But after years of focus on behavioral health, it appears that North Carolina high school students are doing better. That’s according to the 2025 North Carolina High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which was presented to the State Board of Education this week. North Carolina also saw a double-digit decline in the percent of high schoolers who said they had seriously considered attempting suicide. “We don’t know if poor grades came first and then the mental health issues came, or mental health issues contributed to poor grades,” said Essick. Alcohol use among North Carolina high schoolers who self-reported declined more than 26% since 2005.