Survey

Methodology

The SHS is a comprehensive, school-based, anonymous and voluntary health survey of 6th, 8th and 11th graders administered in the fall. It is a key part of statewide efforts to help local schools and communities ensure that all Oregon youth are healthy and successful learners.

The 2025 SHS was designed to be administered online to 6th, 8th and 11th graders statewide in one classroom period to provide state- and county-level estimates. The sampling frame is based on the Oregon Department of Education’s (ODE) Fall Membership Report for 2025-2026 and consists of public schools in Oregon with 6th, 8th and 11th grade enrollment of at least 10 students within the grade.

The following types of state-run schools and those with no associated school district were excluded from the sampling frame:

• Juvenile justice facilities
• Treatment facilities
• Boarding schools

Participation is Voluntary and Highly Encouraged

Students may choose not to take the survey or may refuse to answer any question on the survey. Because the survey covers a comprehensive range of health-related topics, some of the questions can be considered sensitive. There are opportunities for districts, parents/guardians and students to choose whether to participate.

SHS uses an active notification/passive consent model for the survey. Once district approval is received, schools send Parental Notification letters to parents and guardians at least two weeks prior to survey administration to inform them of the upcoming survey and provide an opportunity to opt their student out of the survey. The parent letters were available in English, Spanish, Russian, simplified Chinese, Vietnamese and Somali. Students can also choose to opt themselves out of the survey or to skip over any question they do not want to answer.

Over 63,000 6th, 8th and 11th graders participated in the 2025 SHS.

Participating Districts by County

A total of 143 districts in 34 counties chose to administer the 2025 SHS.