2024

The 2024 Dane County Youth Assessment (DCYA) is a collaborative effort led by the Dane County Youth Commission in partnership with the United Way of Dane County, Public Health Madison & Dane County, the City of Madison, and 17 public school districts. Youth completed the survey through their schools between January and April 2024. The 2024 DCYA Overview Report summarizes and highlights key findings.

Comprehensive Reports

• Overview Report
• High School Report
• Middle School Report

Demographic Reports

• Family Income
• Gender Identity
• Race
• Sexual Orientation

2021

The 2021 Dane County Youth Assessment (DCYA) is a collaborative effort led by the Dane County Youth Commission in partnership with the United Way of Dane County, Public Health Madison & Dane County, the City of Madison, nineteen public school districts, and one private high school.  Youth completed the survey through their schools between January and April 2021. The High School Report and Middle School Report provide data tables of every survey question along with county-wide youth responses by grade level. The 2021 DCYA Overview Report summarizes and highlights key findings.

Comprehensive Reports

• Overview Report
• High School Report
• Middle School Report

Demographic Reports

• Race Report
• Sexual Orientation Report
• Gender ID Report
• Transgender Report
• Family Income Report
• DCYA Demographic Reports Feedback Form (google.com)

Topical Reports

• Youth Activism and Civic Engagement

Webinars

• Youth Assessment Webinar Recording
• Youth Assessment Webinar PowerPoint

2018

The 2018 Youth Assessment was a collaborative effort led by the Dane County Youth Commission in partnership with the United Way of Dane County, Public Health Madison & Dane County, the City of Madison, seventeen public school districts and one private high school. Youth completed the survey through their schools between January and April 2018. The High School and Middle School Reports provide data tables of every survey question along with county-wide youth responses by grade level. The 2018 DCYA Overview Report summarizes and highlights key findings.

• Overview Report
• High School Report
• Middle School Report
• DCYA Tables by Gender Identity (2019-04-29)
• DCYA Tables by Sexual Orientation (2019-11-06)
• DCYA Tables by Race
• DCYA Tables by Sex (2019-05-13)

2015

The 2015 Youth Assessment was a collaborative effort led by the Dane County Youth Commission in partnership with the United Way of Dane County, Public Health Madison & Dane County, the City of Madison, sixteen public school districts and one private school in Dane County. Over 20,000 students completed the survey between January and April 2015. Three reports summarize information collected from youth. The HS and MS County-wide Reports provide data tables of every survey question along with county-wide youth responses. The 2015 DCYA Overview Report summarizes and highlights key findings.

• Overview Report
• High School Report
• Middle School Report
• Anxiety In Dane County Youth
• Homeless Data—Middle School
• Homeless Data—High School
• Dane County Youth Assessment 2015 Homeless Data Presentation
• Is Self-Compassion Protective Among Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents Across Racial Groups
• Does self-compassion covary with minority stress
• Does Self-Compassion Facilitate Resilience to Stigma
• Exploring Intersections of Disability, Race, and Gender on Student Outcomes in High School

2012

The 2012 Youth Assessment was a collaborative effort led by the Dane County Youth Commission in partnership with the United Way of Dane County, Public Health Madison & Dane County, the City of Madison, fifteen public school districts and one private school in Dane county. In 2012, over 20,000 students participated in the survey between January and March. Three reports summarize information collected from youth. The HS and MS County-wide Reports provide data tables of every survey question along with county-wide youth responses. The 2012 DCYA Overview Report summarizes and highlights key findings.

• Overview Report
• High School Summary
• Middle School Summary
• Underage Drinking and Parenting Influence
• Analysis of Factors Associated with Truancy
• Sexual Orientation-Based Disparities in School and Juvenile Justice Discipline: A Multiple Group Comparison of Contributing Factors 
• Why do Discipline Disparities Exist between LGBQ and Heterosexual Youth? 
• Examining the Link Between Stress Events and Prosocial Behavior in Adolescents: More Ordinary Magic? 
• Suicide Attempts Among Students with Self-Identified Disabilities 

2009

The 2009 Dane County Youth Assessment surveyed more than 24,000 7th-12th grade students in 14 public school systems in Dane County. The survey consisted of 117 questions and was electronically administered between November 2008 and early February 2009. The first report summarizes the responses of high school students in the 14 participating school districts. The second report summarizes the responses of Middle School youth.

• High School Summary
• Middle School Summary
• Related Articles:
  • Race-Ethnicity Differences in Adolescent Suicide
  • “Homophobic Teasing, Psychological Outcomes, and Sexual Orientation Among High School Students: What Influence Do Parents and Schools Have?”
  • “Willingness to Remain Friends and Attend School with Lesbian and Gay Peers: Relational Expressions of Prejudice Among Heterosexual Youth”
  • “The Effects of General and Homophobic Victimization on Adolescents’ Psychosocial and Educational Concerns: The Importance of Intersecting Identities and Parent Support” 
  • “Dane County Youth Assessment News Brief: Homophobic Victimization and Educational Outcomes” 
  • “Gay-Straight Alliances Are Associated With Student Health: A Multischool Comparison of LGBTQ and Heterosexual Youth” 
  • “Negative Health Implications of Bias-Based Harassment Compared to General Harassment” 
  • “Cyber and Bias-Based Harassment News Brief: Academic and Mental Health Outcomes” 
  • “Gay-Straight Alliances are Associated with Student Health” 
  • “Adolescent Health and Harassment Based on Discriminatory Bias” 
  • Ethnic, Gender, and Age Differences in Adolescent Nonfatal Suicidal Behaviors
  • Role of Individual and Contextual Factors in Differentiating Substance Use Profiles Among Adolescents 

2005

The Dane County Youth Assessment 2005 was a survey of more than 21,000 7th-12th grade students in 14 public school systems in the county. The survey consisted of 178 questions and was taken in the fall of 2004. The first report includes the responses of high school students in the 14 participating school districts. Later this summer responses of the 7th and 8th grade students will be posted. This fall a series of reports focusing on issues such as smoking, student health, youth volunteerism and leadership will be released.

• High School Summary
• Middle School Summary
• Combined Middle and High School Summary
• Focus on: Youth Gangs
• Focus on: School Engagement
• Focus on: Healthy Bodies

2000

The Dane County Youth Assessment 2000 was a survey of 6,695 7th-12th grade students in 13 public and private school systems in the county. The survey consisted of 158 questions and was taken in the fall of 1999 and published in the spring of 2000. Some of the chapters have minor formatting issues. Formatting aside, the integrity and content of the documents are not compromised.

In addition to the Final Report, the results of all 158 questions are presented cross-tabulated by grade and gender.

• 2000 Final Report
• 2000 Cross-tabulated Results