Healthy Youth Survey

We commend the Issaquah School District for making the results of the Healthy Youth Survey available on their website.  The district began administering the HYS in 2004, and results from 2004 through 2014 are available.  Survey results are also available by school and can be compared to state results.

Is the Healthy Youth Survey valid?  

• We get asked that question all the time.  Because it is a self-reporting instrument, the state of Washington has developed a number of screens for weeding out less-than-honest answers on the Healthy Youth Survey.  Survey results are screened for the frequency of responses (all "A's" or all "C's" for example) or for responses clearly out of the mainstream.  In addition, the survey has been developed in a way that screens for internal consistency of responses -- in fact, that is why it is a rather lengthy instrument.
• At the local level, districts can compare their results to results across the state of Washington.  Over the years, a consistency of responses across grade levels and communities tells us that students are, for the most part, answering honestly.  Again at the local level, districts can ask students if the results seem realistic.  The feedback we get from students is that the HYS survey results closely reflect student reality.
• Finally, as trends are monitored, HYS results do reflect changes in student attitudes.  For example, in 2004, approximately 20% of Issaquah School District students reported smoking cigarettes.  In 2014, between 4 and 6% reported smoking cigarettes -- a trend reflected in the observations of students, teachers, administrators and parents.