State Report on the Implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act - U.S. States and Other Jurisdictions 2020-21 School Year - March 2023

Oct 15, 2026

Report detailing implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act across U.S. states and other jurisdictions for the 2020–21 school year, produced for the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments. Covers GFSA reporting requirements, integration into the EDFacts data system, and findings on student firearm possession in U.S. schools. Includes executive summary, next steps, attachments with state profiles and legal references, and multiple exhibits summarizing errors, reporting rates by LEA and state, and firearm incident reporting trends.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages96

Reading Time4 h 2 min

AccessFree to download

Executive Summary

Introduction

GFSA Reporting Requirements

Integration of the GFSA Into the EDFacts Data Management System

Student Firearm Possession in U.S. Schools

Summary and Next Steps

Attachment A: Gun-Free Schools Act State Profiles

Attachment B: 20 U.S. Code § 7961 Gun-Free Requirements

Attachment C: State Statutes and Regulations Addressing Gun-Free Schools Act Requirements

March 2023 This page intentionally left blank. State Report on the Implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act U.S. States and Other Jurisdictions 2020–21 School Year March 2023 Wehmah Jones Jennifer Sable Jiayi Li National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments This report was produced under U.S. Department of Education Contract No. 91990021A0020 by Wehmah Jones, Jennifer Sable, and Jiayi Li of the American Institutes for Research via the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE) . Cindy Savage served as the contracting officer’s representative for NCSSLE. U.S. Department of Education Miguel Cardona Secretary Office of Elementary and Secondary Education James Lane Senior Advisor, Office of the Secretary, Delegated the Authority to Perform the Functions and Duties of the Assistant Secretary Office of Safe and Supportive Schools Bryan Williams Director March2023 This report is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be as follows: Jones, W., Sable, J., & Li, J. (2022) . State report on the implementation of the Gun-Free Schools Act: U.S. states and other jurisdictions—2020–21 school year. National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments. This report is available on the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments’ website at [https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/reports-implementation-gun-free-schools-act](https://safesupportivelearning.ed.gov/reports-implementation-gun-free-schools-act). Availability of Alternate Formats Requests for documents in alternate formats, such as Braille or large print, should be submitted to the Alternate Format Center by calling 202-260-0852 or by contacting the 504 coordinator via email [at](at om_eeos@ed.gov)[ ](at om_eeos@ed.gov)[om_eeos@ed.gov](at om_eeos@ed.gov). Notice to Limited English Proficient Persons If you have difficulty understanding English, you may request language assistance services for Department information that is available to the public. These language assistance services are available free of charge. If you need more information about interpretation or translation services, please call 1-800-USA-LEARN (1-800-872-5327) (TTY: 1-800-437-0833) or email us at [Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov](Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov. Or write)[. Or write](Ed.Language.Assistance@ed.gov. Or write) to U.S. Department of Education, Information Resource Center, LBJ Education Building, 400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202. Content Contact Nicole White Phone: (202) 453-6729 [Email: Nicole.White@ed.gov](Email: Nicole.White@ed.gov) CONTENTS Page Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................................................... v Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................................... 1 GFSA Reporting Requirements ..................................................................................................................................................... 2 Integration of the GFSA Into the EDFacts Data Management System.......................................................................................... 3 Student Firearm Possession in U.S. Schools ................................................................................................................................ 10 Summary and Next Steps ............................................................................................................................................................. 25 Attachment A: Gun-Free Schools Act State Profiles .................................................................................................

FAQs

What does the report cover for the 2020–21 school year?

It reviews GFSA reporting requirements, how GFSA is integrated into the EDFacts data system, and findings on student firearm possession in U.S. schools.

Which organizations produced and supported the report?

The report was produced under a U.S. Department of Education contract by Wehmah Jones, Jennifer Sable, and Jiayi Li of the American Institutes for Research via NCSSLE.

What additional materials are included beyond the main chapters?

The document includes attachments with state profiles and legal provisions (20 U.S. Code § 7961) plus state statutes and regulations, along with exhibits summarizing reporting and firearm-incident data.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Riley West