New Report Published on Students with Disabilities

Youth with disabilities are a vibrant and diverse segment of Fairfax County, bringing unique strengths, perspectives and experiences that enrich our community. At the same time, youth with disabilities often face unique challenges in different areas of their lives. The published report explores the characteristics and experiences of students with disabilities based on the findings from the 2023-2024 Fairfax County Youth Survey. It aims to foster a deeper understanding among educators, parents, caregivers and community members and inform strategies that promote equitable opportunities and empower youth with disabilities to thrive.

Key Findings

• One in four students self-reported as having one or more disabilities. Most of the respondents reported having mental health or emotional conditions, learning disabilities and/or other health conditions. 
• Students with disabilities were more likely to report mental and behavioral health concerns. They were also at a higher risk of experiencing bullying, cyberbullying, domestic violence and dating violence than students with no disabilities. 
• There were disparities in youth protective factors (assets) between students with disabilities and those without disabilities across the family, school, community and individual domains. 
• Despite the challenges, students with disabilities fared as well as students without disabilities in terms of extracurricular activities, civic activities and nutrition habits. 

This report also includes community resources available to parents, caregivers and adults to support youth with disabilities. Read the full 2023-2024 Youth Survey report for more information on the overall survey results. You can also read 5 Things to Know about the Youth Survey on News Center for a summary of the key findings from the full report. 

Survey Background

Since 2001, the Board of Supervisors and the School Board have co-sponsored the Youth Survey, which helps monitor behavior trends and changes among our youth and provides crucial information to help prioritize the focus for prevention and youth development efforts throughout the community. It is an anonymous and voluntary survey given each year to Fairfax County Public Schools students in grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. Sixth grade students take a modified, shorter survey. In 2023, questions on disabilities and disability-related services were first added to the survey.

The survey is typically administered online during the fall of each school year and is offered in eight languages: Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, Korean, Spanish, Urdu and Vietnamese.

A total of 28,545 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 participated in the survey in 2023, representing 66 percent of enrolled students. A total of 11,444 grade 6 students participated in the 6th grade survey, representing 87 percent of enrolled students.