Posted by: Kim_Hamilton on 11/07/2009 12:15 AM
Updated by: Kim_Hamilton on 11/07/2009 12:15 AM
Expires: 01/01/2014 12:00 AM
California Healthy Kids Survey Coming Up In Calaveras Schools
Angels Camp, CA....Students and faculty will contribute their perspectives and opinions on a wide range of topics related to school culture when three local school districts, Calaveras Unified School District, Bret Harte Union High School District, and Mark Twain Union Elementary School District, administer the state-mandated Healthy Kids Survey during the week of November 16, 2009. This year districts are looking for a county-wide participation rate to exceed past rates, in order to create better funding opportunities for student programs.....
The California Department of Education requires school districts to administer the Healthy Kids Survey to students in fifth, seventh, ninth and eleventh grades and the School Climate Survey to teachers and staff at least once every two years. The surveys evaluate developmental assets in students’ lives, such as caring relationships, high expectations, and opportunities for meaningful participation on campus. They assess attitudes toward school, campus life, faculty, family, community and neighborhood, and gather information on health-related behaviors such as physical activity, nutritional habits, alcohol/tobacco/other drug use, and bullying. Extensive research has shown that student health and resilience are important factors in student academic and school success.
Individual surveys are completely anonymous and are sent directly to WestEd, the state consultant, for compilation and interpretation. The state uses the information for statistical purposes, and to identify trends and develop strategies statewide that can affect program funding. Each district’s aggregate data report is delivered to the district to help determine district-wide and county-wide strengths and prevention program priorities.
“The Healthy Kids Survey data is one of our only sources of specific information on student health and school culture in Calaveras County,” said Kathryn Eustis, director of youth development and prevention programs for the Calaveras County Office of Education. “Because of our small population, Calaveras information usually gets absorbed into regional data. Sometimes that includes comparable counties like Amador and Tuolumne, but often it includes San Joaquin, Stanislaus, or even Sacramento counties, where student life bears little or no resemblance to that in Calaveras schools.”
Accurate information is important in choosing and applying for funding for appropriate student development and prevention programs. Bret Harte Union High School District used Healthy Kids Survey data to secure a five-year $455,000+ School Violence Prevention Grant, which has enabled the district to develop a network of self-esteem and community-building programs like Step-Up Sisterhood, substance abuse counseling, Link Crew, Breaking Down the Walls, and peer counseling. Calaveras County Office of Education used Healthy Kids Survey data in its successful application for $33,500 in annual funding to offer Friday Night Live Mentoring at Calaveras and Bret Harte High Schools. Calaveras County’s Public Health Department uses Healthy Kids Survey data in developing the county’s substance abuse and tobacco use prevention plans, planning activities for Friday Night Live and Club Live, and conducting the Maternal/Child/Adolescent Health Assessment. Categorical funding cuts at both the state and federal levels have put the future of the Healthy Kids Survey in question, making this year’s data even more important as a tool to secure funding for student programs and services.
Schools are required to administer the survey, but students are not required to take it. “Our goal this year is to increase overall student participation to at least 60%, the rate at which the data is considered truly valid,” Eustis said. “Most of our students prefer to participate, as this is an opportunity to share their thoughts, opinions and feelings. We need to make sure parents understand how important the Healthy Kids Survey data is to our schools and our county, so they make it a priority to sign their student’s permission slip in the grades and districts in which permission slips are required.” Active parent permission is required for all fifth graders and for all students in Calaveras Unified School District. Bret Harte Union High School District moved to passive parent consent in 2007 in order to increase student participation and data accuracy, and survey participation jumped by 10%. Bret Harte parents may now simply opt-out if they do not want their student to participate. Mark Twain Union Elementary School District has a policy of passive parent consent (for seventh graders) as well.
Parents can preview the survey online at the Healthy Kids website: www.californiahealthykids.org. All three districts will administer Module A and the CTAG (Closing the Achievement Gap) module. For further information, parents can contact their student’s school.
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