High school students in North Carolina are demonstrating notable improvements in health and safety behaviors, according to the 2025 North Carolina High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) unveiled to the State Board of Education.
The survey indicates a return to and surpassing of pre-pandemic levels in nearly all measured areas. This progress aligns with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (NCDPI) strategic plan, Achieving Educational Excellence, which enhances community and parental support while ensuring safe learning environments.
“The 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reflects meaningful progress, particularly in improving student safety and reducing several risky behaviors,” said Maurice “Mo” Green, North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction. “At the same time, the findings reinforce the need to help every student feel safe, connected and prepared to learn. In order to become the best public schools in the nation by 2030, we must continue to uplift progress while responding to the continued needs of students in our schools.”
Administered for the first time as a combined effort with the Youth Tobacco Survey, the YRBS offers a comprehensive look at health behaviors, including mental health, substance use, and school connection. This anonymous and voluntary survey collected responses from 1,692 students across 25 public and charter high schools, representing grades 9 through 12.
Key Improvements
Significant reductions in student risk behaviors were reported in 2025, many now aligning with or improving beyond pre-pandemic levels.
- The number of students carrying a weapon on school property dropped from 3.1% in 2023 to 1.1% in 2025.
- Fewer students reported being involved in physical fights, decreasing from 22% in 2023 to 16.4% in 2025.
- The percentage of students missing school due to safety concerns fell from 14.6% in 2023 to 9.9% in 2025.
- Current alcohol use was reported by 16% of students, and marijuana use by 10.6%. Both figures are at their lowest in two decades.
- Cigarette smoking declined slightly, with 3.5% of students reporting use compared to 3.9% in 2023.
“These improvements matter,” stated Kristi Day, director of NCDPI’s Office of Teaching and Learning. “They suggest that sustained attention to prevention, education and student support can make a difference. Our responsibility now is to understand what is contributing to those gains and ensure that progress continues.”
Ongoing Challenges
Despite positive trends, the survey highlighted ongoing challenges that affect student learning and well-being.
Nearly 30% of students experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 11.4% seriously considered suicide. Although these figures have improved from 2023, they remain areas of concern.
Sleep and physical activity levels are also troubling, with only 21.7% of students getting at least eight hours of sleep on school nights, and just 43.1% engaging in physical activity for 60 minutes on most days.
Signs of improvement were observed in school connectedness, with 59.2% of students feeling they belong at their school, up from 51% in 2023. Additionally, nearly 64% said they had an adult at school to talk to about problems.
“School connectedness is more than a measure on a survey,” said Ellen Essick, section chief for NC Healthy Schools. “When students feel that they belong and know that an adult is available to support them, they are better positioned to attend school, engage in learning and seek help when they need it.”
Diverse Student Needs
Survey results indicate variations in student experiences, particularly between academic performance levels.
Students earning mostly A’s reported lower instances of feeling unsafe at school and experiencing sadness compared to those with lower grades. For example, 4.8% of A students missed school due to safety fears, compared to 34.3% of D or F students, and 22.3% of A students reported sadness, compared to 56% of those with D’s or F’s.
Moving Forward
NCDPI is using the YRBS findings along with data from the 2026 NC Teacher Working Conditions Survey and administrative data on discipline, attendance and dropout outcomes to address key areas:
- Enhancing support from grades 6 to 9, focusing on attendance, behavior, and academic performance.
- Improving safety and student conduct systems with consistent practices.
- Coordinating mental health and substance use supports through partnerships and referral pathways.
- Utilizing integrated data to pinpoint needs and evaluate support effectiveness.
“The YRBS gives us an important opportunity to hear directly from students about what they are experiencing,” said Chief Accountability Officer Michael Maher. “When student voice is examined alongside educator perspectives and other school data, the state and local school systems are better positioned to target resources, identify needs earlier and monitor whether supports are producing meaningful results.”
Understanding the YRBS
Since 1993, the YRBS has been a critical tool in North Carolina, developed in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to assess youth risk behaviors. The 2025 high school survey consisted of 120 questions, designed to ensure anonymity and voluntary participation.
Review the complete State Board presentation materials.
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