On March 8th, Bend-Lapine Schools published results from the YouthTruth Student Survey, administered to students, staff and their families in January of 2023. The survey aims to collect data on topics that aren’t measured by standardized assessments, but still play a great role in the student experience. Questions asked focus on measures such as school culture, student relationships with teachers, and diversity.

The results revealed some promising points, with 91% of students feeling supported by their teachers, and 82% believing they are receiving a high quality education at their school.

Unfortunately, these results may provide a misleading idea of how our school is doing, with only 55% of students completing the survey. Of all high schools in Bend, Summit had the lowest response rate, leaving room to wonder if these statistics truly represent the individual experiences of students. However, this information is still seen as a valuable resource by many.

“This really gives us a more complete picture of what’s going on,” said Bend-Lapine Schools Improvement Director Dave Van Loo in a statement at the beginning of the survey’s administration.