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Board approves Pennsylvania Youth Survey amid questions about race-identification item
Summary
The Derry Area School District board approved administration of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey for grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 but several board members objected to a race-identification question; presenters said the survey is anonymous, free to schools and will produce local reports in April 2026.
The Derry Area School District Board of Directors voted to approve administration of the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) for grades 6, 8, 10 and 12 for the 2025–26 school year.
Julie Lovas, director of prevention services at the Westmoreland Drug and Alcohol Commission, and Donna Keane, executive director of St. Vincent College Prevention Projects, presented the survey to the board and described its purpose: to collect anonymous student-reported data on substance use, violence, mental health and school climate to inform prevention and student-support planning. “The survey is…
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