North Carolina high school students reported carrying weapons at school less often, getting into fewer fights, and drinking and using marijuana at what state officials called 20-year lows, according to the 2025 North Carolina High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey presented Aug. 5 to the State Board of Education.
The survey found that 1.1% of students said they carried a weapon on school property, down from 3.1% in 2023. The share reporting a physical fight fell to 16.4% from 22%. Meanwhile, the share who said they missed school because they felt unsafe dropped to 9.9% from 14.6%.
The state Department of Public Instruction (DPI) said the results show North Carolina has returned to and exceeded pre-pandemic levels across nearly all reported measures.
“The 2025 Youth Risk Behavior Survey reflects meaningful progress, particularly in improving student safety and reducing several risky behaviors,” state superintendent Mo Green said in a statement. “At the same time, the findings reinforce the need to help every student feel safe, connected and prepared to learn.”
Current alcohol use was reported by 16% of students and current marijuana use by 10.6%. DPI called both 20-year lows, down from 42.3% for alcohol and 21.4% for marijuana in 2005. Current cigarette smoking fell to 3.5% from 3.9% in 2023.
“These improvements matter,” said Kristi Day, director of DPI’s Office of Teaching and Learning. “They suggest that sustained attention to prevention, education and student support can make a difference.”
The report also shows that mental health has seen significant improvements among students since the low-point of the pandemic. The new figures report that nearly 30% of students said they experienced persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness in the previous year, and 11.4% said they seriously considered suicide.
The figures extend a decline that began after the 2021 survey, which was administered during the pandemic and produced the worst mental health readings in years of state data. As Carolina Journal reported at the time, 22% of high schoolers said they had seriously contemplated suicide in 2021, up from 16% in 2015. The state reported 18% for 2023, and the 2025 figure is more than a third below that.
Reports of sadness or hopelessness have followed a similar pattern, according to those earlier state figures — 43% in 2021, 39% in 2023, and nearly 30% now.
The department flagged sleep and physical activity as concerning. Only 21.7% of students said they got at least eight hours of sleep on an average school night, and 43.1% said they were physically active for at least 60 minutes on five or more days in the previous week. The state reported 42% on that activity measure for 2023.
Students reported feeling more connected to their schools. The share who agreed that they belonged at their school rose to 59.2% from 51% in 2023, and nearly 64% said they had at least one adult at school with whom they could talk about a problem.
“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,” said Ellen Essick, section chief for NC Healthy Schools.
Statewide averages mask large differences among students. Among those reporting mostly A’s, 4.8% said they missed school because they felt unsafe, compared with 34.3% of students reporting mostly D’s or F’s. Persistent sadness or hopelessness was reported by 22.3% of students earning mostly A’s and 56% of those earning mostly D’s or F’s.
“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,” said Michael Maher, DPI’s chief accountability officer.
