Input sought from Sonoma school district families

Sonoma Valley Unified School District is inviting parents, students and staff to participate in a new 'youth truth' survey in March and April. The Youth Truth survey is a nationally recognized survey used in hundreds of schools and districts across the country, surveying hundreds of thousands of students.

In the past, Sonoma Valley Unified School District has administered the California Healthy Kids Survey to students, staff and parents in grades 5, 7, 9 and 11 every other year. The Healthy Kids Survey focuses on resiliency, protective factors, risk behaviors and school climate and includes information on bullying and harassment, use of alcohol and other drugs, social and emotional health, and student and staff relationships. The Youth Truth survey was selected to replace it, according to the district, because it includes a broader array of topics and can be administered to all students from grades 3 to 12.

The areas of inquiry covered by the Youth Truth survey are:

** Engagement

** Relationships

** Culture

** Academic Rigor

** School Safety

** Belonging and Peer Collaboration (middle- and high-school only)

** College and Career Readiness (high-school only)

** Instructional Methods (elementary-school only)

** Strengths and Areas for Improvement

According to the district, the information obtained in the survey will be used in developing plans to help schools and districts improve, including the Local Control Accountability Plan and each school's Single School Plan.

For information, visit youthtruthsurvey.org, or speak to a school administrator.

The link to the survey can be found online at sonomaschools.org or on each school site's website.