Privacy in numbers

Check Yourself creates a database with anonymous but detailed student information. In a sufficiently large universe, it can be difficult or impossible to link any information to a particular person. But the more that universe can be narrowed, the more possible it is to identify people within it.

For small demographic groups, the universe can be reduced dramatically with just a few details, as shown below using public school enrollment data:

= 10 students

A total of 41,327 students were enrolled in schools across 12 districts that participated in Check Yourself last school year (most were not screened).

Population is reduced to 5,299 students

Population is reduced to 965 students

Population is reduced to 353 students

Population is reduced to about 3 students

Check Yourself data can be narrowed by these fields and more, including language spoken at home, gender identity and sexual orientation, in addition to other personal details that students can include in response to open-ended questions.

A total of 41,327 students were enrolled in schools across 12 districts that participated in Check Yourself last school year (most were not screened).

Population is reduced to 5,299 students

Population is reduced to 965 students

Population is reduced to 353 students

Population is reduced to about 3 students

Check Yourself data can be narrowed by these fields and more, including language spoken at home, gender identity and sexual orientation, in addition to other personal details that students can include in response to open-ended questions.

Sources: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, Seattle Times reporting Emily M. Eng / The Seattle Times