For Districts
Student Athletic Interest and Abilities Survey
Frequently Asked Questions

Under state law (RCW 28A.640.020 and WAC 392-190-040), each school district must administer a student survey at least once every three years to assist in determining student interest in participation in specific sports. The survey must be administered by each school district at all grade levels where interscholastic, intramural, and other sports and recreational activities are conducted.

Do I have to use the OSPI Student Survey Form?
No, districts may develop their own version of the survey, including asking additional questions. For example, some districts request students to identify race and ethnicity as well as sex. The survey must include:

• Student sex
• Student grade level
• The list of sports are gender neutral (e.g. Basketball, instead of Boy’s Basketball)
• Reason for non-participation

NEW! If a district intends to make substantive changes to the content of the OSPI survey, they must send OSPI’s Equity and Civil Rights Office a copy of the proposed survey for approval before administering the survey. Substantive changes do not include: formatting, including additional questions, or adapting the survey for Scantron or electronic forms (e.g. SurveyMonkey).

What do I need to submit to OSPI?
NEW! Through iGrants package 447 (Equity Assurance Report), districts submit information about their survey results and a blank copy of the survey form used, if different from the OSPI Student Survey form. 

Go to the application: iGrants, Package 447.

What should I do with the results of the survey?
The findings of the survey should reflect the following minimum information disaggregated by sex:

• The number of students surveyed;
• The number of students enrolled (eligible to take the survey);
• Top sports requested; and
• Top reasons for non-participation.

Each school district should consider the results of the athletic survey when conducting their annual self-evaluation of their athletic programs.

We encourage schools to use the results of their survey as an opportunity to meet with athletic staff and building administrators to determine if any action steps are needed and whether the process used to conduct the survey was successful.

It is important to share findings with the student body to not only show value for student opinions and requests, but to also encourage discussion of why students are or are not participating in athletics. For example, if a top sport requested is currently not feasible, it is important to share the reasoning with students and other interested parties, including school board members.