Encourage LGBTQ+ keiki to take anonymous survey
The National Climate Survey aims to make schools safe, affirming places for all
News Release from HSTA, October 21, 2026
The National Education Association’s longtime partner Glisten is conducting its annual National School Climate Survey, and they need your help to reach respondents! This survey seeks to gather school experiences of youth who are LGBTQIA2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex*, asexual, two-spirit**, and more) or questioning.
The anonymous survey is open to LGBTQIA2S+ youth age 13 or older who attended middle or high school in the United States during the 2025-2026 school year. Information from this survey will be used by NEA and its affiliates to inform work with educators and policy advocacy at the federal, state, and local levels.
Mililani Waena Elementary teacher Verona Holder, who chairs the Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association’s Human and Civil Rights Committee, said, “This survey asks about things students deal with every day—feeling safe or unsafe, support from adults, school culture, and what helps students feel like they belong.”
“We especially want to ensure the survey reflects students whose voices are often overlooked, including students of color, trans and nonbinary students, disabled students, and keiki in rural communities,” Holder added.
Survey link in English
Survey link in Spanish
The survey closes Sunday, Nov. 8 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Glisten (formerly known as GLSEN or the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) is a non-profit organization that works to end anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, harassment, and bullying in K-12 schools while promoting inclusive learning environments
*Intersex is an umbrella term for people born with sex characteristics—such as genitalia, reproductive organs, hormones, or chromosomes—that do not fit typical definitions of strictly male or female bodies.
**Two-spirit is a modern, pan-Indigenous umbrella term used by some Native American and First Nations people to describe individuals who embody both masculine and feminine spirits, or who fulfill traditional third- and fourth-gender roles in their communities.
PDF: SURVEY QUESTIONS FOR YOUR 13-YEAR-OLD SON