OSPI Explains: What Is the Healthy Youth Survey, and How Are the Results Used?
When Washington’s schools and school districts look for ways to better support students, they can gain the most valuable insights from the students themselves.
The Healthy Youth Survey — administered every two years to a selection of students in grades 6–12 since 2002 — offers students an opportunity to make their voices heard, said Gigi Calaway, Director of Student Support Services for the Wahluke School District.
“As I looked back at the history of our school district, with the perspective of the Healthy Youth Survey, I learned how important it was that you don’t miss a year when that survey is offered because that is what tells our story,” Calaway said. (Hear more from Calaway about the impact of the survey in her school district in this video.)
The Healthy Youth Survey, or HYS, will next be administered this fall. In advance of the survey’s release, the Office of Superintendent of Public Education (OSPI) is providing more information about the HYS — in partnership with the state’s Department of Health, Health Care Authority, and Liquor and Cannabis Board.
There are rumors circulating that students are required to take the survey and answer every question — neither of which is true. The survey is voluntary, and families can choose for their student to opt out of the survey. Students can also skip questions or stop the survey at any time.
Read on to learn more, and find out what to do when you spot questionable information online.
Why do schools participate in the Healthy Youth Survey?
Schools participate in the HYS to collect important information about students and their experiences, and ultimately use that information to make improvements that better support students both in and out of the classroom.
Jen Varrelman, a high school counselor in the Bridgeport School District, said there may be barriers in students’ lives that schools may not know about.
“Sometimes our kids don’t talk to us, but we need to know what’s going on with them,” Varrelman said. “The Healthy Youth Survey is one way that we can really get to the bare bones of what’s going on with our kids.”
Calaway emphasized that the survey is conducted in an ethical and responsible way.
“For parents, it’s important to know that we’re not asking questions that are harmful or hurtful,” Calaway said. “We’re asking questions that give us answers to help them and offer them programs or resources that they may not be able to afford or be able to provide to their kids.”
How is the survey administered?
Students take the survey online during a class period, using a link provided by their teacher. Students can stop the survey at any time or skip questions they don’t want to answer.
What information are students asked to provide?
The HYS asks questions about many topics, including, but not limited to:
- Demographics (including age, gender, ethnicity)
- Nutrition and physical activity
- Use of drugs, alcohol, and vapes/electronic cigarettes
- Support from friends, family, and adults at school
- Mental health (depression, anxiety, thoughts of self-harm)
Calaway said she’s encountered parents/guardians who have expressed concerns about some of the questions on the survey. The Wahluke School District wants to hear those concerns from families, she added, while affirming that asking a question about a sensitive subject is not the same as promoting it.
“From my health background, I don’t believe that it’s harmful to ask somebody if they’re [having thoughts of] suicide,” said Calaway. “I believe that it’s more harmful to not have that conversation.”
Indeed, according to the Mayo Clinic, talking about suicide with youth can reduce the risk of suicide.
Schools can also request an exemption form asking questions about sexual behavior and sexual violence. The Bridgeport School District did just that, Varrelman said, adding that many families in the school district had expressed concern.
“It was really important to me that we do get community buy-in,” Varrelman said. “Parent groups just said, We’re not comfortable with these questions. That’s okay.”
How are students’ identities protected?
The HYS is always voluntary, and students do not put their names on the survey. Surveys are confidentially submitted online when students are done. There are no codes or information that matches a student to a survey, and no one from the school can see how a student responds.
Do students have to participate in the HYS?
Students are not required to participate in the HYS, but many schools make it a part of their culture.
“Legally, you can’t require someone to do it because then it wouldn’t be a survey that was given with fidelity,” Varrelman said.
Students who do participate also aren’t required to answer every question on the survey.
“That does give a student some power, as to what they answer and what they don’t answer,” Varrelman said.
How has HYS data been used to better support students?
In the Wahluke School District, data from the 2010 HYS indicated that 27% of tenth grade students had used alcohol within the previous 30 days, while only 38% of tenth grade students had never used alcohol. Calaway saw it as an opportunity to shift prevention strategies to focus on supporting students’ overall wellbeing.
The school district was able to bring on full-time mental health counselors, as well as reduce alcohol use. In turn, data from the 2018 HYS shows that more than half of tenth grade students had never used alcohol.
In the Bridgeport School District, schools where HYS results indicate that students rely on school meals to meet their nutritional needs were also able to bring in an afternoon snack program. Varrelman said this has been helpful for students who are involved in afterschool activities, ensuring that they’re fed before they go home.
Varrelman encourages the school employees who distribute the survey to remind students about the impact their answers can have.
“Remember, when you’re answering, your answers will help you, but it will also help your friends and your community,” Varrelman said.
How reliable is HYS data?
For HYS data to be the most valuable for school districts, it’s important that as many students as possible take the survey.
“If a smaller percentage of kids take it, it’s unreliable data,” Calaway said. When this happens, schools or districts may only be able to rely on data from their educational service district (ESD) or their county, which has been pooled together across multiple schools and districts instead of representing only their students.
Within the survey itself, there are questions that assess honesty and structures in place to identify inconsistencies within a specific student’s answers. If a student provides inconsistent responses, their survey may be removed from the results to help protect the quality of the data.
Where can I find additional information?
This story was written by Chelsea Embree, Director of Publications and Engagement Strategy at OSPI, in partnership with Washington’s DOH, HCA, and LCB. You can contact the Communications Team at commteam@k12.wa.us.
