Administering the Survey During a Pandemic
Why conduct a youth survey during the COVID-19 global pandemic? Given the mandatory
stay-at-home order and abrupt transition from the classroom to distance learning
in the spring of 2020, why conduct the 2020 SHS at all? Some states opted to postpone
their student surveys until the 2021/22 school year. Oregon decided to forge ahead
with administering the SHS in the 2020/21 school year because getting information
on students’ health and well-being is even more critical during these unprecedented
and uncertain times. OHA worked closely with the Oregon Department of Education
(ODE) to identify how student and family experiences and needs related to COVID-19
could best be captured by the SHS. The resulting set of questions will allow districts
to hone-in on Student Success Act (SSA) priority populations and other vulnerable
students, such as those who are food or housing insecure, in foster care, identify
as LGBTQ2SIA+ or are experiencing or have experienced traumatic stress.
Flexibility was the key to successfully administering the survey during a time of
constant uncertainty and change. Survey processes and procedures were adapted so
the SHS could be administered in all learning environments, while still maintaining
student confidentiality. A resource sheet was also provided to students for additional
support.
The data collection period was originally scheduled for October to December 2020.
Because of the ongoing uncertainty and evolving nature of the coronavirus, its impact
on the learning environment, and districts’ responses and adaptations. The data
collection period was extended until the end of April 2021. However, due to Governor
Brown’s mandate on schools re-opening by April 19th, the data collection period
was extended again to the end of the school year to provide districts with more
time to administer the survey.
The 2020 SHS is a new survey that integrated the OHT and SWS surveys into one statewide
youth survey and was intended to provide baseline measures of key youth health and
risk behaviors.
SHS data are not strictly comparable to prior OHT and SWS results due to differences
summarized in the table below:
*Both the district recruitment and data collection periods (originally October to
December 2020) were extended to the end of the school year due to the COVID-19 global
pandemic to allow for greater participation.
Since the survey was administered by schools between October 2020 and June 2021,
the general social and learning environment fluctuated during this period, and potential
impacts on results should be taken into consideration. For instance, the learning
environment was dramatically different in late 2020 when it was primarily distance
learning only, compared with the spring of 2021 when most schools were transitioning
back to in-person and hybrid learning.
The administration of the 2020 Student Health Survey (SHS) would not have been possible
without the guidance, dedication and contributions of many organizations and individuals.
Colt Gill, Director/Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction
Grace Bullock, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Alexa Pearson, Office of Teaching, Learning and Assessment
Maggie Mashia, Office of Education Innovation and Improvement
Isabella Jacoby, Office of Education Innovation and Improvement
Kara Boulahanis, Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion
Sasha Grenier, Office of Teaching, Learning, and Assessment
Patrick Allen, Director
Alcohol and Drug Prevention and Education Program (ADPEP) Grantees, Health Promotion and
Chronic Disease Prevention
Todd Beran, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention
Renee Boyd, Program Design and Evaluation Services
Victoria Buelow, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention
Laura Chisholm, Injury and Violence Prevention Program
Derrick Clark, Fiscal and Business Operations
Sharon Coryell, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention
Jessica Duke, Adolescent and School Health Unit
Thomas Jeanne, Science, Evaluation, and State Epidemiology
Roxann Jones, Addiction Services Programs – Health Systems Division
Sarah Knipper, Adolescent and School Health Unit
Rebecca Knight, Addiction Services Programs – Health Systems Division
Richard Leman, Acute & Communicable Disease Prevention, PSET and VPD
Rosalyn Liu, Adolescent Health, Genetics and Reproductive Health, Adolescent and
School Health Unit
Katarina Mosely, Director, Health in Education
Maria Ness, Maternal and Child Health
Duyen Ngo, Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention
Thomas Peterson, Program Design and Evaluation Services
Alexis W. Phillips, Adolescent and School Health Unit
John Putz, Maternal and Child Health
Wesley Rivers, Adolescent and School Health Unit
Kristen Rohde, Program Design and Evaluation Services
Kim Waite, Injury and Violence Prevention Program
Cate Wilcox, Maternal and Child Health
Dagan Wright, Injury and Violence Prevention Program
Amy Zlot, HIV, STD and TB
Mary Johnstun, Director of Survey Services