The California Department of Education (CDE) recommends that schools administer the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) every two years to provide data on student health risks and resilience. The web-based online version of the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) is given to students in Grades 5, 7, 9 and 11 in Fall of 2014 and 2016. Students are given the appropriate level Core Module of questions, with additional, supplemental survey questions given at the high school level in grades 9 and 11.

Background

As a federal mandate to meet the Obama administration’s blueprint for proposed reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) released by the U.S. Department of Education in March 2010, all California schools are required to administer the CHKS every two years to provide data on student health risks and resilience. The CHKS includes a range of questions to obtain student perceptions on health-related behaviors such as alcohol, tobacco, drug use, and violence.

The CHKS survey takes approximately one period to complete. The results of the survey benefit the District by providing information and data to secure grant funding, guide and evaluate school violence and substance abuse prevention programs, and update site School Safety Plans and the District's annual Safe Schools Report.

The CHKS includes a range of questions to obtain student perceptions on health-related behaviors including:

• Alcohol and other drug use
• Tobacco use
• Violence and school safety
• Physical and nutritional habits
• Youth resilience (positive self-perception and avoidance skills)

California School Climate Survey

In addition to the CHKS, GUSD certificated staff working with grades 5-12 take the California School Climate Survey (CSCS). In conjunction with the CHKS, the CSCS guides school improvement safety efforts, advances positive learning and teaching environments, helps close the achievement gap, and meets the participation requirement by the CDE for districts receiving the Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) grant.

Information from the results of the CHKS and CSCS allow district and school personnel to:

• Evaluate both student learning and staff working conditions (K-12)
• Compare student self-report data with staff and parent perceptions
• Update site School Safety Plans and the Annual District Safe Schools Report
• Guide and evaluate school violence and substance abuse prevention programs
• Apply for various grants including:
• Drug and Other Substance Abuse Prevention
• Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities
• School Safety and Violence Prevention
• Provide ongoing funding for Tobacco Use Prevention Education
• Evaluate the Safe Schools Healthy Students program

Underlying the survey is research and theory supporting the importance of fostering school environments that are academically challenging, caring, participatory, safe, and healthy.

Parent Consent

For GUSD students, parent permission is required for the CHKS, meaning that parents must sign a consent form indicating whether or not their child has their permission to take the survey. Translations and copies of the survey are made available at each school and on the District website for parent review before the survey is given.

English - Parent Consent Form (Elementary School)
English - Parent Consent Form (Middle School) 
English - Parent Consent Form (High School) 

Armenian - Parent Consent Form (Elementary School) 
Armenian - Parent Consent Form (Middle School) 
Armenian - Parent Consent Form (High School) 

Korean - Parent Consent Form (Elementary School) 
Korean - Parent Consent Form (Middle School) 
Korean - Parent Consent Form (High School) 

Spanish - Parent Consent Form (Elementary School)
Spanish - Parent Consent Form (Middle School)
Spanish - Parent Consent Form (High School) 

CHKS Questions

English - Elementary School Survey
English - Middle School Survey
English - High School Survey 

Armenian - Elementary School Survey
Armenian - Middle School Survey 
Armenian - High School Survey 

Korean - Elementary School Survey
Korean - Middle School Survey 
Korean - High School Survey 

Spanish - Elementary School Survey
Spanish - Middle School Survey 
Spanish - High School Survey