Skip to contentSkip to main navigationSkip to search

Survey Downloads

Attention: The CalSCHLS surveys are copyright protected. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

Please click on any of the Modules to download. If you are unsure about which modules your district is administering or if you require a copy of any past year survey, please contact us.

CalSCHLS Survey Modules

ELEMENTARY STUDENT MODULES

SECONDARY STUDENT MODULES

STAFF MODULES

PARENT MODULES

Elementary Student Modules

Core

The elementary core survey contains many of the same or similar items as the middle school version so that cross-survey comparisons can be made. For these items, the wording is simpler and developmentally appropriate. Intended for use in grade 5, but also appropriate for grades 3, 4, and 6. Assesses student attitudes, behaviors, and experiences related to:

  • school,
  • academic and social-emotional learning,
  • positive development,
  • overall health and well-being, and
  • provides indicators to support meeting Local Control and Accountability Plan requirements.

Download

Social Emotional Health

The SEHM, developed by researchers at UC Santa Barbara led by Dr. Michael Furlong, assesses youth:

  • empathy,
  • self-efficacy,
  • self-awareness,
  • persistence,
  • emotional self-regulation,
  • behavioral self-control,
  • gratitude,
  • zest, and
  • optimism.

Greatly enhances the value of the CHKS as a strength-based assessment linked to student mental health and well-being, academic success, and career and college readiness.

Download

Mental Health Supports (previously Cal-Well)

Developed by University of California - San Francisco, this module assesses:

  • students’ mental health,
  • the availability of adult and peer social supports,
  • access to mental health services, and
  • openness to utilizing mental health supports and services.

Download

District Afterschool Module

Designed to help districts determine the need for, and planning of, afterschool programs by assessing:

  • how students spend their time after school,
  • their perception about a school’s existing afterschool program, and
  • if they attend an afterschool program or would like to attend.

Download

Gang Risk Awareness

Developed in conjunction with Sonoma County and the City of Santa Rosa, using questions recommended by the US Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to assess:

  • gang involvement,
  • perceptions of gang activity,
  • risk factors, and
  • afterschool activities available for youth.

Download

Military-Connected School

Developed in collaboration with the University of Southern California as part of the Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools Project, this survey assesses the needs of:

  • military-connected students,
  • families, and
  • the schools that serve them.

Download

Supplemental Health

Provides detailed information on:

  • physical activity,
  • body image, and behaviors related to weight loss or maintenance, and
  • physical risks associated with sports and motor vehicles.

Download

TUPE

The Elementary TUPE Module is a supplemental module with survey items related to tobacco use and perceptions to inform local TUPE programs in their service design and assessment. This module is required for TUPE grantees. Please see the TUPE CHKS Guidance document for more information.

Download

Secondary Student Modules

Core

The Core Module is aligned with the Local Control and Accountability Plan to assess:

  • school climate and safety,
  • pupil engagement,
  • student supports,
  • bullying, and
  • substance abuse.

Demographic questions help identify the needs of key subgroups, including:

  • racial/ethnic groups,
  • foster youth,
  • economically disadvantaged, and
  • English language learners.

Starting in 2020/21 the secondary core modules were expanded to assess topics of particular concern due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated reduction in in-person learning opportunities. Note that there is one middle school and one high school Core Module. Students are directed to questions relevant to the instructional learning model used in their school using skip logic.

Download

School Climate

This module assesses:

  • academic rigor and supports,
  • respectful relationships and cultural sensitivity,
  • the relevance of classroom lessons,
  • student learning motivation and classroom involvement,
  • discipline and enforcement of rules, and
  • the quality of facilities maintenance.

Download

Behavioral Health

This multiform module assesses the following aspects of behavioral health:

  • home adult, peer, and school adult supports,
  • mental health supports and access to mental health services,
  • social isolation,
  • body image and disordered eating,
  • responses to trauma (PTSD symptoms),
  • stress-associated health conditions (somatic symptoms),
  • emotion regulation,
  • self-harm behavior, and
  • precursors to and consequences of substance use.

Students are randomly given either Form A or Form B during administration so that no individual student answers both sets of questions.

Form A includes measures that were assessed on the 2022-23 Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD) Module.

Form B includes measures that were assessed on the 2022-23 Mental Health Supports Module and Student Trauma Module.

The Behavioral Health Module will be administered along with the Core Module in schools participating in the Biennial Statewide CHKS, funded by the Department of Health Care Services.

2023/24: To encourage the use of the Behavioral Health Module, financial incentives will be provided to LEAs that administer the module in the form of fee credits, gift cards, or a combination of both. Your CalSCHLS TA (calschls@wested.org) can provide more specifics.

Download

Social Emotional Health

The SEHM, developed by researchers at UC Santa Barbara led by Dr. Michael Furlong, assesses youth:

  • empathy,
  • self-efficacy,
  • self-awareness,
  • persistence,
  • emotional self-regulation,
  • behavioral self-control,
  • gratitude,
  • zest, and
  • optimism.

Greatly enhances the value of the CHKS as a strength-based assessment linked to student mental health and well-being, academic success, and career and college readiness.

Download

Tobacco

This module enhances evaluation of the California State Tobacco Use Prevention Education (TUPE) program by providing a more comprehensive picture of tobacco use and attitudes, including:

  • prevention-related data,
  • peer norms,
  • approval, and
  • behavioral intentions.

Download

Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)

The AOD Module was incorporated into the Behavioral Health Module in 2023-24

Closing the Achievement Gap

Aligned with the California School Staff Survey (CSSS), a short 10-question supplementary module developed to assess student perceptions concerning:

  • extra help with school work,
  • academic rigor,
  • the cultural relevance of lessons,
  • equity in opportunities, and
  • fair and respectful treatment of all students.

Many of these questions are also contained in the supplemental School Climate Module.

Download

Community Health

Developed with funding from The California Endowment, assesses and identifies:

  • community conditions,
  • safety,
  • supports for youth, and
  • youth community-engagement

in order to foster broader school-community collaboration.

Download

Community Schools

The Community Schools Module measures features of the school environment aligned with the California Community Schools Framework, including expanded and enriched learning opportunities, community-connected classrom instruction, family engagement, integrated support services, and collaborative leadership and voice.The module is recommended for districts and schools participating in the California Community Schools Partnership Program.

Download

District Afterschool Module

Designed to help districts determine the need for, and planning of, afterschool programs by assessing:

  • how students spend their time after school,
  • their perception about a school’s existing afterschool program,
  • if they attend an afterschool program or would like to attend, and
  • perceived neighborhood safety.

Download

Drug-Free Communities

Designed for the use of Drug-Free Communities (DFC) and Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) grantees. Administration along with the CHKS Core and AOD Modules has been approved for meeting all the requirements for grantee data reporting to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention/Office of National Drug Control Policy.

Download

Gang Risk Awareness

Developed in conjunction with Sonoma County and the City of Santa Rosa, using questions recommended by the US Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to assess:

  • gang involvement,
  • perceptions,
  • knowledge,
  • attitudes,
  • risk factors, and
  • related and alternative activities among youth grades 5 and up.

Download

Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation-Based Harassment

Assesses students’ perceptions of harassment experiences on school campus related to gender identity and sexual orientation, specifically those of students who identify as, or are perceived to be, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, or gender nonconforming.

Items include:

  • bullying frequency,
  • negative attitudes and language expressed by peers and school staff,
  • pro-bullying attitudes,
  • peer and staff intervening behaviors,
  • willingness to seek help, and
  • availability of school-based prevention and intervention supports.

Download

Mental Health Supports (previously Cal-Well)

The Mental Health Supports Module was incorporated into the Behavioral Health Module in 2023-24.

Military-Connected School

The student module, as well as comparable parent and survey modules, were developed in collaboration with the University of Southern California as part of the Building Capacity in Military-Connected Schools Project, to meet the needs of:

  • military-connected students,
  • families, and
  • the schools that serve them.

Download

Physical Health & Nutrition

Derived from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey, questions provide detailed information on:

  • physical activity in and out of school,
  • body image, and behaviors related to weight loss or maintenance,
  • physical risks associated with sports and motor vehicles,
  • general health, including doctor visits, and
  • how these factors relate to school performance.

Download

Resilience & Youth Development

Expands upon the Core Module to measure environmental and individual protective factors in the lives of youth that help promote success:

  • caring adult relationships,
  • high expectations, and
  • meaningful participation

in the home, community, and peer groups. It also assesses six personal social-emotional skills or resilience strengths:

  • communication and collaboration,
  • empathy,
  • self-efficacy,
  • self-awareness,
  • problem-solving, and
  • goals and aspirations.

Download

Safety & Violence

Provides additional data related to safety and violence in both the school and community, enhancing the value of the Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

Download

Sexual Behavior

Derived from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), assesses:

  • sexual experience,
  • attitudes about sexual behavior,
  • pregnancy history, and
  • HIV-related risk behaviors,

including number of partners (a main HIV risk factor), perception of peer behavioral norms, use of contraception, alcohol and other drug use before sexual intercourse, family discussion, and exposure to HIV/AIDS education.

Download

Trauma

The Student Trauma Module was incorporated into the Behavioral Health Module in 2023-24.

Staff Modules

California School Staff Survey

Assesses the perceptions and experiences of K-12 teachers, administrators, and other school personnel (intended for all grades) in four main areas:

  • Comparison data to the questions and constructs asked students in the CHKS Core and supplementary School Climate Modules.
  • The learning and working environment, including staff relationships (collegiality), organizational expectations and norms, and meaningful participation in decisions.
  • The scope and nature of student supports, programs, and services (e.g., discipline, counseling, health, and prevention).
  • Parent supports and involvement.

The results are intended to help:

  • address the problem of low teacher recruitment, morale, and retention;
  • guide professional development and school improvement efforts; and
  • determine the degree to which staff perceptions align with the attitudes and experiences of students and parents and whether the school is meeting their needs.

Download

Military-Connected School

Provides information from staff about their school and the educational, developmental, and health-related needs of their students who are connected to the military. Along with the companion student and parent modules, it is designed to help establish sustainable military-friendly school climates that improve social, behavioral, and academic outcomes among this population.

Download

Special Education Supports Module (SESM)

Developed with the assistance of an Advisory Group consisting of CDE special education staff and representatives of the California Strategic Action Plan Leadership Team. It addresses the perceptions and concerns of staff who work with students with IEPs, effectively meeting the needs of:

  • special education students and staff;
  • the integration of general and special education and effective service delivery; and
  • recruiting, training, and retaining special education staff.

Download

Student Wellness Module

Developed by the School Health Services Research & Evaluation Team from the University of California, San Francisco and the California Department of Education, with support from Project Cal-Well partners and WestEd, for the SAMHSA-funded Project Cal-Well Mental Health Program. It addresses the perceptions of students’ social and emotional wellness and mental/behavioral health needs, as well as the availability of supports and services to address these needs.

Download

Trauma-Informed Practice Module

Developed with the assitance of a state advisory panel in 2022, the Staff Trauma-Informed Practice Module assesses staff perceptions of the extent to which the school environment is trauma sensitive, staff attitudes related to trauma-informed care, familiarity with and training in trauma-informed care, and school-wide implementation of trauma-informed practices.

  • staff emotional safety at school,
  • staff-student personalization,
  • relationships with school leadership,
  • attitudes about underlying causes of problem behavior and symptoms (ARTIC),
  • attitudes about appropriate responses to problem behavior and symptoms (ARTIC),
  • familiarity with trauma-informed care,
  • training in trauma-informed care,
  • school-wide trauma-informed practice implementation,
  • staff self-care practices, and
  • student self-care practices.

Staff attitudes related to trauma-informed care are measured with thirteen items from the Attitudes Related to Trauma-Informed Care (ARTIC) scale developed by the Traumatic Stress Institute and Dr. Courtney Baker from Tulane University. ARTIC scale scores can be used to assess staff readiness for trauma-informed care implementation and for monitoring changes in attitudes related to trauma-informed care.

Download

Parent Modules

California School Parent Survey

Designed to promote greater parent involvement, confidentially obtaining parent perceptions about:

  • the school’s learning environment,
  • overall climate,
  • student supports,
  • parent outreach and involvement efforts (e.g., how welcoming, communicative), and
  • provide data on the scope and nature of parent involvement at the school (relationships, activities) and in their children’s education in general.

Translations of the California School Parent Survey are available in additional languages. Please contact your Regional Technical Assistance center for more information.

Download

Military-Connected School

Provides information from parents/guardians who are and are not connected to the military about their reasons for selecting the school, how services provided by the school meet the educational, developmental, and health-related needs of their students, and how the school meets needs specific to military-connected families. Along with the companion student and staff modules, it is designed to help establish sustainable military-friendly school climates that improve social, behavioral, and academic outcomes among this population.

Download

TOP