STUDY : Pennsylvania Students At Worst Academic Schools 5 Times More Likely To Suffer Violence

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A study from the Commonwealth Foundation finds that children who attend schools with the worst academic performance in Pennsylvania are five times more likely to be a victim of violent crimes in school.

The Commonwealth Foundation study used data from the Pennsylvania Department of Education's Safe Schools Online which found more than 18,300 acts of crime, all which occurred during the 2010-2011 school year.

The study also found that 21 percent of the crimes happened at public schools that scored in the bottom five percent of the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment. This includes about 140 public schools in Pennsylvania.

According to data from the Pa. Department of Community and Economic Development, about 40,000 students get scholarships annually from the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC), but the Children's Scholarship Fund Philadelphia turns away about 7,000 applicants a year due to lack of funding.

There is a current proposal under consideration that would increase the amount of scholarships available to children who attend violent schools.