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Percent of Students Reporting That They Feel That Their Community Cares About Them Quite a Bit or Very Much, All Available Years: by Grade, Race, Gender, and Region

201320162019
FemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotalFemaleMaleTotal
Minnesota5thAfrican-American or Black60.0%51.7%55.8%63.2%56.6%59.8%60.5%56.4%58.4%
All Races Combined59.9%52.1%56.0%62.3%54.9%58.6%59.5%52.9%56.2%
Asian American53.3%49.5%51.4%59.4%54.4%56.9%57.9%51.3%54.6%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial55.5%46.8%51.3%55.1%48.8%52.1%50.1%48.2%49.2%
Hispanic/Latino59.7%52.4%56.2%60.8%55.3%58.1%60.2%56.4%58.4%
Native American56.6%47.0%51.2%57.7%48.3%52.3%53.4%51.7%52.4%
Pacific Islander56.5%55.2%55.8%54.1%58.7%56.6%44.4%52.2%48.8%
White60.9%53.1%57.0%63.6%55.6%59.6%61.0%53.0%57.0%
8thAfrican-American or Black31.8%39.4%35.7%41.5%46.6%44.2%39.5%42.5%41.0%
All Races Combined38.2%40.0%39.1%44.0%45.6%44.8%39.8%43.1%41.5%
Asian American30.4%33.2%31.7%36.8%41.4%39.1%37.3%41.4%39.4%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial28.2%32.4%30.2%31.4%37.6%34.4%28.2%35.6%31.5%
Hispanic/Latino28.8%34.3%31.5%35.7%39.1%37.4%32.2%39.2%35.7%
Native American29.2%35.2%32.7%31.4%33.8%32.8%26.8%38.4%33.4%
Pacific Islander31.0%42.9%38.5%*46.7%45.6%36.6%51.6%45.7%
White41.5%41.9%41.7%47.9%48.1%48.0%42.8%44.8%43.8%
9thAfrican-American or Black28.7%35.7%32.3%34.1%43.5%38.8%36.1%42.9%39.4%
All Races Combined35.6%38.0%36.8%38.4%42.4%40.4%35.5%40.6%38.0%
Asian American26.9%30.4%28.6%30.9%35.3%33.0%31.7%34.7%33.1%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial25.3%29.4%27.2%27.3%33.3%30.1%25.2%34.8%29.5%
Hispanic/Latino24.9%29.6%27.1%29.5%34.6%32.1%28.2%34.8%31.4%
Native American21.2%30.2%26.2%31.4%37.2%34.8%21.6%29.4%25.5%
Pacific Islander24.3%30.0%27.6%*51.5%48.2%25.8%40.9%34.7%
White39.1%40.4%39.8%41.9%45.0%43.4%38.0%42.4%40.1%
11thAfrican-American or Black27.5%33.0%30.3%29.7%38.4%33.9%31.5%36.9%34.2%
All Races Combined33.4%35.2%34.3%34.8%38.6%36.7%34.3%39.0%36.6%
Asian American26.4%20.9%23.7%25.9%28.3%27.1%27.4%30.1%28.8%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial23.6%28.3%25.9%25.5%31.0%28.2%26.1%28.9%27.4%
Hispanic/Latino24.1%30.3%27.2%25.9%33.6%29.7%24.4%31.0%27.5%
Native American19.8%27.8%24.3%27.8%31.1%29.7%28.3%28.6%28.4%
Pacific Islander36.1%26.3%31.1%*38.2%29.5%**37.5%
White35.8%37.5%36.7%37.7%40.8%39.3%36.9%41.7%39.3%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black39.2%41.2%40.2%44.8%47.9%46.4%44.3%46.5%45.4%
All Races Combined41.6%41.3%41.5%45.0%45.6%45.3%42.7%44.3%43.5%
Asian American34.1%33.5%33.8%37.9%39.7%38.8%39.3%40.1%39.7%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial32.7%34.0%33.3%34.7%37.7%36.2%32.2%37.4%34.6%
Hispanic/Latino34.6%36.8%35.7%38.4%40.9%39.6%37.0%40.8%38.8%
Native American38.1%38.3%38.2%42.1%40.3%41.1%36.5%41.7%39.4%
Pacific Islander38.5%40.0%39.4%43.3%50.8%47.7%38.2%46.8%43.3%
White43.8%43.1%43.4%47.5%47.4%47.4%44.6%45.6%45.1%
Metro5thAfrican-American or Black60.7%51.4%56.0%62.4%56.8%59.5%58.5%56.1%57.3%
All Races Combined60.9%53.7%57.3%64.3%57.8%61.1%60.7%55.0%57.8%
Asian American52.0%49.9%50.9%59.2%55.4%57.3%58.4%52.0%55.2%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial55.5%46.8%51.4%57.3%53.1%55.4%53.0%52.6%52.8%
Hispanic/Latino56.6%53.7%55.2%63.5%57.0%60.3%60.6%55.9%58.4%
Native American63.7%44.6%52.6%59.1%52.0%55.0%58.8%53.4%55.6%
Pacific Islander64.0%66.7%65.6%61.1%58.8%60.0%**45.5%
White63.4%55.7%59.4%66.7%59.6%63.2%63.1%55.8%59.4%
8thAfrican-American or Black30.4%38.9%34.7%41.3%45.3%43.3%39.5%41.4%40.4%
All Races Combined38.1%40.6%39.3%45.4%46.3%45.9%41.2%44.3%42.7%
Asian American29.7%32.3%31.0%35.3%41.2%38.2%37.5%41.7%39.6%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial27.3%33.9%30.5%33.6%39.6%36.4%28.4%36.9%32.2%
Hispanic/Latino28.9%36.1%32.3%36.2%38.8%37.5%35.9%40.5%38.2%
Native American27.1%37.9%34.0%47.8%38.7%42.2%27.5%51.4%42.9%
Pacific Islander20.0%45.5%35.1%**51.6%40.7%57.1%50.0%
White43.1%43.2%43.1%51.2%49.7%50.5%45.2%46.9%46.0%
9thAfrican-American or Black27.2%36.2%31.7%33.8%41.8%37.8%36.1%42.2%39.0%
All Races Combined35.7%38.6%37.1%39.4%43.5%41.4%36.6%42.1%39.2%
Asian American26.0%30.2%28.0%29.8%34.5%32.1%31.9%34.8%33.3%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial24.2%31.6%27.7%29.3%32.4%30.8%27.7%37.1%32.0%
Hispanic/Latino24.4%30.0%26.9%30.5%35.8%33.1%29.2%35.1%32.1%
Native American23.7%30.0%26.9%42.6%36.0%39.0%17.5%19.2%18.3%
Pacific Islander16.0%33.3%25.0%**40.0%**43.9%
White41.3%42.0%41.7%44.5%47.8%46.1%40.0%45.0%42.4%
11thAfrican-American or Black25.6%33.2%29.4%27.4%35.9%31.5%30.8%36.0%33.3%
All Races Combined32.9%34.7%33.8%34.2%38.0%36.1%35.0%38.2%36.6%
Asian American25.4%19.1%22.3%25.2%27.6%26.3%26.9%29.8%28.4%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial23.1%29.3%26.1%26.2%32.0%28.9%29.4%29.2%29.3%
Hispanic/Latino23.4%31.1%27.2%25.9%32.2%29.0%24.4%31.1%27.5%
Native American18.5%34.3%27.4%45.2%22.2%32.8%32.3%23.1%28.1%
Pacific Islander36.4%26.9%31.3%**24.3%**31.8%
White36.6%38.1%37.4%38.6%41.4%40.0%38.8%41.9%40.3%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black38.2%41.2%39.7%43.9%46.8%45.4%43.5%45.9%44.7%
All Races Combined41.9%42.1%42.0%45.8%46.5%46.2%43.8%45.5%44.6%
Asian American33.1%32.8%33.0%36.9%39.3%38.1%39.3%40.2%39.8%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial32.0%35.2%33.5%36.3%39.0%37.5%34.2%39.6%36.7%
Hispanic/Latino33.4%38.0%35.6%39.6%41.4%40.5%38.4%41.2%39.8%
Native American43.2%39.6%41.1%51.5%42.6%46.4%42.0%45.5%44.0%
Pacific Islander35.6%45.6%41.3%46.2%47.8%47.0%34.2%52.9%45.0%
White45.7%44.6%45.1%49.7%49.4%49.5%46.6%47.6%47.1%
Non-Metro5thAfrican-American or Black57.0%52.8%54.8%66.0%56.3%60.9%66.5%57.1%61.6%
All Races Combined58.6%50.2%54.4%60.2%51.9%56.0%58.1%50.7%54.3%
Asian American65.3%46.5%55.3%60.2%49.1%54.7%55.7%47.9%51.9%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial55.4%46.8%51.0%52.3%44.3%48.2%46.1%42.0%44.1%
Hispanic/Latino64.4%50.4%57.6%56.7%52.7%54.7%59.4%57.2%58.4%
Native American53.3%48.3%50.5%57.1%46.8%51.2%51.1%51.0%51.0%
Pacific Islander47.6%31.6%40.0%*58.5%53.0%48.5%54.5%51.5%
White58.7%50.7%54.7%61.2%52.7%56.9%59.2%50.7%54.9%
8thAfrican-American or Black38.6%41.3%40.2%42.2%50.9%47.1%39.6%45.4%42.7%
All Races Combined38.4%39.3%38.8%42.2%44.8%43.5%38.3%41.9%40.1%
Asian American35.0%38.7%36.7%45.6%42.3%43.9%36.7%39.9%38.4%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial29.6%30.1%29.9%28.2%34.8%31.5%27.9%33.7%30.5%
Hispanic/Latino28.7%31.7%30.2%35.0%39.5%37.2%26.4%37.2%31.8%
Native American29.9%34.0%32.2%25.5%31.6%29.0%26.7%34.3%30.9%
Pacific Islander42.9%40.7%41.5%**40.5%**39.5%
White40.1%40.8%40.4%44.9%46.6%45.8%40.6%43.0%41.8%
9thAfrican-American or Black35.1%33.7%34.3%35.1%48.5%42.0%36.1%45.1%40.7%
All Races Combined35.5%37.4%36.4%37.1%41.3%39.2%34.1%39.1%36.6%
Asian American35.0%32.0%33.3%38.0%40.8%39.4%30.6%34.2%32.1%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial26.8%26.3%26.5%24.5%34.4%29.3%21.6%31.5%26.1%
Hispanic/Latino25.8%29.2%27.5%28.2%33.1%30.7%26.7%34.3%30.4%
Native American20.3%30.3%25.9%26.7%37.6%33.2%22.6%31.8%27.2%
Pacific Islander41.7%26.1%31.4%*****23.5%
White37.2%39.1%38.2%39.4%42.6%41.0%36.3%40.1%38.2%
11thAfrican-American or Black37.3%32.1%34.3%39.5%47.3%43.6%33.6%39.1%36.4%
All Races Combined34.0%35.7%34.9%35.4%39.4%37.4%33.5%39.8%36.6%
Asian American34.6%35.8%35.2%30.7%33.9%32.1%29.6%31.8%30.8%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial24.5%26.8%25.7%24.3%29.6%27.1%21.0%28.5%24.7%
Hispanic/Latino25.3%29.1%27.3%25.8%35.7%30.7%24.4%31.0%27.4%
Native American20.2%25.9%23.4%22.5%33.6%28.8%27.3%29.7%28.5%
Pacific Islander35.7%25.0%30.8%*****42.3%
White35.1%36.9%36.0%37.0%40.4%38.7%35.3%41.6%38.5%
All GradesAfrican-American or Black43.7%41.2%42.3%48.2%51.6%50.0%46.8%48.2%47.5%
All Races Combined41.3%40.5%40.9%44.0%44.6%44.3%41.3%43.1%42.2%
Asian American41.8%38.1%39.9%44.0%42.1%43.1%39.1%39.3%39.2%
Bi-Racial/Multi-Racial33.7%32.4%33.0%32.5%36.2%34.3%29.2%34.3%31.6%
Hispanic/Latino36.3%35.1%35.7%36.6%40.1%38.3%34.7%40.1%37.3%
Native American36.0%37.8%37.0%38.4%39.4%39.0%34.8%40.5%37.9%
Pacific Islander42.6%32.1%36.6%39.3%53.6%48.4%42.6%40.6%41.4%
White42.2%41.6%41.9%45.6%45.6%45.6%42.8%43.9%43.3%

About the Indicator:

Feeling cared about by people in their lives is a factor associated with protection against both substance use and mental health disorders. According to 2019 MSS data, students who think the adults in their communities care about them “quite a bit” or “very much” are 1.9 times less likely to report past month alcohol use, 1.9 times less likely to report past month tobacco use, 2.3 times less likely to report past month marijuana use, and 2.4 times less likely to report any past month prescription drug misuse as compared to those who think the adults in their communities only care “some,” “a little,” or “not at all.” N/A indicates that the data are unavailable or were not collected.

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.