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The Scranton School District will administer the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) in the window of September 15th until November 21st. The survey will be given to 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grade students. All three intermediate schools, both high schools, and the Scranton Cyber Academy will be choosing their own day within that time period to administer the survey. Below you will find information about the survey, as well as letters in both English and Spanish that provide more information, and the next steps once schools have chosen their individual dates to administer the test. Once schools have selected which day they are going to administer the survey, a letter will be sent home to families with contact information regarding who to contact in order to opt-out. 

What is the Pennsylvania Youth Survey?

The Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) is a biennial survey of youth in the 6th, 8th, 10th, and 12th grades. PAYS asks questions about students’ perspectives of their school environment, attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors concerning mental health, alcohol, tobacco, other drugs (ATOD), violence, and other health risk behaviors. The survey also collects information about risk factors, which are the conditions that increase the likelihood that a child will develop problem behaviors later in life. It also collects information about protective factors – people or conditions in a community that can buffer youth from risk.  

What is the purpose of PAYS?

PAYS gathers local data and information needed to identify appropriate prevention and intervention programs to address such problems as mental health concerns, substance use, and violence in our schools and communities.  Schools, government agencies, local stakeholders, and community prevention coalitions use PAYS data to assess issues facing youth in a community, identify programming that can be used to address the locally-identified problems, select curricula, and demonstrate the need for funding through grant submissions and presentations to potential funders. It also helps schools, districts, and counties judge the effectiveness of current prevention and intervention efforts and to make appropriate corrections. In addition, PAYS seeks youth input on protective factors or supports in their communities; family lives, and interpersonal relationships that help them succeed in life. Through PAYS data, especially the risks faced by and protections available to youth, communities can utilize a data-driven decision-making process to use limited prevention resources best.   

English Letter

Spanish Letter