This report presents data from the District of Columbia Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) for 2021 and addresses the following risk behavior categories that align with the categories of the Office of the State Superintendent of Education’s (OSSE’s) Health Education Standards:

Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs
Mental and Emotional Health
Nutrition and Physical Activity
Disease Prevention/Sexual Health
Safety and Violence

DC is one of very few states that administers the YRBS using a census rather than a sample approach, meaning DC aims to survey every student at every school. A census-based survey administration provides DC with an n-size high enough to allow for sophisticated data analysis, including disaggregated data analysis such as transgender identity, sexual orientation and specific gender and ethnicity combinations. DC school leaders and educators can use these analyses to inform their professional development needs, drive their student intervention efforts and guide their investments in student supports. When data are reported separately for different subgroups (e.g., males and females), the data shown apply only to those groups and should not be aggregated