the school
consistently carries out disciplinary actions against
any students who break school rules.)

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Strongly
Disagree Disagree

035

1

2

3

4

036

1

2

3

4

037

1

2

3

4

038

1

2

3

4

127

1

2

3

4

F_PUNISHMENT_KNOWN

d. If a school rule is broken, students know what
kind of punishment will follow.

F_TEACHERS_RESPECT

e. Teachers treat students with respect.

14.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

There is a TEACHER or other ADULT at school who…

F_ADULT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

F_ADULT_LISTENS

Listens to you when you have something to
say.
F_ADULT_GOOD_JOB
c. Tells you when you do a good job.
15.

Still thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following…

173SCS 1 

2

3

4

175SCS 1 

2

3

4

176SCS 1 

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

Strongly
Agree

There is a STUDENT at school who…

F_STUDENT_REALLYCARES

Really cares about you.

186SCS 1 

Listens to you when you have something to say.

187SCS 1 

Believes that you will be a success.

188SCS 1 

F_STUDENT_LISTENS

F_STUDENT_SUCCESS

16.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOU LIVE,
would you strongly agree, agree, disagree, or
strongly disagree with the following…

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU LIVE.
17.

Thinking about the neighborhood where YOUR
SCHOOL is located, would you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with the following...

Strongly
Agree
212SCS 1 

Strongly
Agree

2

3

4

2

3

4

2

3

4

Agree

Disagree

2

3

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree
4

Strongly
Disagree

F_CRIME_NEIGHBORHOOD_SCHOOL

There is a lot of crime in the neighborhood
where YOU go to SCHOOL.

213SCS 1 

2

3

4

80
05/07/18

18.

Thinking about your school, would you strongly
agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree with the
following...

Strongly
Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly
Disagree

F_SAFE_IN_SCHOOL

You feel safe in your school

189SCS 1 

2

3

4

SCS_INTRO 3

19.

Is it possible for students to get any of the following
while at school…

F_ ALCOHOL

a. Alcoholic beverages?

Yes

040

1

2

041

1

2

159

1

2

209SCS

1

2

F_MARIJUANA

b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?
F_PRESCRIPTION_DRUGS

c. Heroin or prescription painkillers illegally
obtained without a prescription, such as Codeine,
Percocet, or fentanyl? These are also known as
opioids.
d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without
a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or
Adderall?
F_OTHER_ILLEGAL

e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or
crystal meth?
1
F_KNOW_DRUGS_OR_ALCOHOL

20.

During this school year, did you see another
student who was under the influence of illegal drugs
or alcohol while they were at school?

210SCS

2

1  Yes
2  No

FIGHTING, BULLYING AND HATE BEHAVIORS
G_FIGHT_AT_SCHOOL
21a.
During this school year, have you been in one or
more physical fights at school?

103

1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to:
Q22

G_FIGHT_HOW_OFTEN
21b.
During this school year, how many times have you
been in a physical fight at school?

22.

104

 (Number of times)

(Read each category a-h.)

Yes

134

1

2

135

1

2

136

1

2

137

1

2

138

1

2

139

1

2

140

1

2

141

1

2  If all categories a-h are
marked “No” SKIP to
Probes (Q22) on page 17

G_MADE_FUN

a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted
you, in a hurtful way?
G_RUMOR
h. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others
dislike you?
i.
G_THREAT

Purposely shared your private information,
photos, or videos in a hurtful way?

j. Threatened you with harm?
Has any student from your school…
G_CONTACT
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on
you?
G_COERCED
f. Tried to make you do things you did not want to
do, for example, give them money or other
things?
G_EXCLUDED
g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or
other communications to hurt you?
G_DESTROYED_PROP

Destroyed your property on purpose?

SCS_INTRO 4

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05/07/18

G_MULTI_PERS
23.
Thinking about [that thing/those things] you said
you experienced this school year, did more than
one student do [this/these things] to you?

G_HOW_ACT
24.
Did these students act alone, together as a team, or
both?

25.

You said that more than one student did [that
thing/those things] to you. Has any student done
[that thing/any of those things] to you more than
once during this school year?

G_DAY_PLUS
26a.
During this school year, how many days did you
experience (that thing/any of those things)?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_TIMES
26b.
In that one day, how many times would you say
[another student/other students] did [that thing/any
of those things] to you?
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES 1-4)

G_HAPPEN_AGAIN

27.

Did you think [that student/those students] would
do hurtful things to you again?

217SCS
1  Yes
2  No - SKIP to: Q26a

218SCS
1  Alone
2  Together
3  Both
4  Don’t know

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

214SCS
1
2
3
4

One day – Go to Q26b
Two to five days – Skip to Q27
Six to ten days– Skip to Q27
More than ten days– Skip to Q27

215SCS
1
2
3
4

One time
Two or more times
Too many times to count
Don’t know

216SCS
1  Yes
2  No

CHECK ITEM B:
7. Did more than one student do those things?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q23)  Go to QUESTION 2 BELOW
No (R answered “No” to Q23)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14 (fill for “another student”/ “that student”)
8. Did any of those students do any of those things more than once?
Yes (R answered “Yes” to Q25)  Go to SCS INTRO 5a ON PAGE 14 (fill for “other students” / “those students”)
No (R answered “No” to Q25)  Skip to SCS INTRO 5b ON PAGE 14 (fill for “other students” / “those students)

SCS_INTRO 5a You reported that at least one student did [that thing/those things] to you more than once this school

school year…
ALL GO TO G_STRONGER, Q28 item a
Q28
Yes
G_STRONGER
219SCS
1
p. [Was that student/ Were any of those students]
physically bigger or stronger than you?

No
2

G_POPULAR
q. [Was that student/ Were any of those students] more
popular than you?

220SCS

1

2

G_MONEY
r. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more money than you?

221SCS

1

2

G_INFLUENCE
s. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have the
ability to influence what other students think of you?

222SCS

1

2

G_OTHER_POWER
t. [Did that student/ Did any of those students] have
more power than you in another way?
G_OTHER_POWER_SPECIFY

223SCS

1

2 

In what other way [did that student/ did any of those
students] have more power than you?

_______________

Qx
What was your relationship to [the student/those
students] when they did [that thing/those things] to
you? Were they…
k. Your brother or sister?
l. Your friend or ex-friend?
m. Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
n. Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
o. Another student from school?

1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes
1  Yes

2
2
2
2
2

No
No
No
No
No

84
05/07/18

G_WHERE1 through G_WHERE8

VERSION 1
29.
Still thinking about the time that [another
student/other students] did something to you, where
did it occur? Did it occur …

173

6  Outside on school grounds?
7  On the way to or from school such as on a
school bus or at a bus stop?
211SCS 8  Online or by text?
146
9  Somewhere else at school? –Ask
G_WHERE_SPECIFY _____________
ALL SKIP TO Q30

(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place it occurred?

144
145

G_WHERE1 through G_WHERE8

143
168
169

VERSION 2
29.
Still thinking about all of the times that [another
student/other students] did those things to you,
where did they occur? Did they occur …

143
168
169

173
(READ CATEGORIES) Mark (X) all that apply
G_WHERE_SPECIFY
Where is the other place they occurred?

G_ADULT_TOLD

30.

31.

Did you tell a teacher or some other adult at school
about [this student/these students] doing [that
thing/those things] to you?

147

1  Yes
2  No

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:
(READ ANSWER CATEGORIES)

G_SCHOOL_WORK

j.
YOUR school work.
G_RELATION_FRIEND_FAMILY
k.
YOUR relationships with friends or family.
G_ABOUT_YOURSELF
l.
How you feel about YOURSELF.
G_PHYSICAL_HEALTH
d.
YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

Not
at all

Not very Somewhat
much

A lot

196SCS

1

2

3

4

197SCS

1

2

3

4

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1

2

3

4

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1

2

3

4

32. When [another student/other students] did [that
thing/those things] to you, did you ever think it was
related to...
G_RACE

v.
YOUR race?
G_RELIGION
w.
YOUR religion?
G_ETHNIC_ORIGIN
x.
Your ethnic background or national origin for example, people of Hispanic origin?
G_DISABILITY
y.
Any disability you may have – such as
physical, mental, or developmental
disabilities?
G_GENDER
z.
YOUR gender?
G_ORIENTATION
aa. YOUR sexual orientation - by this we mean gay,
lesbian, bisexual, or straight?
G_APPEARANCE
bb. YOUR physical appearance?
.

Yes

200SCS

1

2

201SCS

1

2

202SCS

1

2

203SCS

1

2

204SCS

1

2

205SCS

1

2

206SCS

1

2

Can you tell me about what happened? As much as you feel comfortable talking about.

aa. [IF R DID NOT SAY YES TO “ONLINE OR BY TEXT” IN Q29] Did anything happen online or by
text that you didn’t think of when you were first answering that question? [IF YES] Can
you tell me more about that?
If Q22 = no to all:
When I asked you if any student from your school had done any of those things that might make
you feel bad or are hurtful to you, you said no to all items.
bb. Did any of those things happen to you but you didn’t think they would count for this
question? Can you tell me more about why you didn’t include them here?
cc. [IF ONLINE STUFF NOT MENTIONED IN PROBE C] Did any students from school do anything that
made you feel bad or was hurtful to you online or by text that you didn’t think of when
answering the question? [IF YES] Can you tell me more about that?
dd. Did other students do any other things not included in this list that made you feel bad
or were hurtful to you? Can you tell me more about that?

All respondents:
ee. Is there anything missing from this list [GESTURE TO PAPER] that we should add?

IF R SAID NO TO ALL ITEMS IN Q22, SKIP TO: Probes (Bullying section part 1 on page 20)

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[IF R ANSWERED YES] How many students did those things [POINT TO Q22] to you at school
this year?

What incidents were you thinking of when you were answering this question?

IF R SAID NO TO Q23, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q26a)
Probes (Q24): [ASKED IF MORE THAN ONE STUDENT DID THINGS (Q23 = YES)]
I then asked: “Did these people act alone, together as a team, or both?” You answered ____.
All respondents:
l. Can you tell me why you answered the way you did?

m. What does the phrase “together as a team” mean to you in this question?

If Q24 = Alone or Both:
n. Even though [some of] these people acted alone, do you think that some of the things
that different people did to you were related in some way? Can you tell me more about
that?

Probes (Q26a):
Another question I asked was, “During this school year, how many days did you experience (that
thing/any of those things)?” The response options were, “One day,” “Two to five days,” “Six to
ten days,” and “More than 10 days.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
g. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
h. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?
IF R’S ANSWER = MORE THAN ONE DAY, SKIP TO: PROBES (Q27)
Probes (Q26b): [ASKED IF THINGS ONLY HAPPENED ON ONE DAY (Q26A = ONE DAY)]
The follow up question I asked was, “In that one day, how many times would you say [another
student/other students] did [that thing/any of those things] to you?” The response options
were, “One time,” and “Two or more times.” You answered _____.
All respondents:
g. How did you come up with your answer to that question?
h. [IF NECESSARY] Was it easy or difficult for you to find a response option that fit for
you? [IF NECESSARY] What made it [easy/difficult]?
Probes (Q27):
The next question I asked was, “Did you think [that student/those students] would do hurtful
things to you again?”
If R ANSWERED “YES”:
e. When I first asked this question, you answered “yes.” Why did you answer the way you
did?

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All respondents:
Question D asks, “[Did that student/did any of those students] have the ability to influence
what other students think of you?
o. Please tell me, in your own words, what that question is asking?
Question E asks “[Did this person/Did anyone in the group] have more power than you in
another way?”
p. What does the phrase “have more power than you” mean to you in this question?

Probes (Qx):
Next I asked you these questions: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Qx TO REFERENCE]
d. Were you unsure of what to answer for your relationship to any of the students you were
thinking of? Can you tell me more about that?

If R said more than one student did things and said yes to siblings or boyfriend/girlfriend
e. Which of the hurtful things in this question [POINT TO Q22] did your [sibling/boyfriend
or girlfriend] do?
f.

Did any other students do the same thing(s)as your [sibling/boyfriend or girlfriend]?

Probes (Q29a/Q29b):
Next I asked you these questions: [DEPENDING ON WHICH VERSION OF THE QUESTION THEY WERE ASKED,
HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q29a OR Q29B TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
d. Does this list include all the places where other students have done hurtful things to
you? [IF NO] Where else did they occur?
If R said yes to “bathroom or locker room” AND “gymnasium or weight room”
You said yes to items 3 and 4 – were you thinking about different incidents for each category?
Can you tell me more about that?
Probes (31):
This is another series of questions I asked you: [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF Q31 TO REFERENCE]
g. What does the phrase “had a negative effect on” mean to you in this question?
h. Please tell me what question D is asking, in your own words.
Probes (Bullying section part 1):
d. Thinking about all of the questions we just went through about hurtful things students
might do, what do you think the questions were trying to get at?
IF R SAID NO TO ALL IN Q22, SKIP TO: PROBES (BULLYING SECTION PART 2)
Now I’m going to ask one survey question and then some more follow up
questions.
33.

Do you consider [that thing/those things] that [another
student/other students] did to you to be bullying?

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don’t know

Probes (Q33):
g. Why did you answer the way you did?
h. [POINT TO Q22] Would you have answered those questions differently if we referred to
those behaviors as bullying? [IF YES] Please tell me more about that.
Probes (Bullying section part 2):
g. How did you feel about the fact that we didn’t refer to bullying when asking all of
those questions?
h. Please tell me, in your own words, how you define bullying.

Thank you for that. Now we’re going to return to the last set of actual survey
questions.

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AVOIDANCE
37.

During this school year, did you ever STAY AWAY
from any of the following places because you
thought someone might attack or harm you there?
Yes

068

1

2

069

1

2

070

1

2

071

1

2

072

1

2

073

1

2

074

1

2

075

1

2

208SCS

1

2

H_AVOID_SHORTCUT

38a.

Did you AVOID any activities at your school because
you thought someone might attack or harm you?

H_AVOID_CLASSES
38b.
Did you AVOID any classes because you thought
someone might attack or harm you?

076

1  Yes
2  No

077

1  Yes
2  No

078

1  Yes
2  No

H_STAY_HOME

38c.

Did you stay home from school because you
thought someone might attack or harm you in the
school building, on school property, on a school
bus, or going to or from school?
GANGS

058

1  Yes- GO to Q43b
2  No - SKIP to Q44
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q44

K_GANG_FIGHTS
43b. During this school year, how often have gangs been
involved in fights, attacks, or other violence at your
school?

089

1
2
3
4
5

090

1  Yes
2  No
3  Don't know

Never
Once or twice this school year
Once or twice a month
Once or twice a week, or
Almost every day

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)
K_GANG_DRUGS
43c.
Have gangs been involved in the sale of drugs at your
school during this school year?

STUDENT CHARACTERISTICS
L_GRADES
44.
During this school year, across all subjects have you
gotten mostly -

116

(READ CATEGORIES 1-5)

L_SKIP_CLASSES

45a.

During the past 4 weeks of school, did you skip any
classes? Again, we would like to remind you that
none of your responses will be shared with anyone at
your school or home.

L_SKIP_CLASS_DAYS

45b.

During the past 4 weeks of school, on how many
days did you skip at least one class?

46.
Thinking about the future, do you think you will ...
L_SCHOOL_AFTER_SCHOOL
a. Attend school after high school, such as a college
or technical school? . . . . . . . . . .
L_GRADUATE_4YR

b. Graduate from a 4-year college? . . . . . . . . . . .

114

115

1
2
3
4
5
6

A's
B's
C's
D's
F's
School does not give grades/no alphabetic
grade equivalent

1  Yes- GO to Q45b
2  No - SKIP to Q46
3  Don't know - SKIP to Q46

 (Number of days)
Yes

Don't know

117

1

2  -- END

3

118

1

2

3

How did you come up with your answer to that question?

What does the term “gangs” mean to you in that question?

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Probes (Q19 – Drugs and Alcohol):
I asked you this question towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE PAGE OF
Q19 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:
l.

Please tell me, in your own words, what this question is asking about.

Take a look at item c.
a.

What is item c asking, in your own words?

[IF R MENTIONS THAT THEY DON’T KNOW WHAT OPIOIDS MEANS] Were you able to understand
what item c was asking in general, even though you don’t know the term opioids?

Have you heard any other names of prescriptions painkillers? What names have you
heard?

Now let’s look at item d.
d.
Prescription drugs are legal but sometimes people get and sell them illegally, like
Xanax, Ritalin, and Adderall. Are there other kinds of prescription drugs you know of
that some people buy to misuse or get high? Did you include them in your response?
e.

Thinking about all of the drugs we just asked about in that question [POINT TO
HANDOUT], are there other drugs a student might be able to get at school that we
didn’t ask about?

Probes (Q9):
This is another question I asked towards the beginning of the interview. [HAND R THE SINGLE
PAGE OF Q9 TO REFERENCE]
All respondents:

h. Were there any activities that you do at your school that you were not able to find on
this list? [IF NECESSARY] What are they?
i.

Are there any words or phrases on this list that you don’t recognize? [IF NECESSARY]
What are they?

Great! Now we just have a few wrap-up questions, and then we’ll end the interview.

DEBRIEFING QUESTIONS:
v. Overall, what did you think of this survey? Was it easy or difficult?
w. Is it easy to know when something someone does is bullying? Can you tell me more
about that?
x. What is the difference between someone being mean and someone being a bully?
y. Does your school have a specific definition of bullying?
z.

[IF YES] How does your school define it?

aa. [IF YES TO D] Do you think of bullying the same way the school talks about

it? [IF NECESSARY] Can you tell me more about that?
bb. Did you have any other thoughts about the topics we discussed today, or the
questions on this survey?
Those are all of the questions that I had for you today. Thank you very much for your participation.
Here is an envelope containing your $25.
Here is a voucher form that verifies I gave you the money.
Please complete the information in the highlighted areas and sign and date
TURN OFF THE TAPE RECORDER.
HAND THE CASH INCENTIVE TO THE PARTICIPANT.

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Attachment 14:
Cognitive Pretesting of the 2019 School Crime Supplement to the National Crime Victimization Survey:
Final Report – Supplemental Materials

Round 1 Handouts For Reference During Probing
Bullying prevalence question
Handout 1
22.

Now I have some questions about what students from your school do that make you feel bad or are hurtful to
you. These could occur in person or using technologies, such as a phone, the Internet, or social media. During
this school year, has any student from your school…
a. Made fun of you, called you names, or insulted you, in a hurtful way?
b. Spread rumors about you or tried to make others dislike you?
c. Purposely shared your private information, photos, or videos in a hurtful way?
d. Threatened you with harm?
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on you?

Has any student from your school…
f.

Tried to make you do things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?

g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or other communications to hurt you?
h. Destroyed your property on purpose?

Power imbalance question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators
Handout 2 (single):

28.

Still thinking about those things another student did to you during this school year…
a.

Was that student physically bigger or stronger than you?

Was that student more popular than you?

Did that student have more money than you?

Did that student have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did that student have more power than you in another way?

Handout 2 (multiple):
28.

Still thinking about those things other students did to you during this school year…
a.

Were any of those students physically bigger or stronger than you?

Were any of those students more popular than you?

Did any of those students have more money than you?

Did any of those students have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did any of those students have more power than you in another way?

Location of bullying question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators
Handout 3:
Q29a. Still thinking about the time that another student did something to you, where did it occur? Did it occur…
 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Somewhere else inside the school building? –
Where is the other place where it occurred? _____________
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?

Handout 3:
29b.

Still thinking about all of the times that other students did those things to you, where did they occur? Did they
occur…

 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Somewhere else inside the school building? –
Where is the other place where they occurred? _____________
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?

Effects of bullying
Handout 4:
31.

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:

Not
at all

Not very
much

YOUR school work.

1

2

3

4

YOUR relationships with friends or family.

1

2

3

4

How you feel about YOURSELF.

1

2

3

4

YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

1

2

3

4

Somewhat

A lot

Availability of drugs and alcohol
Handout 5:

19.

The following question refers to the availability of drugs and alcohol at your school.

Is it possible for students at your school to get…
a. Alcoholic beverages?
b. Marijuana, also known as pot, weed or mary jane?
c. Prescription drugs illegally obtained without a prescription, such as Oxycontin, Ritalin, or Adderall?
d. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, meth, uppers, or heroin?

School sponsored activities
Handout 6 (middle school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, or Math Club?
e. Student government?
f. Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club,
or Recycling Club?
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Handout 6 (high school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, or Math Club?
e. Student government?
f.

Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club,
Key Club, or Interact? Do not include community service hours required for graduation.

g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Round 2 Handouts For Reference During Probing
Bullying prevalence question
Handout 1
22.

Has any student from your school…
f.

Tried to make you do things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?

g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or other communications to hurt you?
h. Destroyed your property on purpose?

Power imbalance question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators

Handout 2 (single):

28.

Still thinking about those things another student did to you during this school year…
a.

Was that student physically bigger or stronger than you?

Was that student more popular than you?

Did that student have more money than you?

Did that student have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did that student have more power than you in another way?
[If yes] In what other way did that student have more power than you?

Handout 2 (multiple):
28.

Still thinking about those things other students did to you during this school year…
a.

Were any of those students physically bigger or stronger than you?

Were any of those students more popular than you?

Did any of those students have more money than you?

Did any of those students have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did any of those students have more power than you in another way?
[If yes] In what other way did any of those students have more power than you?

Location of bullying question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators

Handout 3:
Q29a. Still thinking about the time that another student did something to you, where did it occur? Did it occur…
 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a gymnasium or weight room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Somewhere else inside the school building? –
Where is the other place where it occurred? _____________
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?

Handout 3:
29b.

Still thinking about all of the times that other students did those things to you, where did they occur? Did they
occur…

 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a gymnasium or weight room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Somewhere else inside the school building? –
Where is the other place where they occurred? _____________
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?

Effects of bullying
Handout 4:
31.

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:

Not
at all

Not very
much

YOUR school work.

1

2

3

4

YOUR relationships with friends or family.

1

2

3

4

How you feel about YOURSELF.

1

2

3

4

YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

1

2

3

4

Somewhat

A lot

Availability of drugs and alcohol
Handout 5:

19.

The following question refers to the availability of drugs and alcohol at your school.

Is it possible for students at your school to get…
a. Alcoholic beverages?
b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?
e. Opioids, such as prescription painkillers, heroin, or fentanyl?
f. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or Adderall?
g. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or crystal meth?

School sponsored activities
Handout 6 (middle school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

Handout 6 (high school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, or Math Club?
e. Student government?
f.

Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Ecology Club,
Key Club, or Interact? Do not include community service hours required for graduation.

g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Round 3 Handouts For Reference During Probing
Bullying prevalence question
Handout 1
22.

Has any student from your school…
f.

Tried to make you do things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?

g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or other communications to hurt you?
h. Destroyed your property on purpose?

Power imbalance question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators
Handout 2 (single):

28.

Still thinking about those things another student did to you during this school year…
a.

Was that student physically bigger or stronger than you?

Was that student more popular than you?

Did that student have more money than you?

Did that student have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did that student have more power than you in another way?
[If yes] In what other way did that student have more power than you?

Handout 2 (multiple):
28.

Still thinking about those things other students did to you during this school year…
a.

Were any of those students physically bigger or stronger than you?

Were any of those students more popular than you?

Did any of those students have more money than you?

Did any of those students have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did any of those students have more power than you in another way?
[If yes] In what other way did any of those students have more power than you?

Relationship to Perpetrator(s)
Handout 3:
Qx. What was your relationship to [the student/those students] when they did [that thing/those things] to you? Were
they…
a. Your brother or sister?
b. Your friend or ex-friend?
c. Your boyfriend or girlfriend at the time?
d. Your ex-boyfriend or ex-girlfriend at the time?
e. Another student from school?

Location of bullying question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators
Handout 4:
Q29a. Still thinking about the time that another student did something to you, where did it occur? Did it occur…
 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a gymnasium or weight room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?
 Somewhere else at school? –
Where is the other place where it occurred? _____________

Handout 4:
29b.

Still thinking about all of the times that other students did those things to you, where did they occur? Did they
occur…

 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a gymnasium or weight room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?
 Somewhere else at school? –
Where is the other place where they occurred? _____________

Effects of bullying

Handout 5:
31.

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:

Not
at all

Not very
much

YOUR school work.

1

2

3

4

YOUR relationships with friends or family.

1

2

3

4

How you feel about YOURSELF.

1

2

3

4

YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

1

2

3

4

Somewhat

A lot

Availability of drugs and alcohol
Handout 6:

19.

Is it possible for students to get any of the following while at school…
a. Alcoholic beverages?
b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?
c. Opioids, such as heroin, fentanyl, or prescription painkillers like Codeine or Percocet?
d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or Adderall?
e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or crystal meth?

School sponsored activities
Handout 7 (middle school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, Math Club or Computer Club?
e. Student government or class council?
f. Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Environmental
Club, or Recycling Club?
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Handout 7 (high school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, Math Club, or Computer Club?
e. Student government or class council?
f.

Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Environmental
Club, Key Club, or Interact? Do not include community service hours required for graduation.

g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Round 4 Handouts For Reference During Probing
Bullying prevalence question
Handout 1
22.

Has any student from your school…
e. Pushed you, shoved you, tripped you, or spit on you?
f.

Tried to make you do things you did not want to do, for example, give them money or other things?

g. Excluded you from activities, social media, or other communications to hurt you?
h. Destroyed your property on purpose?

Power imbalance question with different fills for single or multiple perpetrators
Handout 2 (single):

28.

Still thinking about those things another student did to you during this school year…
a.

Was that student physically bigger or stronger than you?

Was that student more popular than you?

Did that student have more money than you?

Did that student have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did that student have more power than you in another way?
[If yes] In what other way did that student have more power than you?

Handout 2 (multiple):
28.

Still thinking about those things other students did to you during this school year…
a.

Were any of those students physically bigger or stronger than you?

Were any of those students more popular than you?

Did any of those students have more money than you?

Did any of those students have the ability to influence what other students think of you?

Did any of those students have more power than you in another way?
[If yes] In what other way did any of those students have more power than you?

Handout 4:
29b.

Still thinking about all of the times that other students did those things to you, where did they occur? Did they
occur…

 In a classroom at school?
 In a hallway or stairwell at school?
 In a bathroom or locker room at school?
 In a gymnasium or weight room at school?
 In a cafeteria or lunch room at school?
 Outside on school grounds?
 On the way to or from school such as on a school bus or at a bus stop?
 Online or by text?
 Somewhere else at school? –
Where is the other place where they occurred? _____________

Effects of bullying
Handout 5:
31.

This school year, how much [has that thing/have
those things] had a NEGATIVE effect on:

Not
at all

Not very
much

YOUR school work.

1

2

3

4

YOUR relationships with friends or family.

1

2

3

4

How you feel about YOURSELF.

1

2

3

4

YOUR physical health for example, caused
injuries, gave you headaches or stomach
aches.

1

2

3

4

Somewhat

A lot

Availability of drugs and alcohol
Handout 6:

19.

Is it possible for students to get any of the following while at school…
a. Alcoholic beverages?
b. Marijuana, also known as pot or weed?
c. Heroin or prescription painkillers illegally obtained without a prescription, such as Codeine, Percocet, or
fentanyl? These are also known as opioids.
d. Other prescription drugs illegally obtained without a prescription, such as Xanax, Ritalin, or Adderall?
e. Other illegal drugs, such as cocaine, uppers, or crystal meth?

School sponsored activities
Handout 7 (middle school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, Math Club or Computer Club?
e. Class council or student government, also known as SGA?
f. Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Environmental
Club, or Recycling Club?
g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Handout 7 (high school):
9.

During this school year, have you participated in any of the following activities sponsored by your school:
a. Athletic teams at school?
b.

Spirit groups, for example, Cheerleading, Dance Team, or Pep Club?

c. Performing arts, for example, Band, Choir, Orchestra, or Drama?
d. Academic clubs, for example, Debate Team, Honor Society, Spanish Club, Math Club, or Computer Club?
e. Class council or student government, also known as SGA?
f.

Volunteer or community service clubs sponsored by your school, for example, Peer Mediators, Environmental
Club, Key Club, or Interact? Do not include community service hours required for graduation.

g. Other school clubs or school activities?
[IF YES] What are the other school clubs or school activities you participate in?

Some findings from the 2013 SCS include:
• About 22 percent of students ages 12–18
reported that they were bullied at school.
• About 7 percent of students ages 12–18
reported being cyber-bullied anywhere.
• The percentage of students bullied at
school who reported notifying an adult
(39 percent) was higher than the percentage
of students cyber-bullied anywhere who
reported notifying an adult (23 percent).
• About 33 percent of students who reported
bullying problems at school indicated that this
occurred at least once or twice a month.
• About 12 percent of students reported that
gangs were present at their school.
• About 3 percent of students ages 12–18
reported that they were victims of any crime
at school.
• About 2 percent of students ages 12–18
reported that they were victims of theft
at school.

National Center for Education Statistics
Institute of Education Sciences
550 12th Street SW
Washington, DC 20202

Your
Child’s
Experiences
at School

nces.ed.gov
202-403-5551

Publications

Resources
•

www.StopBullying.gov

•

Suicide Prevention Lifeline
1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255)

•

Child Help USA National Child
Abuse Hotline
1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453)

•

www.victimsofcrime.org/help-for-crimevictims/

The School Crime Supplement
(SCS) to the
National Crime Victimization
Survey for Students in
Grades 6 Through 12
Coming soon:
Your child will be contacted to complete the
survey between January and June 2019.
NCES 2016-132
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

What is the purpose of this survey?

The survey will collect information about
school-related crimes on a national level,
including crime and safety in schools and how
it affects students.

Why is my child being asked to
complete this survey?

Your household is one of the more than
100,000 households selected to participate
in the National Crime Victimization Survey
(NCVS). All students in grades 6 through 12 in
households selected for the NCVS are asked to
complete the 2019 School Crime Supplement
(SCS). Your child’s responses will represent the
opinions and experiences of hundreds of other
students who were not selected for the SCS.

What is the benefit of my child
answering the survey?

Who sponsors this survey?

The National Center for Education Statistics
(NCES) and Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)
sponsor the SCS. The U.S. Census Bureau
collects data for the SCS.

How often is this survey conducted?
The SCS is conducted every two years with the
NCVS. Your child is being asked to participate
in the 2019 SCS.

What will you ask my child?

We will ask your child questions about his or
her school, including:
•
•
•
•
•

•

perceptions of practices that the school uses
to prevent school-related crimes;
perceptions of rules and equity at school;
the availability of drugs, alcohol, and
weapons at school;
the presence of gangs at school;
whether he or she has had negative
interactions with other students from
school; and
participation in extracurricular activities.

Will anyone find out what my child’s
answers are?
No, federal law protects your child’s answers
and keeps them confidential. By law, the
Census Bureau, the NCES, and the BJS can
only use this survey information for statistical
research. Your child’s answers will not be
shared with their teachers or school. We are
not permitted to publicly release survey
responses in a way that could identify your
child or your household.

Who uses the information from
this survey?

File Type	application/pdf
File Title	Microsoft Word - Attachment 1. BJS Authorizing Statute
Author	morganra
File Modified	2018-08-17
File Created	2016-08-25