Here I Am – Student Census

The Here I Am Student Census:

• Collected identity and school experience data about the student population. Identity data includes Indigenous identity, race, ethnicity, languages, disability, sexual orientation, gender and more 
• Supports the work of the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Anti-Racism Committee
• Helps us to identify any unfair differences or inequities in our school system
• Support the development of Student Achievement Plans

The collection of identity data is outlined in Ontario’s education equity action plan. It states, “Comparing identity-based student data with data on program enrolment, suspensions and expulsions, and graduation rates may reveal more precisely how certain groups are being disadvantaged, how to identify and remove systemic barriers to success and, accordingly, where to target our resources.”

The survey questions are adapted from a template provided by the Ministry of Education and based on the Ontario Anti-Racism Act and Anti-Racism Data Standards.

The survey questions related to gender and sexual orientation are part of the template that was developed by the Ministry of Education to ensure compliance with the Ontario Human Rights Code, which protects individuals from discrimination based on gender identity or expression and sexual orientation. 

The open-ended response area allowed individuals to identify as they wish. Respondents were able to skip any question on the survey. 

While the survey is confidential, it’s not anonymous. Students’ unique student numbers are tied to the responses. To use the information to help identify disparities in our system and evaluate programs, we need to look at the data alongside other data we already collect under the Education Act. 

School and board staff do not have access to individual student information shared on the survey. Data will only be reviewed from a population level for the school board as a whole. 

Information collected is stored in a secure, confidential database in Canada and only be accessed by authorized data analysts. We’re committed to the highest levels of privacy and confidentiality in collecting information about students. We follow all privacy requirements outlined in the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).

The response rate on the elementary survey is too low to allow for further analysis. For the secondary student survey, we will analyze the data alongside other data to answer questions about: 

• Achievement gaps – whether certain groups of students achieve at the same rate 
• Suspension and expulsion rates – whether certain groups of students are suspended or expelled at a higher rate
• Streaming – whether certain groups of students are over or under-represented in particular programs or streams 
• Students’ sense of belonging at school and whether they see themselves represented in materials  

No, the purpose of this data isn’t to evaluate individual experiences or situations. Board staff are unable to access individual student responses. We also won’t be reviewing data from the school level. Data will be aggregated for the entire school board together to support system-level planning and change.