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Changes to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey

Thursday, September 13, 2018

The 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Results (YRBS) are in, and reports can be found on the YRBS website.Thanks to all the schools who helped us collect statewide statistics on how our high school students are doing. Statewide statistics are available thanks to the participation of approximately 50 high schools sampled into the statewide YRBS every two years.

In addition, approximately 500 middle and/or high schools use the Department of Public Instruction’s online YRBS system to collect their own version of the survey.

The DPI will be implementing some important changes to improve schools’ ability to collect their own Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. Upcoming changes include:

  • a new, easier-to-access software system (Qualtrics)
  • reduced loss of instructional time through simultaneous collection of both school and state of Wisconsin data (for the approximately 50 schools in the CDC/DPI State of Wisconsin YRBS sample)
  • streamlined and improved data collection through a standardized survey window and questionnaire
  • enhanced ability to produce county and CESA-level reports
  • increased data visualizations and report flexibility options
  • enhanced reporting thresholds for even more robust student privacy protections

These changes should make the process simpler, easier to coordinate and schedule, and produce more usable results.

While greater standardization should enhance the process, DPI is also allowing some flexibility in the following ways:

  • Questionnaires: While all schools will take the same core YRBS questions, schools can elect to add one of a few available optional modules. The optional modules include grant-specific options such as Drug-Free Communities as well as high-interest topic areas such as mental health and adversity.
  • Fall survey option: While all schools are encouraged to take the survey in the spring, this year only DPI will allow schools to take one last fall survey. Some restrictions apply. Interested schools should check the YRBS website
  • August-September: DPI is contacting the approximately 50 high schools sampled by CDC to represent Wisconsin’s official data collection. CDC is also reviewing the 2019 high school questionnaire with DPI. As in the past, CDC must approve the final version.
  • September 24-Nov. 30*: Registration for the YRBS will be open. Registration information will be posted to DPI’s YRBS webpage. During registration, schools will schedule their survey.
    • *Note: Registration for the final fall survey closes on Oct. 5.
  • January 7- March 29, 2019: YRBS survey administration window. Schools will have selected their survey date during registration. There will be an option for one final fall YRBS for schools that are not part of the state sample.
    • The final fall survey will be open from Oct. 15-Nov. 20. Due to time constraints, note that data collected in the fall may not be made available to schools until the spring.
  • Spring: Schools will receive a report of their results. Exact dates TBD.

Other Important Information

Schools who have used the outgoing OYRBS system in previous years should no longer use it for new surveys, although they may still use it to access existing reports. A plan for sunsetting that system is being developed and will be communicated to districts with a significant amount of time for schools to retrieve any pre-2018-19 data or reports they may need.

If enough schools in a county or CESA participate, county health departments and/or CESAs will also have the aggregate (not school-identified) YRBS results for their region, which districts and schools can use to compare with their own results. While this process can happen without direct coordination, schools are encouraged to partner with their county health departments, CESAs or local health coalitions during the survey registration process. In many cases, such partners can help schools in the data collection and analysis process.

More information will be posted to the YRBS website and updated as needed.