MN Student Survey
The Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) is a voluntary and confidential survey used to gain insights into the worlds of students and their experiences. It's one of the longest running youth surveys in the nation, administered every three years. The MSS is the primary source of data on youth at the state, county and local level in Minnesota and assists in bringing youth voice into the decisions made by programs, schools, communities, and state agencies.
The survey asks students about their activities, opinions, behaviors and experiences in school climate, bullying, out of school activities, healthy eating, emotional health, substance use and connections with school and family. Questions about sexual behaviors are only asked of high school students.
Opt-Out ** Passive Consent Notice to Parents:
Contact
Research Evaluation and Assessments
For administration Questions
rea@mpls.k12.mn.us
Who should take the survey and when will the survey occur?
May 19 - May 30
The expectation is that all 5th, 8th, and 11th graders be given the opportunity to participate in the survey to have their voices heard. The survey is optional and available to all students grade 5 through 12. Students will complete the survey online during class time via link provided by their teacher.
What questions are on the survey and how long will it take?
The survey typically takes 35-50 minutes, or one regular class period, to complete. Students should be under no time constraints to complete the survey, they have up to 4 hours to take it if needed. Students should complete the survey in one sitting. If they need to take a break, they should leave their browser and the survey open, and come back to complete the survey. There is a back button in the survey. Students can change their answers at will. Once students reach the end of the survey, there will be a confirmation of survey completion.
Grades 5-6 (Level 1) has 62 questions. Skip patterns also exist within the Level 1 survey instrument.
Grades 7-8 (Level 2) has 118 questions. Skip patterns also exist within the Level 2 survey instrument.
Grades 9-12 (Level 3) has 124 questions. Skip patterns (e.g., if a student says no to the question about alcohol use in the past year, they will then skip the follow-up questions about alcohol).
Do we need to notify parents before the students take the survey? Yes
All school districts are required by law to notify parents of the school’s participation in the Minnesota Student Survey. According to the federal education law revised in 2002 under No Child Left Behind, school districts must inform parents of surveys containing sensitive questions. The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA) requires that parents are informed prior to the survey administration for the parents of students who are eligible to participate in the survey. The notification must include the specific survey schedule, the content of the survey and the process for reviewing the survey instrument. Can caregivers opt out of the survey? Yes, links to the translated documents at the top of this page.
The benefits of the survey and data results
State, county, and district-level data are available on the Minnesota Department of Education website. The data begins with 2013 in an interactive format that allows users to customize their view of the results.
- School district findings often satisfy the requirement for objective data for state and federal grants. As important partners in providing services to students and their families, local public health and social service agencies find that the data are important for planning and programming. State agencies use the findings to monitor trends in health and risk behaviors, to design and adjust programming to meet current and anticipated needs of youth, apply for funding for statewide initiatives, and to assist schools and communities in efficient planning and implementation of youth programs.
The survey is offered every three years; 2025 will be the 13th administration. There have been high levels of participation on the part of school districts in the past and high participation rates among youth within those districts, making the data a strong depiction of the factors that bolster Minnesota students as well as those that put them at risk for health, social, or learning problems. Statewide in 2022, over 135,000 youth participated.