Census Design for eligible respondents

The Minnesota Student Survey aims to be a census of public school students. Instead of randomly selecting a sample of schools and then a sample of classrooms within schools, the MSS is open to participation by all students in the designated grades. The purpose of the census design is to make results available at the local level and greatly increase the kinds of analysis that can be done at the statewide level for very small groups. Because of the census design, comprehensive results can be prepared for individual school districts, counties, regions, and for smaller demographic groups, such as race or ethnic groups, gay/lesbian/bisexual students, low-income students, and students experiencing homelessness or skipping meals. Providing results in this way helps to stimulate community discussion and action about adolescent health and well-being and allows for analysis of issues related to health and educational equity.  
 
The MSS is offered in four kinds of school settings. Data from these four settings are reported separately, for reasons that will be explained later in this chapter. The vast majority of students take the survey in what we call “regular” or mainstream public schools. Online schools, charter schools and tribal schools are included in this category. In 2013, over 98 percent of students taking the survey were from regular public schools. Most reports and news releases based on MSS data are usually citing the results from regular public schools. The other settings in which the survey is offered are nonpublic schools, alternative schools/area learning centers, and juvenile correctional facilities. Further description of the schools and students in these settings can be found in the following sections.  

Very few nonpublic (private) schools participate in the MSS, and those that do are not included in the data with the regular public schools. Nonpublic schools may receive a report of their school’s results upon request. 

Nearly 160,000 students access alternative education on a part-time or full-time basis. This represents about 18 percent of Minnesota public school students. The mission of alternative education is to provide viable educational options for students who are experiencing difficulty in the traditional system. State-Approved Alternative Programs (SAAP) are classified as Area Learning Centers (ALC), Alternative Learning Programs (ALP), Contracted Alternative Programs (CAP), and Targeted Services for students in kindergarten through grade 8. SAAPs are year-round and may be offered during the day and after school. There were 240 Area Learning Centers, 50 Alternative Learning Programs, 16 Contracted Alternatives and 236 Targeted Services programs during the 2019-20 school year. They are characterized by smaller class sizes and using a hands-on/experiential approach to learning. They are funded with General Education Revenue.  

Juvenile Correctional Facilities (JCFs) are invited to participate in the MSS. JCFs that participate in the MSS are not included in the regular public school data files. JCFs can receive a local report of their results by completing the MSS Data Request Form and User Agreement found on the Data page.