Feds reportedly probe Seattle schools over controversial health survey

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Seattle-area school districts are administering a health survey to students as young as 10 years old that asks about their gender identity, romantic interests and substance use while reportedly sharing the data with outside groups — sparking privacy and consent concerns among some parents and prompting a probe by the Department of Education.

The survey, known as "Check Yourself," is a web-based questionnaire given to students in grades six through 10 — and in some cases as young as fifth grade — at participating schools. The tool is part of a grant-funded initiative called SBIRT, short for Screening, Brief Intervention and Referral to Services, which aims to reduce substance abuse, promote mental health and connect students to counseling and other support resources.

The questionnaire includes about 40 questions on gender identity, school crushes, goals, mental health, substance use, safety and social supports. Some prompts ask students to indicate which gender they are "most likely to have a crush on" or how they identify their gender, while others inquire about alcohol or drug use, self-harm or suicidal thoughts.

According to Seattle Public Schools (SPS), participation in the survey is voluntary. Students can decline to participate, and families are notified in advance by a letter and may opt their children out. The district also says the survey is not diagnostic and is intended to flag students who may benefit from additional support.

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Children sitting in their school classroom and raising their hands to answer a question. (Getty)

However, a recent National Review report found that the letter sent home to parents does not describe the sensitive nature of the questions or disclose that the results may be shared with outside groups. Documents obtained by the outlet indicate that survey data is shared with outside organizations under data-sharing and funding agreements — including King County and Seattle Children’s Hospital or its research affiliates — for evaluation and research purposes.

SPS says students are assigned proxy identification numbers when taking the survey, and that no student names or district ID numbers are used. The district adds that individual responses are reviewed by school-based staff — such as counselors or prevention specialists — and that parents or guardians are contacted if a student appears to be a danger to themselves or others.

Parents in the region told National Review they’re concerned that sharing such personal information with outside entities could make students identifiable, even without names attached.

Stephanie Hager, a mother whose son took the survey in 2019, is among the most vocal critics. She obtained survey records through public document requests and argues that current safeguards don’t adequately protect student privacy.

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Teenage girls sitting in a row at the desks in the classroom and writing an exam. (iStock)

"Schools were paid a lot of money to release these records to third parties, including Seattle Children’s Hospital," Hager told National Review. "These records are super valuable, because this is very difficult information to get from students, or from adolescents, kids, minors."

A letter signed by 23 Seattle parents to King County and obtained by the outlet demanded that the district obtain written permission before sharing any student data with third parties.

The survey has been distributed to more than 67,000 students across the Seattle region since 2018, according to the report.

The Department of Education's Student Privacy Policy Office told the outlet it has launched an investigation into Seattle-area schools over the survey and data-sharing concerns.

A previous investigation by the King County Ombuds Office concluded that "no evidence indicates wrongful disclosure of private student information by King County."

Seattle Public Schools says the survey is an important tool for identifying students who may need support and says it complies with federal and state student privacy laws, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment.

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