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District survey: 632 students responded; 38.6% report lifetime drug or alcohol use
Summary
District staff presented results of a Feb. 18–20 substance-use survey of grades 7, 9 and 11: 632 students completed the survey (seven opt-outs); staff warned lower participation in some grades limits comparability and said results will inform counseling and prevention work.
School staff presented highlights from a Feb. 18–20 substance-use survey at the April 13 New Albany-Plain Local Schools board meeting.
Dr. Noak said 632 students completed the district’s anonymous survey (down from 793 the previous year); seven parents opted students out. “There were 632 students that completed the survey,” he said, noting participation by grade: 348 in seventh grade, 194 in ninth grade and 90 in 11th grade. He reported that 38.6% of respondents indicated they had used drugs and/or alcohol in their lives, a decline of roughly two percentage points from the previous year, and that alcohol and vaping remained the most commonly reported substances.
Board members asked about the lower junior (11th-grade) participation rate — roughly 25% responded — and staff acknowledged that scheduling (NEST periods, CCP commitments) and survey fatigue likely reduced responses in some grades, which limits cross-year comparisons. Staff said they plan to consider changes to the administration timing, question wording and sample strategy to increase validity.
The district described how results will be used: dashboards in Qualtrics are available to administrators and counseling teams, data will inform prevention lessons (for example, lessons on vaping and prom-related messaging), and counselors will follow up on trends identified in open-text responses. Staff emphasized the anonymous nature of the survey and said open comments can reveal emerging issues, such as the evolving appearance and composition of vape devices.
Board members and staff discussed prevention resources currently used by the district, including the Sources of Strength program and specialized prevention clinicians, and the district said it will continue coordinating with counselors and parents to ensure services match student needs.
The board did not take formal action on the survey results that evening but asked staff to consider changes to improve response rates and to return with recommendations for administration and use of the data.
