Higher student attendance coincides with fewer illegal gun-related expulsions in Michigan public K-12 schools, according to research led by the University of Michigan.
A new study published in the Journal of School Violence and conducted by researchers at U-M’s Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention found that schools with higher attendance rates—meaning students who show up for more than 90% of school days—are less likely to have expulsions for bringing firearms to school.
Analyzing data from more than 2,800 Michigan K-12 public schools over four academic years (from 2018-19 through 2021-22), the study found that for every 1% increase in students with good attendance, the chances of a firearm-related expulsion dropped by 3%.
Firearms are the leading cause of death among children and teens in the United States, according to federal data, and in 2022, there were 46 shootings at K-12 schools in the United States, more than in any year since 1999.
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