3 of 77

Q1 - Are you currently part of an educational alternative?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	91.89%	34
2	No	2.70%	1
3	Other	5.41%	2
	Total	100%	37

4 of 77

Q2 - What is your current role in the educational alternative? Check all that apply

5 of 77

Q2 - What is your current role in the educational alternative? Check all that apply

Data source misconfigured for this visualization

6 of 77

Q2 - What is your current role in the educational alternative? Check all that apply

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Student	9.23%	6
2	Teacher	30.77%	20
3	Administrator	21.54%	14
4	Founder	20.00%	13
5	Parent	7.69%	5
6	Volunteer	7.69%	5
7	Other	3.08%	2
	Total	100%	65

7 of 77

Q3 - What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)

What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)
Microschool
Democratic School
SDE
Learning center
Learning Collaborative
Montessori
SDE
Homeschool group
Charter School
Democratic Education
Learning network

8 of 77

Q3 - What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)

What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)
Learning Center
Democratic school
Learning Center
Free School
SDE
Democratic Education
SDE
SDE
A Private SDE K-Lynne12 International School
Montessori
Elective Home Education

9 of 77

Q3 - What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)

What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)
Homeschool
self-directed learning center
Self-directed learning center
homeschooled
SDE
Democratic Education
sudbury valley
Sudbury School
Self-directed learning center
Liberated Learners Center
SDE School

10 of 77

Q3 - What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)

What type of alternative are you a part of? (E.g., democratic school, self-directed learning center)
Homeschool group

11 of 77

Q4 - Does your alternative have a mental health counselor on staff?

12 of 77

Q4 - Does your alternative have a mental health counselor on staff?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	No	67.57%	25
2	Yes	24.32%	9
3	Other	8.11%	3
	Total	100%	37

13 of 77

Q5 - Over the past three years have you noticed an increase in youth (that are a part of your alternative) mental health issues?

14 of 77

Q5 - Over the past three years have you noticed an increase in youth (that are a part of your alternative) mental health issues?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Over the past three years have you noticed an increase in youth (that are a part of your alternative) mental health issues?	1.00	2.00	1.14	0.34	0.12	37

15 of 77

Q5 - Over the past three years have you noticed an increase in youth (that are a part of your alternative) mental health issues?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	86.49%	32
2	No	13.51%	5
3	Other	0.00%	0
	Total	100%	37

16 of 77

Q6 - By What Percent Would You Say It Has Increased?

17 of 77

Q6 - By What Percent Would You Say It Has Increased?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	By What Percent Would You Say It Has Increased?	1.00	5.00	2.21	1.43	2.05	33

18 of 77

Q6 - By What Percent Would You Say It Has Increased?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	More than 50%	42.42%	14
2	50%	30.30%	10
3	Less than 50%	6.06%	2
4	More than 25%	6.06%	2
5	Less than 25%	15.15%	5
	Total	100%	33

19 of 77

Q7 - Is the above percentage based on data that has been collected formally?

20 of 77

Q7 - Is the above percentage based on data that has been collected formally?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Is the above percentage based on data that has been collected formally?	1.00	3.00	1.94	0.42	0.17	34

21 of 77

Q7 - Is the above percentage based on data that has been collected formally?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	11.76%	4
2	No	82.35%	28
3	Other	5.88%	2
	Total	100%	34

22 of 77

Q8 - How was the data collected? (Check all that apply)

23 of 77

Q8 - How was the data collected? (Check all that apply)

Data source misconfigured for this visualization

24 of 77

Q8 - How was the data collected? (Check all that apply)

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Quantitatively	5.17%	3
2	Qualitatively	6.90%	4
3	Informally through obseervation	48.28%	28
4	Student or Staff Reporting	39.66%	23
	Total	100%	58

25 of 77

Q9 - What Type of Mental Health Challenges Have You Witnessed in Your Students Over the Past Three Years? (Check All That Apply)

26 of 77

Q9 - What Type of Mental Health Challenges Have You Witnessed in Your Students Over the Past Three Years? (Check All That Apply)

Data source misconfigured for this visualization

27 of 77

Q9 - What Type of Mental Health Challenges Have You Witnessed in Your Students Over the Past Three Years? (Check All That Apply)

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Anxiety	23.31%	31
2	Depression	16.54%	22
3	Eating Disorders	19.55%	26
4	Grief	5.26%	7
5	Mood Disorders	12.03%	16
6	Trauma Based Challenges	19.55%	26
7	Other	3.76%	5
	Total	100%	133

28 of 77

Q10 - Which Type of Mental Health Challenge(s) Have You Witnessed the Biggest Increase In? (Check All That Apply)

29 of 77

Q10 - Which Type of Mental Health Challenge(s) Have You Witnessed the Biggest Increase In? (Check All That Apply)

Data source misconfigured for this visualization

30 of 77

Q10 - Which Type of Mental Health Challenge(s) Have You Witnessed the Biggest Increase In? (Check All That Apply)

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Anxiety	25.89%	29
2	Depression	13.39%	15
3	Eating Disorders	20.54%	23
4	Grief	3.57%	4
5	Mood Disorders	12.50%	14
6	Trauma Based Challenges	20.54%	23
7	Other	3.57%	4
	Total	100%	112

31 of 77

Q11 - How Where The Type of Mental Health Challenges Determined? (Check All That Apply)

32 of 77

Q11 - How Where The Type of Mental Health Challenges Determined? (Check All That Apply)

Data source misconfigured for this visualization

33 of 77

Q11 - How Where The Type of Mental Health Challenges Determined? (Check All That Apply)

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Student Reporting	40.85%	29
2	Parent Reporting	15.49%	11
3	Staff Reporting	32.39%	23
4	Internal (on staff) Mental Health Professional Diagnosis	2.82%	2
5	External (outside) Mental Health Professional Diagnosis	8.45%	6
	Total	100%	71

34 of 77

Q12 - Was Your Alternative Setting Able to Stay Open During the Pandemic?

35 of 77

Q12 - Was Your Alternative Setting Able to Stay Open During the Pandemic?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Was Your Alternative Setting Able to Stay Open During the Pandemic?	1.00	4.00	1.59	0.88	0.78	37

36 of 77

Q12 - Was Your Alternative Setting Able to Stay Open During the Pandemic?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	64.86%	24
2	No	13.51%	5
3	Part of the time	18.92%	7
4	Other	2.70%	1
	Total	100%	37

37 of 77

Q13 - During the Pandemic What Type of Learning Were Students Mostly Engaged In?

During the Pandemic What Type of Learning Were Students Mostly Engaged In?
Democratic Education
SDE
Self Directed
A combination of in person when we could be outdoors and online when we couldn't.
Our students are self - directed
Our group is small and we still met outdoors
Democratic Education
We call it learning based on their interests
SDL
Computers
Self direction

38 of 77

Q13 - During the Pandemic What Type of Learning Were Students Mostly Engaged In?

During the Pandemic What Type of Learning Were Students Mostly Engaged In?
Self directed
Whatever we wanted
Mostly self directed
Online
Self directed
SDE
Natural SDE
Self-directed practical tasks. Accepted opportunities to help family. Communicated with friends online and voice calls.
Bedroom
personal projects, zoom classes
coding, history, drawing, minecraft

39 of 77

Q13 - During the Pandemic What Type of Learning Were Students Mostly Engaged In?

During the Pandemic What Type of Learning Were Students Mostly Engaged In?
science
SDE
Hybrid
virtual
free play
self-directed learning and School Meeting via Zoom for the 3 months we were closed
in person
Socializing
SDE
Online/ in person blended

40 of 77

Q14 - How Often Do Student Mental Health Challenges Interfere With Their Learning?

41 of 77

Q14 - How Often Do Student Mental Health Challenges Interfere With Their Learning?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	How Often Do Student Mental Health Challenges Interfere With Their Learning?	1.00	5.00	2.23	1.10	1.20	35

42 of 77

Q14 - How Often Do Student Mental Health Challenges Interfere With Their Learning?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Very Often	25.71%	9
2	Often	45.71%	16
3	Somewhat Often	14.29%	5
4	Not Very Often	8.57%	3
5	Rarely	5.71%	2
	Total	100%	35

43 of 77

Q15 - Does Your Alternative Have Anyone on Staff Who Is Trained in Providing Mental Health Counseling or Services?

44 of 77

Q15 - Does Your Alternative Have Anyone on Staff Who Is Trained in Providing Mental Health Counseling or Services?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Does Your Alternative Have Anyone on Staff Who Is Trained in Providing Mental Health Counseling or Services?	1.00	3.00	1.78	0.53	0.28	37

45 of 77

Q15 - Does Your Alternative Have Anyone on Staff Who Is Trained in Providing Mental Health Counseling or Services?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	27.03%	10
2	No	67.57%	25
3	Other	5.41%	2
	Total	100%	37

46 of 77

Q16 - Is Your Alternative Closely Connected With Community Mental Health Resources (Do you collaborate?)

47 of 77

Q16 - Is Your Alternative Closely Connected With Community Mental Health Resources (Do you collaborate?)

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Is Your Alternative Closely Connected With Community Mental Health Resources (Do you collaborate?)	1.00	3.00	1.73	0.76	0.58	37

48 of 77

Q16 - Is Your Alternative Closely Connected With Community Mental Health Resources (Do you collaborate?)

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	45.95%	17
2	No	35.14%	13
3	Other	18.92%	7
	Total	100%	37

49 of 77

Q17 - Are The Members of Your Community Aware of The Mental Health Resources Available to Them?

50 of 77

Q17 - Are The Members of Your Community Aware of The Mental Health Resources Available to Them?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Are The Members of Your Community Aware of The Mental Health Resources Available to Them?	1.00	3.00	1.68	0.87	0.76	37

51 of 77

Q17 - Are The Members of Your Community Aware of The Mental Health Resources Available to Them?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	59.46%	22
2	No	13.51%	5
3	Other	27.03%	10
	Total	100%	37

52 of 77

Q18 - How Often Do The Members of Your Community Engage in Professional Development Focused on Mental Health?

53 of 77

Q18 - How Often Do The Members of Your Community Engage in Professional Development Focused on Mental Health?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	How Often Do The Members of Your Community Engage in Professional Development Focused on Mental Health?	1.00	6.00	3.68	1.68	2.81	37

54 of 77

Q18 - How Often Do The Members of Your Community Engage in Professional Development Focused on Mental Health?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	4 Times Per School Year	10.81%	4
2	Twice Per School Year	21.62%	8
3	Once Per School Year	13.51%	5
4	Less Than Once Per School Year	16.22%	6
5	Rarely	18.92%	7
6	Other	18.92%	7
	Total	100%	37

55 of 77

Q19 - What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?

What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?
They receive community support services
We work closely with an on call counselor
I am speaking as a parent, students often go to each other and adults they can trust. My children see a counselor
I'm a student so I go to the people I can talk to and an outside counselor
Two counselors on site
We work closely with an outside person
Community resources
Counselor on staff
They can go to anyone on site
Other students , adults on site.
Students and Staff

56 of 77

Q19 - What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?

What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?
Psychologist
Our learning community
Other students and staff members
I can go to my friends or one of the adults
Students & Staff
Typical school counselors. Social worker may be available from home campus when student at alternative. No counseling for anger management which is a real problem.
Peers and staff
Peers, staff
whatever their needs are we have an awesome community for every sort of assistance and support.
Talking/listening. Access to: trusted adults (family, neighbours, friends); food; sleep; exercise; health care, as and when required as child has type1 diabetes and possible autistic traits..

57 of 77

Q19 - What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?

What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?
Hugs, talking, connected time
individual meetings with adults, support for parents and families
none
online
Students, staff
Peers and staff
don't know
Very close and open conversations with staff and parents. When necessary directly with external professional support
Teen Group and Mid-Kid Group (discussion and support)
Free psychotherapy with our community partner
Counselling, etc.

58 of 77

Q19 - What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?

What Type of Mental Health Support Can Students Access In Your Alternative?
Hoping for more outreach

59 of 77

Q20 - How Often Do You Discuss Mental Health Strategies With The Members of Your Alternative?

60 of 77

Q20 - How Often Do You Discuss Mental Health Strategies With The Members of Your Alternative?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	How Often Do You Discuss Mental Health Strategies With The Members of Your Alternative?	1.00	7.00	3.27	2.02	4.09	37

61 of 77

Q20 - How Often Do You Discuss Mental Health Strategies With The Members of Your Alternative?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Everyday	13.51%	5
2	A few times per week	40.54%	15
3	Once per week	10.81%	4
4	Less than once per week	13.51%	5
5	Once per month	0.00%	0
6	Less than once per moth	5.41%	2
7	Rarely	16.22%	6
	Total	100%	37

62 of 77

Q21 - Who Leads These Discussions? (Check All That Apply)

63 of 77

Q21 - Who Leads These Discussions? (Check All That Apply)

Data source misconfigured for this visualization

64 of 77

Q21 - Who Leads These Discussions? (Check All That Apply)

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Students	35.21%	25
2	Staff	38.03%	27
3	Parents	8.45%	6
4	On Staff Mental Health Professional	5.63%	4
5	Outside Mental Health Professional	4.23%	3
6	Others	8.45%	6
	Total	100%	71

65 of 77

Q22 - Have You Witnessed A Decrease In Any Student Mental Health Related Issues, From When They Started In Your Alternative Till Now?

66 of 77

Q22 - Have You Witnessed A Decrease In Any Student Mental Health Related Issues, From When They Started In Your Alternative Till Now?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	Have You Witnessed A Decrease In Any Student Mental Health Related Issues, From When They Started In Your Alternative Till Now?	1.00	3.00	2.16	0.64	0.41	37

67 of 77

Q22 - Have You Witnessed A Decrease In Any Student Mental Health Related Issues, From When They Started In Your Alternative Till Now?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Yes	13.51%	5
2	No	56.76%	21
3	Other	29.73%	11
	Total	100%	37

68 of 77

Q23 - Which Mental Health Issues Have You Noticed A Decrease In?

Which Mental Health Issues Have You Noticed A Decrease In?
None
None
My children love where they are. I wouldn't say mental health issues have decreased
A lot of my friends see counselors outside of our school
We are still pretty new so we may have more to go on next year.
I would say there's bone both a decrease and increase
It's stayed about the same. Some things have decreased like depression but other things like eating disorders
N/A
Anxiety
Students often come to us because of mental health issues it's hard to say there's been a decrease

69 of 77

Q23 - Which Mental Health Issues Have You Noticed A Decrease In?

Which Mental Health Issues Have You Noticed A Decrease In?
None
We haven't spent much time on this
None
N/A
None
None. Students simply come to lie around and sleep in the classrooms.
Hard to say there's been an decrease in some and increase in others
None
N/A
Anxiety (home ed = no school = less anxiety)
Lack of self esteem

70 of 77

Q23 - Which Mental Health Issues Have You Noticed A Decrease In?

Which Mental Health Issues Have You Noticed A Decrease In?
We haven't collected this data
Some have increased some have decreased
none. all increased.
Anxiety, deep frustration and anger
Anxiety, depression, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant
Depression

71 of 77

Q24 - How Was This Decrease Determined?

72 of 77

Q24 - How Was This Decrease Determined?

#	Field	Minimum	Maximum	Mean	Std Deviation	Variance	Count
1	How Was This Decrease Determined?	1.00	3.00	1.91	0.63	0.40	32

73 of 77

Q24 - How Was This Decrease Determined?

#	Answer	%	Count
1	Student Reporting	25.00%	8
2	Staff Reporting (Observational)	59.38%	19
3	Report From Mental Health or Medical Profession	15.63%	5
4	Diagnostic Data Collected	0.00%	0
	Total	100%	32

74 of 77

Q25 - Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?
Our group of students come to us from a traumatic situation
We use an outside mental health counselor who is on call. She reports an increase in therapeutic needs. Students and staff would agree.
I am grateful to you for doing this.
I am lucky to be in the place I am. I still have to see a counselor it's not because of school though
Not right now
Thank you AERO for doing this it's very important.
This was a great survey thank you!
Thank you
N/A
We are starting to see an increase in mental health issues for our students.

75 of 77

Q25 - Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?
Thank you for doing this survey
No
not at this time
We have a small school without a mental health provider. We make our community aware of the resources they have. We have experienced an increase in mental health obstacles I wonder what others are experiencing.
I'm a student and wanted to take the survey. I think my information is right.
I hope that AERO and other organizations are able to take a non-biased look at the results. I find the article posted on the AERO website to be indicative of a bias and an already drawn conclusion.
If we don’t want kids to end up in juvi, we must start offering more than just a quick chat with a school counselor. Most of these kids have drug issues, anger issues and they are given no help. We are not filing police charges for violent incidents caused by anger issues, but we are also not offering them help.
We're an urban SDE center much of what students experiences comes from their everyday lives

76 of 77

Q25 - Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?
We are experiencing a high increase in mental health
Not at this time.
Health since home ed: there has been less: upset stomachs, nail-biting. Mood, more pleasant to live with. Receptive to 'doing' and 'being'. There was usually at least one trusted adult available for child. Family willing to acknowledge school isn't always the best place.
Societal response to the pandemic was the main driver of mental health challenges. Choosing off activities and relationships outside the home were very detrimental. The inhumane expectations for social relationships were traumatizing, divisive, and alienating. Youth retain a very pessimistic and hopeless view of the future.
Our program is very small and an alternative to school & doesn't provide any sorts of MH services.
Thank you for doing this. Alternative settings are not immune from the mental health challenges that students face.
If I compare the kids coming from traditional schools, one year later, I see them is a considerable better mental and emotional estate. There are problems and frustration but they learn to manage them better.

77 of 77

Q25 - Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?

Is There Anything Else You Would Like To Share?
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor and in my position as Family Support Coordinator, I have been able to connect our community members (including staff) with free therapy through our partnership with a local mental health agency; the partnership is funded by our funder.
The questions which say "Check all that apply" don't work, you can only check one.