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Frequent Bullying/Harassment

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Percent of Students Reporting They Were Bullied or Harassed Weekly or More Often in the Past 30 Days, All Available Years: by Grade, Gender, and County

20132016
FemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotal
Minnesota11th16.7%13.7%15.2%15.4%11.3%13.4%
8th22.4%15.9%19.1%20.7%15.0%17.8%
9th19.7%14.1%16.9%19.0%12.3%15.6%
All Grades19.7%14.6%17.2%18.5%13.0%15.8%
Aitkin County11th11.9%14.3%13.0%10.4%14.0%12.4%
8th17.5%14.5%17.5%13.6%24.0%19.1%
9th31.9%15.9%24.2%17.5%20.4%18.8%
All Grades22.2%14.9%18.6%14.3%18.3%16.3%
Anoka County11th18.1%14.3%16.2%16.1%11.3%13.6%
8th23.4%16.6%19.9%18.9%14.8%16.9%
9th18.0%12.6%15.4%18.9%11.5%15.2%
All Grades20.1%14.6%17.4%18.1%12.5%15.3%
Becker County11th20.6%14.7%17.5%26.4%11.5%18.8%
8th21.7%13.4%17.4%31.5%18.5%24.9%
9th22.8%18.5%20.4%27.5%13.7%20.8%
All Grades21.8%15.8%18.6%28.6%14.8%21.7%
Beltrami County11th11.0%13.0%12.0%11.6%8.8%10.1%
8th25.4%15.2%20.2%20.2%16.7%18.5%
9th15.3%9.1%12.1%19.6%13.3%16.3%
All Grades17.6%12.3%14.9%17.6%13.1%15.3%
Benton County11th15.9%9.0%12.7%25.3%18.2%22.1%
8th27.6%19.6%24.1%23.7%17.1%20.4%
9th16.7%15.3%16.0%20.6%11.3%15.8%
All Grades20.3%14.8%17.7%22.9%14.8%18.9%
Big Stone County11th15.2%11.4%13.0%***
8th30.0%16.7%24.1%***
9th26.7%12.1%19.0%***
All Grades23.7%12.9%18.0%***
Blue Earth County11th15.8%8.1%12.2%12.9%9.9%11.3%
8th18.9%10.2%14.5%24.8%17.6%21.2%
9th30.6%14.9%22.6%15.8%9.9%12.9%
All Grades22.0%11.4%16.7%18.1%12.6%15.3%
Brown County11th23.2%18.8%20.9%17.0%15.6%16.3%
8th25.0%12.7%18.8%18.9%10.7%14.5%
9th23.6%15.2%19.5%28.6%19.2%23.6%
All Grades23.9%15.5%19.7%21.8%15.1%18.3%
Carlton County11th25.3%16.4%20.7%21.7%10.3%16.1%
8th27.0%18.9%23.0%26.0%18.4%22.2%
9th26.2%18.0%22.3%28.4%12.9%20.4%
All Grades26.2%17.8%22.1%25.6%14.2%19.8%
Carver County11th18.9%12.9%16.0%15.3%10.5%12.7%
8th15.2%11.7%13.4%20.6%19.7%20.1%
9th17.8%15.9%16.9%21.5%12.8%17.2%
All Grades17.3%13.6%15.5%19.9%15.0%17.5%
Cass County11th18.6%24.6%21.6%25.0%23.5%24.2%
8th25.6%11.9%18.3%17.5%8.6%12.8%
9th24.7%22.7%23.7%26.8%18.6%22.6%
All Grades23.3%19.1%21.1%23.0%16.1%19.4%
Chippewa County11th******
8th******
9th******
All Grades******
Chisago County11th16.5%20.3%18.4%***
8th21.7%16.0%19.1%***
9th22.7%16.1%19.2%***
All Grades20.5%17.3%18.9%***
Clay County11th20.3%9.3%15.2%16.1%9.0%12.2%
8th21.2%16.3%18.6%17.6%15.5%16.6%
9th18.3%13.0%15.7%21.1%13.0%16.7%
All Grades20.0%13.3%16.6%18.3%12.5%15.3%
Clearwater County11th37.1%17.1%27.1%21.9%16.2%18.8%
8th20.4%23.8%22.0%20.0%5.3%13.3%
9th25.6%27.8%26.9%14.0%20.3%17.8%
All Grades26.8%23.7%25.2%18.3%15.1%16.6%
Cook County11th10.0%18.8%15.4%***
8th10.0%0.0%6.1%***
9th27.3%17.4%22.2%***
All Grades17.3%13.5%15.4%***
Cottonwood County11th12.8%6.9%9.3%25.0%18.0%21.3%
8th20.5%12.1%15.7%27.3%20.0%23.4%
9th11.6%11.8%11.7%27.1%14.0%20.4%
All Grades15.1%10.2%12.3%26.5%17.3%21.7%
Crow Wing County11th17.9%24.3%21.3%***
8th29.4%11.3%20.6%***
9th19.8%22.4%21.0%***
All Grades23.1%18.6%20.9%***
Dakota County11th15.5%12.9%14.2%14.2%10.5%12.3%
8th24.2%15.9%20.0%19.0%13.1%16.0%
9th18.4%11.9%15.1%16.8%11.6%14.2%
All Grades19.4%13.6%16.5%16.8%11.8%14.3%
Dodge County11th23.8%18.6%21.3%11.2%10.8%11.0%
8th19.4%10.1%15.1%19.8%15.7%17.9%
9th18.7%15.7%17.3%9.4%8.6%9.1%
All Grades20.4%14.6%17.6%13.5%11.7%12.7%
Douglas County11th16.3%12.1%14.4%19.4%15.1%17.1%
8th24.4%19.4%22.0%17.8%12.1%15.0%
9th27.9%21.5%24.4%22.9%12.7%17.8%
All Grades22.6%18.0%20.4%20.0%13.3%16.6%
Faribault County11th28.0%12.1%19.0%21.8%12.1%16.8%
8th17.6%17.5%17.5%28.3%11.9%19.0%
9th27.8%28.4%28.1%15.6%13.1%14.2%
All Grades24.9%19.4%22.0%21.9%12.4%16.7%
Fillmore County11th19.6%15.9%17.4%12.5%8.2%10.4%
8th30.7%17.1%24.1%29.2%22.1%25.6%
9th14.3%10.3%12.3%25.0%19.7%22.5%
All Grades22.6%14.7%18.5%22.4%16.9%19.7%
Freeborn County11th16.0%11.2%13.5%18.2%22.9%20.5%
8th26.7%10.3%18.5%25.8%12.3%19.3%
9th25.0%9.7%17.9%22.4%12.5%17.0%
All Grades22.9%10.4%16.7%22.6%15.1%18.8%
Goodhue County11th10.8%13.5%12.3%18.3%17.6%18.0%
8th23.6%18.0%21.0%19.8%21.6%20.8%
9th23.1%15.8%19.4%20.7%15.3%17.8%
All Grades19.5%15.8%17.6%19.6%18.3%18.9%
Grant County11th10.0%18.5%14.0%23.8%19.4%21.1%
8th26.9%16.2%20.6%25.0%25.0%25.0%
9th31.4%17.2%25.0%15.6%11.1%13.2%
All Grades23.1%17.2%20.1%21.6%18.3%19.9%
Hennepin County11th15.0%13.2%14.1%13.3%10.4%11.9%
8th19.4%14.6%17.0%18.3%13.8%16.1%
9th17.3%12.8%15.1%14.6%8.8%11.7%
All Grades17.3%13.6%15.5%15.7%11.2%13.5%
Houston County11th23.5%13.6%18.1%21.0%17.5%19.4%
8th21.7%28.0%24.8%25.3%15.8%20.9%
9th12.8%12.1%12.4%22.0%14.0%17.5%
All Grades19.3%17.2%18.2%22.8%15.4%19.2%
Hubbard County11th25.4%24.3%24.8%20.5%8.5%14.6%
8th19.4%19.7%19.5%28.8%11.9%21.1%
9th34.2%27.9%31.4%23.3%22.7%23.0%
All Grades25.8%23.9%24.9%24.3%14.6%19.7%
Isanti County11th21.8%15.1%18.7%23.8%12.4%18.2%
8th26.6%13.6%20.4%22.1%16.2%19.2%
9th28.4%18.8%23.6%24.3%17.2%20.8%
All Grades26.1%15.9%21.2%23.4%15.4%19.5%
Itasca County11th21.6%17.5%19.7%16.9%15.4%16.1%
8th14.6%16.2%15.4%32.4%15.7%23.6%
9th31.1%19.4%25.2%31.9%20.5%26.4%
All Grades22.6%17.7%20.2%28.5%17.3%22.7%
Jackson County11th16.7%12.7%14.7%16.7%20.6%18.3%
8th22.2%18.6%20.6%40.0%14.3%25.0%
9th13.6%25.4%20.4%24.4%11.4%18.0%
All Grades17.8%19.1%18.4%23.1%15.2%19.3%
Kanabec County11th20.4%13.8%16.7%22.0%15.3%18.3%
8th28.9%12.8%21.1%19.1%28.8%23.2%
9th21.4%20.3%20.9%22.5%15.0%18.5%
All Grades24.3%15.3%19.8%21.0%19.3%20.1%
Kandiyohi County11th14.3%14.0%14.1%9.6%6.2%7.7%
8th20.8%11.7%16.0%14.1%7.8%10.9%
9th14.5%10.2%12.4%10.8%6.0%8.3%
All Grades16.6%12.0%14.1%11.7%6.7%9.1%
Kittson County11th42.1%27.3%34.1%32.1%21.1%27.7%
8th13.0%18.2%15.6%13.6%10.0%11.9%
9th41.9%26.9%35.1%38.9%18.8%29.4%
All Grades32.9%24.3%28.7%27.9%16.4%22.8%
Koochiching County11th30.0%39.3%35.4%***
8th34.9%24.2%30.3%***
9th28.1%27.8%27.9%***
All Grades31.6%29.9%30.7%***
Lac Qui Parle County11th20.6%14.3%17.7%17.6%13.5%15.5%
8th27.0%18.9%23.0%25.4%33.3%29.0%
9th27.0%14.6%20.0%16.2%8.3%12.3%
All Grades25.0%15.9%20.4%20.8%19.8%20.3%
Lake County11th14.3%13.2%13.6%***
8th12.5%12.8%12.6%***
9th27.0%15.2%22.9%***
All Grades20.2%13.6%16.9%***
Lake of the Woods County11th29.4%30.8%30.0%***
8th30.8%33.3%32.3%***
9th33.3%36.4%34.8%***
All Grades31.0%33.3%32.1%***
Le Sueur County11th23.7%10.3%16.3%16.0%6.2%11.6%
8th19.8%23.1%21.3%27.8%14.5%20.4%
9th17.5%22.4%19.9%31.7%17.8%24.4%
All Grades20.0%18.4%19.2%25.2%13.5%19.2%
Lincoln County11th26.1%5.0%16.3%***
8th43.5%18.2%35.3%***
9th26.7%13.0%18.4%***
All Grades32.8%11.1%22.6%***
Lyon County11th10.7%4.2%7.6%16.1%17.6%16.8%
8th22.7%29.9%27.0%25.2%16.8%20.9%
9th18.8%28.2%23.7%23.6%16.4%19.9%
All Grades16.8%21.5%19.3%22.0%16.9%19.4%
McLeod County11th8.3%30.8%20.0%***
8th42.1%0.0%26.7%***
9th36.4%30.8%33.3%***
All Grades31.0%21.6%26.6%***
Mahnomen County11th36.0%33.3%34.8%21.1%3.3%10.2%
8th12.1%31.0%21.0%28.0%14.0%19.1%
9th13.8%25.0%20.3%29.0%11.1%19.4%
All Grades19.5%28.9%24.3%26.7%10.1%16.8%
Marshall County11th20.9%5.9%12.8%25.0%7.9%15.2%
8th25.0%13.2%18.9%9.4%9.3%9.3%
9th22.2%17.1%20.0%22.0%13.3%18.3%
All Grades22.6%11.5%17.1%18.8%9.9%14.2%
Martin County11th20.0%20.0%20.0%***
8th20.5%19.2%19.9%***
9th27.6%16.4%21.6%***
All Grades23.1%18.2%20.6%***
Meeker County11th11.3%17.4%14.5%20.0%13.3%16.8%
8th23.6%18.9%21.2%20.0%17.2%18.6%
9th14.0%7.7%10.6%31.7%10.1%20.2%
All Grades17.5%14.4%15.9%24.0%13.5%18.7%
Mille Lacs County11th17.9%21.3%19.5%15.8%6.6%11.1%
8th24.5%13.1%18.5%18.9%19.7%19.3%
9th21.4%10.5%15.9%22.8%13.4%18.3%
All Grades21.4%14.5%17.9%19.4%14.2%16.7%
Morrison County11th18.9%20.1%19.6%12.1%15.7%13.8%
8th21.7%9.4%15.4%29.4%15.6%22.7%
9th22.0%13.8%17.9%26.1%15.7%20.6%
All Grades21.1%14.0%17.5%22.7%15.7%19.2%
Mower County11th17.0%7.7%11.8%20.0%5.2%12.0%
8th24.8%18.2%21.5%15.4%17.0%16.3%
9th21.8%19.5%20.7%20.4%9.9%14.9%
All Grades21.8%15.5%18.6%18.5%11.2%14.6%
Murray County11th15.8%27.6%20.9%16.2%7.9%12.0%
8th20.5%19.4%20.0%22.0%12.9%18.1%
9th23.5%28.6%26.1%17.1%2.4%9.2%
All Grades19.8%25.3%22.3%18.6%7.3%13.0%
Nicollet County11th10.2%5.4%7.6%***
8th24.6%13.7%19.4%***
9th35.1%20.6%27.5%***
All Grades23.9%13.5%18.6%***
Nobles County11th18.9%19.3%19.1%14.4%7.6%11.2%
8th30.1%17.4%23.9%19.8%15.8%18.0%
9th13.6%8.8%11.3%16.5%14.8%15.5%
All Grades20.9%14.8%17.9%17.2%13.1%15.2%
Norman County11th16.7%19.4%18.0%7.1%4.3%5.9%
8th10.5%10.0%10.3%23.9%16.7%20.0%
9th15.4%5.4%10.5%32.3%34.4%33.3%
All Grades14.0%11.2%12.7%21.9%19.3%20.6%
Olmsted County11th16.2%15.6%15.8%13.4%11.4%12.4%
8th23.6%15.6%19.3%22.6%13.6%18.1%
9th18.3%13.9%16.1%16.6%12.1%14.5%
All Grades20.3%15.1%17.5%18.1%12.5%15.3%
Otter Tail County11th18.3%13.8%16.0%16.3%14.7%15.5%
8th22.8%18.8%20.8%24.3%14.5%18.7%
9th20.5%18.5%19.6%23.3%17.5%20.4%
All Grades20.7%17.3%19.0%21.3%15.5%18.3%
Pennington County11th20.5%15.1%17.5%***
8th21.5%14.3%18.1%***
9th26.1%8.9%16.9%***
All Grades22.8%12.5%17.5%***
Pine County11th28.3%22.1%25.1%23.8%22.9%23.3%
8th36.3%20.3%27.4%26.6%21.0%23.8%
9th27.4%23.5%25.6%22.4%19.2%20.8%
All Grades30.3%21.9%26.0%24.3%20.9%22.5%
Pipestone County11th9.1%17.2%12.9%***
8th13.0%16.7%15.3%***
9th22.2%21.2%21.7%***
All Grades15.2%18.4%16.8%***
Polk County11th17.0%10.4%13.4%15.7%14.9%15.4%
8th23.2%22.1%22.7%20.1%18.9%19.5%
9th11.5%15.3%13.3%18.4%12.1%15.1%
All Grades17.1%15.8%16.4%18.2%15.3%16.7%
Pope County11th28.6%15.2%22.1%25.0%10.5%16.1%
8th40.6%17.1%27.4%15.6%23.3%20.0%
9th41.9%8.5%21.8%44.0%13.3%27.3%
All Grades36.7%13.2%23.7%27.2%16.2%20.8%
Ramsey County11th13.7%11.9%12.8%12.1%11.5%11.8%
8th22.3%16.5%19.4%18.8%14.4%16.6%
9th18.3%12.9%15.7%15.0%10.6%12.8%
All Grades18.0%13.7%15.9%15.3%12.1%13.7%
Red Lake County11th12.0%17.4%14.6%26.1%21.1%23.8%
8th16.7%25.0%20.5%20.8%4.8%13.3%
9th34.6%18.2%25.4%38.1%4.3%20.5%
All Grades21.3%19.7%20.5%27.9%9.5%19.1%
Redwood County11th19.1%10.8%14.3%17.9%7.9%12.6%
8th20.0%11.3%15.2%23.3%19.4%21.4%
9th18.2%9.9%13.5%18.8%19.4%19.1%
All Grades19.1%10.6%14.3%20.2%15.7%18.0%
Renville County11th25.8%12.0%19.6%20.6%12.2%17.4%
8th27.9%16.0%23.5%26.2%7.7%16.7%
9th21.6%8.6%15.3%20.0%14.0%17.1%
All Grades25.2%11.8%19.4%22.3%10.9%17.1%
Rice County11th18.8%14.2%16.6%14.6%12.4%13.5%
8th22.4%16.8%19.6%21.3%13.8%17.6%
9th19.8%15.2%17.4%21.2%13.2%17.1%
All Grades20.5%15.6%18.0%19.4%13.2%16.3%
Rock County11th21.2%15.4%18.1%***
8th18.2%23.9%21.1%***
9th20.5%21.1%20.8%***
All Grades19.8%20.3%20.1%***
Roseau County11th13.3%15.2%14.3%19.6%9.6%13.4%
8th20.0%16.3%17.7%27.6%20.0%23.7%
9th13.1%17.4%15.3%27.9%12.5%19.8%
All Grades14.8%16.3%15.6%26.0%14.1%19.5%
St. Louis County11th16.7%12.1%14.5%21.1%12.4%16.6%
8th24.8%18.9%21.9%25.8%16.0%20.9%
9th19.6%16.8%18.2%20.4%11.2%15.8%
All Grades20.3%16.1%18.3%22.4%13.1%17.7%
Scott County11th17.9%14.5%16.2%16.0%8.8%12.4%
8th22.8%17.7%20.3%22.7%14.5%18.6%
9th19.7%14.2%16.9%23.0%15.2%18.9%
All Grades20.2%15.5%17.9%20.8%13.2%16.9%
Sherburne County11th19.3%16.9%18.1%18.6%12.4%15.4%
8th23.3%18.1%20.5%24.2%13.6%18.7%
9th19.5%13.5%16.6%24.5%14.9%19.6%
All Grades20.8%16.3%18.5%22.6%13.7%18.0%
Sibley County11th12.3%18.5%15.3%15.0%9.1%12.5%
8th27.9%20.4%24.3%28.6%23.9%26.2%
9th21.2%15.6%18.2%23.3%12.5%18.1%
All Grades20.7%17.8%19.2%22.4%16.2%19.4%
Stearns County11th17.3%13.2%15.3%11.9%12.4%12.2%
8th20.0%14.9%17.4%16.8%16.9%16.8%
9th20.7%12.9%16.7%16.6%12.5%14.6%
All Grades19.3%13.6%16.5%15.4%14.1%14.7%
Steele County11th15.9%14.4%15.2%24.6%8.1%16.7%
8th28.9%11.2%20.5%30.5%17.0%23.8%
9th16.7%8.1%12.4%28.6%17.8%22.9%
All Grades20.7%11.1%16.0%27.9%14.5%21.1%
Stevens County11th22.7%11.8%17.9%18.6%5.1%12.2%
8th18.4%19.6%18.9%22.9%16.7%19.5%
9th22.9%4.0%11.8%2.9%16.7%10.5%
All Grades20.8%11.5%16.0%15.2%13.0%14.0%
Swift County11th20.0%18.9%19.4%***
8th22.2%11.4%16.9%***
9th39.3%19.2%29.6%***
All Grades27.0%16.3%21.4%***
Todd County11th19.1%9.3%15.3%12.0%10.3%11.1%
8th26.5%15.5%21.1%29.4%17.6%23.5%
9th24.1%23.3%23.8%28.7%20.0%24.1%
All Grades23.1%16.3%20.1%23.5%16.1%19.7%
Traverse County11th22.2%0.0%15.4%***
8th42.9%8.3%21.1%***
9th36.4%8.3%21.7%***
All Grades32.6%6.8%19.5%***
Wabasha County11th12.8%18.5%15.5%19.3%10.4%15.0%
8th17.9%14.1%16.2%21.4%12.7%16.8%
9th22.9%14.0%18.5%20.8%17.8%19.4%
All Grades17.2%15.9%16.6%20.5%13.9%17.2%
Wadena County11th25.7%15.6%20.9%14.6%16.7%15.5%
8th17.3%13.3%15.5%25.9%12.6%18.5%
9th21.6%8.1%15.8%16.9%7.6%12.8%
All Grades21.1%12.2%17.1%19.1%12.3%15.8%
Waseca County11th26.7%24.4%25.6%14.3%11.0%12.7%
8th16.2%13.6%15.0%20.9%14.9%18.4%
9th26.3%11.3%18.1%21.2%15.7%18.4%
All Grades22.6%16.1%19.4%19.2%14.1%16.8%
Washington County11th13.8%10.1%11.9%13.9%10.2%12.1%
8th21.3%16.4%18.9%22.5%17.2%19.7%
9th17.4%13.2%15.3%19.6%12.9%16.3%
All Grades17.6%13.3%15.4%18.8%13.6%16.2%
Watonwan County11th23.5%20.0%21.5%25.9%20.0%23.1%
8th38.8%28.6%34.5%37.3%21.1%27.9%
9th29.8%8.6%20.7%29.4%17.6%23.2%
All Grades31.5%19.1%25.7%30.6%19.5%24.7%
Wilkin County11th16.3%21.6%18.8%22.5%8.0%16.9%
8th17.5%20.0%18.6%23.5%13.2%18.1%
9th15.7%23.5%18.8%18.4%12.2%14.9%
All Grades16.4%21.8%18.7%21.4%11.6%16.5%
Winona County11th17.0%16.4%16.7%22.0%13.7%17.8%
8th28.8%12.9%20.8%16.6%15.8%16.2%
9th21.1%15.1%18.0%20.5%9.7%15.1%
All Grades22.7%14.7%18.6%19.7%12.9%16.3%
Wright County11th17.1%13.4%15.2%14.5%12.8%13.6%
8th19.6%14.1%16.9%17.4%13.4%15.5%
9th18.3%13.8%16.0%19.8%14.7%17.2%
All Grades18.4%13.8%16.1%17.4%13.7%15.5%
Yellow Medicine County11th24.5%31.0%27.5%18.2%17.1%17.6%
8th14.3%16.0%15.1%13.3%13.6%13.5%
9th40.5%11.4%24.7%7.9%6.4%7.1%
All Grades27.2%19.8%23.6%12.9%11.9%12.3%

About the Indicator:

This indicator includes students responding "about once a week," "several times a week," or "every day" to any or all of the following Minnesota Student Survey questions:

During the last 30 days, how often have other students at school...?

  • Pushed, shoved, slapped, hit or kicked you when they weren't kidding around
  • Threatened to beat you up
  • Spread mean rumors or lies about you
  • Made sexual jokes, comments, or gestures toward you
  • Excluded you from friends, other students, or activities

In 2016, past 30-day alcohol use was reported by 9.1% of students who said they were not bullied or harassed in the past month, 18.4% of students who were bullied or harassed at least once in the past month, 24.3% of students who were bullied or harassed weekly or more often, and 28.1% of students who reported being bullied or harassed every day.

Further, compared to 8th, 9th, and 11th graders who reported NO past-month bullying victimization, bullied students were 1.8 times more likely to report alcohol use; 1.9 times more likely to report tobacco use; 1.7 times more likely to report marijuana use; and 2.5 times more likely to report prescription drug misuse.

See the 2017 Bullying and Substance Use SUMN Fact Sheet.

Data Source: Minnesota Student Survey (MSS)

Description: The MSS is a confidential and anonymous self-administered survey given to students attending Minnesota public, charter and tribal schools. From 1995 to 2010, the survey was administered to students in 6th, 9th, and 12th grades. New in 2013, the survey was administered to students in 5th, 8th, 9th, and 11th grades. Trend data are now only available for 9th graders, and only for survey questions that did not change. Most schools elect to participate in the survey; in 2013, this included 84% of public schools in Minnesota.

Although the data are not presented here, the survey is also administered to area learning centers, juvenile correction facilities and private schools electing to participate.

Sponsored by: Minnesota Department of Education

Geographic Level: State, Region, and County

Aggregated data at the state and county level do not reveal disparities that may exist within a given geographic area.

Frequency: Data collected and reported every three years

Characteristics: The results of the MSS are also available at a county level. Data Privacy requirements mandate that data is presented in a manner such that no individual student can be identified through the presentation of the results. As part of the Data Privacy practices, the results are also presented in a manner that no individual school district could be identified through the results. Therefore, for counties that have only one school district, the results are not presented. Results are also withheld for counties in which the minimum number for student participation was not met.

The MSS is a “census” of schools, not a sample. The school districts get their own data. Fifth-graders were not asked all substance use questions. Some school districts do not participate, and student participation within the school district can vary widely. These data are self-reported.