***Public and Private School Principle in the United States: A Statistical Profile, 1987-88 to 1993-94*****Table A17.�Percentage of public and private school principals who view various issues as serious            problems in their schools, by school level: 1987-88, 1990-91, and 1993-94**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                       School level                                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                   Elementary                          Secondary                          Combined                                          ----------------------------------- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------School problems                              1987-88   1990-91   1993-94         1987-88   1990-91   1993-94        1987-88   1990-91   1993-94------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PUBLICTeacher absenteeism                             1.6       1.1       0.8             2.7       2.3       1.2            3.0       2.2       1.6Student tardiness                               2.7       3.0       2.3            10.5      10.2       9.2            4.1       5.2       4.7Student absenteeism                             3.6       3.6       2.4            15.3      14.3      11.6           10.4       9.2       8.3Students cutting class                          0.2       0.1       0.0             4.3       3.3       3.9            1.4       1.8       1.2Student dropping out                           (a)        0.5       0.2            (a)        9.0       6.8           (a)        4.8       5.2Student apathy                                 (a)        4.7       5.6            (a)       13.7      14.7           (a)       12.6      13.1Physical conflicts among students               2.6       2.3       3.4             1.4       1.6       3.1            2.8       3.2       5.4Robbery or theft                                0.6       0.5       0.4             0.6       0.8       0.8            1.3       0.6       1.0Vandalism of school property                    0.8       1.0       1.4             0.8       0.8       1.0            1.4       0.5       1.9Student pregnancy                               0.2       0.2       0.2             6.3       7.4       8.4            4.4       4.5       4.4Student use of alcohol                          0.4       0.7       0.2            11.7      14.0      13.3            7.2       7.2       5.7Student drug abuse                              0.3       0.3       0.2             5.6       3.8       4.6            3.8       2.7       2.7Student possession of weapons                    �         �        0.2              �         �        1.0             �         �        1.1Student disrespect for teachers                (a)        2.8       2.7            (a)        3.2       4.4           (a)        3.6       6.5Verbal abuse of teachers                        0.6       1.2       1.4             0.9       1.9       2.7            2.9       3.9       5.2Lack of academic challenge                     (a)        2.0       1.2            (a)        4.0       4.0           (a)        4.9       4.1Lack of parent involvement                     (a)       11.9      10.2            (a)       19.8      19.7           (a)       19.4      20.9Parental alcohol/drug abuse                    (a)        6.4       7.0            (a)        6.0       7.6           (a)        8.7       9.8Poverty                                        (a)       15.4      17.0            (a)       11.5      13.3           (a)       17.0      19.2Racial tension                                 (a)        0.4       1.1            (a)        0.7       1.2           (a)        2.1       1.2Students come unprepared to learn              (a)       (a)       11.6            (a)       (a)       12.5           (a)       (a)       13.1Poor nutrition                                 (a)       (a)        4.1            (a)       (a)        2.6           (a)       (a)        3.8Poor student health                            (a)       (a)        2.4            (a)       (a)        1.3           (a)       (a)        5.5Student problems with English language         (a)       (a)        4.6            (a)       (a)        2.5           (a)       (a)        3.2Cultural conflict                              (a)        1.1      (a)             (a)        1.4      (a)            (a)        2.9      (a)Physical abuse of teachers                       �         �       (a)               �         �       (a)              �        0.7      (a)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------See footnote at end of table.**Table A17.�Percentage of public and private school principals who view various issues as serious            problems in their schools, by school level: 1987-88, 1990-91, and 1993-94(continue)**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                                                       School level                                          ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------                                                   Elementary                          Secondary                          Combined                                          ----------------------------------- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------School problems                              1987-88   1990-91   1993-94         1987-88   1990-91   1993-94        1987-88   1990-91   1993-94------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------PRIVATETeacher absenteeism                              �         �         �               �         �         �              �         �         �Student tardiness                               0.9       1.3       1.2             5.8       2.0       4.3            1.4       1.2       0.6Student absenteeism                              �         �        0.0              �         �        2.3             �         �        0.7Students cutting class                           �         �        0.0              �         �         �              �         �        0.2Student dropping out                           (a)         �        0.0            (a)         �         �            (a)         �        0.1Student apathy                                 (a)        0.6       0.9            (a)        2.0       5.0           (a)        2.4       2.9Physical conflicts among students                �         �         �               �         �        2.6             �         �        0.9Robbery or theft                                 �         �         �               �         �         �              �         �         �Vandalism of school property                     �         �        0.5              �         �        1.8            0.7        �        0.4Student pregnancy                                �         �        0.0              �         �        1.9             �         �         �Student use of alcohol                           �         �         �               �        4.1      11.6             �        0.9       1.2Student drug abuse                               �         �         �               �         �        7.1             �         �        0.5Student possession of weapons                   0.0        �         �              0.0        �         �             0.0        �         �Student disrespect for teachers                (a)         �        0.5            (a)         �        3.2           (a)         �        3.2Verbal abuse of teachers                         �        0.5       0.2              �        1.5       1.8             �        2.7       3.4Lack of academic challenge                     (a)         �         �             (a)         �         �            (a)         �         �Lack of parent involvement                     (a)        1.1       1.9            (a)        3.5       5.2           (a)        3.3       4.6Parental alcohol/drug abuse                    (a)        0.2       0.8            (a)        2.9       8.6           (a)        3.7       2.4Poverty                                        (a)        3.0       3.0            (a)        2.4       6.3           (a)        5.0       3.2Racial tension                                 (a)         �         �             (a)         �         �            (a)         �         �Students come unprepared to learn              (a)       (a)        1.3            (a)       (a)        2.5           (a)       (a)        3.8Poor nutrition                                 (a)       (a)        1.1            (a)       (a)        0.0           (a)       (a)        2.0Poor student health                            (a)       (a)         �             (a)       (a)        0.0           (a)       (a)        2.0Student problems with English language         (a)       (a)        1.0            (a)       (a)         �            (a)       (a)        0.4Cultural conflict                              (a)         �       (a)             (a)         �       (a)            (a)         �       (a)Physical abuse of teachers                       �        0.1      (a)              0.0        �       (a)              �        0.3      (a)------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(a) Item not included on SASS questionnaire that year.� Too few cases for a reliable estimate.SOURCE:  U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, Schools andStaffing Survey:  1993-94 (Public and Private School Principal Questionnaires).