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The STEMM Academy will administer the Pennsylvania Youth Survey (PAYS) on Monday October 8th. The survey will be given to 8th and 10th grade students. All three intermediate schools, both high schools, the Scranton Cyber Academy, the STEMM Academy, and the Electric City Academy have chosen their own day within that time period to administer the survey. Below you will find information about the survey, as well as an opt-out letter for parents or guardians who would not like their child to participate in the survey. 

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