In early September, the Norwalk Board of Education authorized the 2024 Norwalk Youth Survey, which will be given to 7th through 12th graders during the last two weeks of October. This blog post provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions. The slideshow presented to the BOE is downloadable at the bottom of this post.
Why Survey Our Youth?
The purpose of the survey is to allow students to share their perceptions and experiences on matters beyond academics that impact their learning and their lives. The survey provides the youth voice on a wide range of matters: mental health, substance use, cell phones and social media, bullying, connections to teachers, view of their future, and more. The information collected is then used to guide initiatives throughout the City as well as within the school district to address the issues identified by the survey.
The findings also allow us to track changes over time. The 2024 survey will be the 4th biannual survey, allowing us to observe trends in student mental health, substance use, and more. Additionally, the survey results also help to identify the student groups who are most vulnerable so that resources can be targeted to them.
What Impact Has the Survey Had?
A few ways past survey findings have been used include:
NPS, the City, and nonprofits have been able to access new funding to address the mental health needs of our youth and to fund the efforts of The Norwalk Partnership.
NPS has been able to contract with local nonprofits to make crisis counselors, therapists, and an alcohol & drug counselor available to students free of charge at school.
NPS has provided training to K-12 faculty to better understand the needs of marginalized populations.
Nonprofits have developed & received funding to provide new support groups and skills training for the highest risk students.
TNP's members created the Teen Nights Out initiative to provide safe monthly social activities for high school students.
Norwalk ACTS's members developed the Day of Training so that adults who work with Norwalk youth can learn the necessary skills to respond to the student needs identified in the survey.
What Data Will Be Collected?
The survey gathers information on students’ perceptions and experiences around substance use; mental health including disordered eating and thoughts of suicide; screen time, use of cell phones, online gaming, and social media; risk factors such as bullying, toxic stress, sexual behaviors (high school only); and protective factors such as having a trusted adult, a peer to talk to, involvement in extracurriculars, physical fitness, connectedness to others, and other thriving factors. The survey gathers demographic information (grade, race/ethnicity, gender and sexual identity, Multi Language Learner status, and Individualized Education Program status -- but no names) in order to identify groups that may be at higher risk. Parents are welcome to look at the survey questionnaire at their school’s administrative offices.
Is the Survey Confidential?
The survey is fully confidential and anonymous. No personally identifying information is collected. The data is aggregated by a nationally recognized and approved youth survey company, known as Youth Voices Count, which is based in Connecticut. The survey company returns the results in the form of data tables, with no access to individual student answers. There is no way to identify an individual student.
Who Will be Surveyed? Are Students Required to Take the Survey?
The survey will be offered to all 7th through 12th graders. Schools are sending a letter home to parents twice prior to the survey date, to be sure that all parents are aware of the survey and know who to contact at their child's school with any questions.
Parents may inform their school if they do not want their child to take the survey.
Students can also choose not to participate on the date of the survey. In addition, students can skip any question they don't want to answer.
Those who do not take the survey will be asked to work independently and quietly during the survey administration.
When and How Will the Survey Be Given?
Each school principal has identified the day and class period when the survey will be administered in their building during the last weeks of October.
During the identified class period, the teacher will read a short script explaining the survey’s purpose, types of data collected, and confidentiality.
The class will then watch a short video made by high school students from our TNP Teens clubs to encourage their peers to take the survey and be honest.
Students will then use a QR code or click a link in their Google Classroom to access the survey in English or Spanish.
The survey is taken online. The average student should take around 17 minutes to complete it.
When Will Survey Findings Be Available?
Data tables will be returned within 6-8 weeks of the final survey date, likely late December. Positive Directions will develop a data presentation to present to the BOE and school administration in January, followed by a variety of presentations for parents and community members. Results will be posted at www.thenorwalkpartnership.org/presentations. TNP's youth coalition, known as TNP Teens, will help share the findings back to their classmates.
Who Funds the Survey?
This survey is funded by Positive Directions–The Center for Prevention and Counseling, through a Drug-Free Communities grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The grant funds the work of The Norwalk Partnership (TNP), which is a coalition of community members and organizations dedicated to preventing substance misuse and promoting mental wellness in Norwalk youth and young adults. For more information, please contact Margaret Watt, Prevention Director, at mwatt@positivedirections.org
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